The familiar words were difficult to hear for the Cascade Christian football team.
“It doesn’t feel good right now,” Cougars coach Randy Davis said. “If you take the season as an overall, you have to be proud. Right now, it’s kind of hard to see that.”
Third-ranked Cascade Christian lost in the state final for the second consecutive year, falling to No. 2 Connell, 28-7, in the Class 1A title game Saturday at the Tacoma Dome.
Connell (14-0) jumped out to a 21-0 lead at halftime and held off Cascade Christian (13-1) in the second half, securing the second championship in school history. The Eagles have felt the Cougars’ pain, losing back-to-back finals in 2006 and 2007.
Only four starters returned from last year’s squad for Cascade Christian. That the Cougars would win a third straight Nisqually League 1A/2B title, knock off top-ranked Montesano and find their way back to the championship game seemed at one time like a far-off fantasy.
The Cougars made it a reality.
“I was proud of last year’s team,” Davis said, “but I don’t know if I’ve been prouder of a team than this team here, because no one at the beginning of the year thought we’d be here.”
Even when Cascade Christian trailed by three touchdowns, the Cougars didn’t crumble. Running back Colton Faverty gave the Cougars a burst of life in the third quarter. The team’s “second-half running back” – “He’s got fresh legs,” Davis said – carried on every play of a five-play, 55-yard drive, capping it by taking a toss around the end for a 28-yard touchdown.
“We knew this was our last chance, especially for us seniors,” senior Cody Creech said. “Never count out the Cougs.”
When Cascade Christian junior Axel Johnson recovered the ensuing onside kick, Connell coach Wayne Riner felt his spine tingle.
“It was a scare when they came out and scored and got the onside kick,” he said. “It was ‘Oh no, we got us a game.’ ”
Faverty ripped off runs of 8 and 7 yards on first and second down, bringing the Cougars to the Eagles’ 31, but that’s as close as they came.
A dropped pass, a sack and an incomplete pass on fourth down gave the ball back to Connell.
The Eagles’ defense kept Cascade Christian from crossing the 50 again until less than a minute remained in the game. Connell’s offense did its part by gobbling up seven minutes of clock in the fourth quarter on a 12-play, 69-yard drive that Dyrel Whitby capped with an 11-yard touchdown run.
Eagles quarterback Nathan Martinez completed 10-of-17 passes for 186 yards and three touchdowns. Receiver Shane Didier caught two scoring passes, including an 86-yarder in the first quarter, and finished with three catches for 101 yards. Running back Matt Hadley rushed for 107 yards on 20 carries.
Cascade Christian’s powerful rushing attack was limited to 70 yards on 27 attempts, though Faverty led the team with 83 yards on 12 carries. Quarterback Kyle Stennes completed 13-of-25 passes for 129 yards. Creech had a team-high four receptions for 68 yards.
Connell took command of the game in the last minute of the second quarter. After forcing a punt, the Eagles took over at their own 48 with 23 second left in the half. That was enough time for Hadley, the SCAC East MVP, to score on a 42-yard catch and give Connell a 21-0 lead.
“That was a back-breaker,” Davis said. “But we did not roll over. There was no quit in them. Fight to the end, that’s what we ask.”
Doug Pacey: 253-597-9271
blog.thenewstribune.com/preps
