Rypien passes Shadle Park to play-in win
Highlanders QB throws for four touchdowns
KENNEWICK – Brett Rypien threw four touchdown passes as Shadle Park pulled away from Kamiakin for a 27-7 victory Friday night at Lampson Stadium in a State 3A play-in game.
Rypien tossed two fourth-quarter touchdowns as the Highlanders (7-3) move on to host Wilson in the first round of the state playoffs next weekend.
“I am proud of the way our kids competed,” said Shadle Park coach Jim Mace. “We just started making plays in the second half.”
It is the second straight season Shadle Park has knocked the Braves (7-3) out of the playoffs.
Leading 13-7, Rypien connected with George Pilimai for a 79-yard score on the second play of the fourth quarter to push the margin to 20-7. The Highlanders put the game away less than 6 minutes later when Rypien connected with Sam Stratton for a 24-yard touchdown.
“I thought our defense played really well,” said Kamiakin coach Scott Biglin. “Our offense just didn’t make some plays.”
The game was about missed opportunities for the Braves, combined with some great defense from the Highlanders.
The Braves drove the ball inside the 25-yard line on four different occasions, but failed to come away with a score.
“A lot of missed opportunities,” Biglin said. “A couple of bad snaps and some turnovers really hurt us.”
The Braves had the ball deep inside Highlanders territory on their first two drives of the game and both times came away empty. The first ended thanks to a Cameron Duty interception in the end zone and the second was by an interception from TJ Trout in the end zone.
“Our defense was nails,” Mace said.
The Highlanders turned away Kamiakin two other times deep inside their territory.
The Braves’ lone score came on the ensuing kickoff when Dallen Campbell returned a squib kick 70 yards to cut the margin to 13-7 in the second quarter.
Shadle Park jumped out to a quick lead when he hit Stratton on a 1-yard touchdown pass with 5:31 left in the first quarter. The Highlanders extended the lead to 13-0 after a 10-yard touchdown catch-and-run by Darius Savick Batters.
“There were plays there in the first half that we didn’t make,” Mace said.
“I don’t know if we were just excited.”
Rypien finished 28-for-43 passing for 444 yards and four touchdowns.
Senior running back T.J. Faamausili led the way for the Braves, rushing 24 times for 190 yards.