Wolf, Fisk shine in small-schools game

YAKIMA – Outworking their larger counterparts, the East posted a second-half shutout, which included a fourth-down stop at their own 14 and a game-clinching interception from East defensive MVP Alex Wolf of Deer Park, to spark a 21-17 victory on Saturday in the 16th Earl Barden All-Star game at Zaepfel Stadium.

The game is for 2A schools and smaller.

Chewelah quarterback Sam Fisk earned East offensive MVP after directing two first-half scoring drives.

When DeSales’ Pat Richard hit Colfax’s Will Hatley on a 35-yard scoring strike late in the third quarter, the East moved ahead 21-17, erasing a 17-7 late-first-half deficit.

“We just stayed together as a team,” said Fisk, who was 6 for 10 for 88 yards and a TD. “That’s what this team was made on. We played for each other, not as individuals.”

Later, after giving the West one more shot in the final minutes, the East defense delivered again. At the East 38 with about 30 seconds left, Ryan Seto caught a pass near the 10.

Timing his arrival perfectly, Wolf put a resounding hit on Seto, jarring the ball loose. Then, as he fell to the turf, Wolf had the wherewithal to keep his eye on the ball, cradling it with both arms as he landed to seal the victory.

“We knew he was a playmaker when he played at Deer Park,” said East head coach Craig Whitney, who coached against Wolf as West Valley of Spokane’s coach.