Valle sparks Royal crown

TACOMA – Ray Valle threw three touchdown passes, and Royal blanked Tonasket in the second half for a 34-14 win Saturday in the State 1A football championship.

The Knights (13-0) won their 28th consecutive game and second straight state title. Royal has won four state titles in 10 years.

Tonasket (11-2) led 7-0 and 14-7 on touchdown runs from Ryan Anderson and Jett Attwood. Valle threw his second touchdown pass to A.J. Eldredge with 5:30 left in the first half to pull the Knights even at 14-all.

Valle scored on a fourth-and-goal keeper from the 1 midway through the third quarter. Jeff Jack added a 14-yard TD run to put the Knights ahead 27-14.

Tonasket fumbled at the Royal 3-yard line on third down early in the fourth quarter.

Valle capped his afternoon with a 10-yard TD pass to Kyle Scroggins with 50 seconds left. Valle completed 14 of 19 for 220 yards.

Jack, playing with a broken right forearm, rushed for 159 yards on 25 carries. Jack is Washington’s all-time leader with 722 career points.