Big plays ignite comeback as No. 1 Union stuns No. 3 Puyallup with 21-point fourth quarter

Union High School senior Darien Chase has this to say about his Titans offense — “Everybody is a weapon.”

Chase is a four-star wide receiver and defensive back with six Division I offers and considered the top 2019 prospect in the state who has yet to announce his college commitment.

Union quarterback Lincoln Victor threatens in the air and on the ground, and has five FCS offers of his own.

And running backs Jojo Siofele and and Isaiah Jones are a big play waiting to happen.

All of these explosive players combined to fuel a stunning four-quarter comeback Friday night in Vancouver, as top-ranked Union upended No. 3 Puyallup, 38-31, in the final seconds at McKenzie Stadium.

“Definitely a statement game, but we try not to look at the number,” Chase said. “We just move one week at a time.”

Union (5-0) boasted its big-play ability in the win, scoring a trio of long touchdowns in key moments to keep the Vikings (4-1) in reach, and ultimately snatch away momentum late in the second half.

Victor finished 26 of 37 passing for 320 yards and two touchdowns, with Siofele as his top target. Siofele led all receivers with nine catches for 144 yards and a score, and added a 7-yard touchdown run, finishing with 10 carries for 49 yards.

Chase added 80 yards and a touchdown on nine catches, and Isaiah Jones led the Titans on the ground with four carries for 84 yards and a touchdown.

“We just can’t give up big plays,” Puyallup coach Gary Jeffers said. “I thought defensively our kids played pretty well. But, they have some dudes. When you get out of position on the dudes, they score.”

Much like they have the past two weeks in pivotal 4A SPSL wins over Sumner and Graham-Kapowsin — the top-ranked 4A team before Puyallup ended its undefeated season in an overtime thriller a week ago — the Vikings built an early lead on Union.

Puyallup scored on its first two drives the game on a 23-yard Carter Pierce field goal and a 1-yard Kyle Cramer plunge, and the defense forced two early punts as the Vikings took a 10-0 lead.

Puyallup moved the ball almost effortlessly, with quarterback Jacob Holcomb connecting with three receivers for gains of 11, 34 and 21 yards to set up Cramer’s opening touchdown.

But, the Titans came firing back with a pair of quick scores. It took Union just two plays to score following Cramer’s touchdown.

Lincoln hit Chase for a modest 6-yard gain before finding Siofele alone in the flat on the following play. Siofele weaved through a handful of Puyallup defenders, spun, and ripped down the sideline for a 74-yard touchdown.

That wasn’t all. After the Titans forced a three-and-out on Puyallup’s ensuing drive, their stellar offense struck again.

Three plays into the second quarter, Victor found Chase for a 38-yard score, giving Union its first lead of the game at 14-10.

But, Puyallup answered twice on touchdown passes from Holcomb to Justin Haase (2 yards) and Darius Morrision (5 yards) on consecutive drives, and held the Titans to a 37-yard field goal from Christian Alcorn just before the half expired to regain a 24-17 lead.

“In the locker room we felt pretty good even though we were down,” Chase said. “We knew we were beating ourselves. So, once we came out, we did our job, we got back up on them.”

Puyallup appeared in control most of the way, leading by as many as two touchdowns in the second half.

The programs exchanged turnovers — a Cramer fumble as the Vikings were approaching the red zone, followed by Ben Rodriguez picking of Victor in the end zone — before Puyallup pushed its lead to 31-17.

The Vikings ran 16 plays on their next drive, capped by Cramer’s second touchdown of the game on a 2-yard scamper, and chewed up more than seven minutes of clock, leaving Union with less than 10 minutes to dial up its comeback.

Union methodically moved down the field on its next drive, scoring on Siofele’s 7-yard cut into the end zone, but nearly three minutes ticked off the clock.

The Titans forced a three-and-out, and got the ball back with 4:41 to go. Less than a minute later, Jones sent the Union crowd into a frenzy when he got around the corner, split two defenders and sprinted down the sideline for a 55-yard touchdown.

That tied the game at 31-31, and the Titans kept the momentum. Another Vikings three-and-out set Union up at its own 19-yard line with 3:06 remaining.

Victor led the Titans on a 15-play drive that ended with the decisive touchdown. Nile Jones stretched for the 2-yard score with 15 seconds remaining.

Holcomb threw incomplete after a long kickoff return set the Vikings up at midfield with nine seconds to play, and was picked off as the clock expired.

“We just told our kids, what a great experience,” Jeffers said. “This is the standard. The standard has been set, and we need to reach that bar if we’re going to make our goals.”

Holcomb finished 19 of 28 passing for 192 yards and the two touchdowns, with Ethan Steward (five catches, 81 yards) leading Puyallup’s receivers. Cramer added 104 yards and the two touchdowns on 24 carries.

“I think our team is cohesive,” Jeffers said. “This loss is not going to change that. Our kids are mature. They understand the length of the season, and there’s a very good chance we’ll get a chance to play these guys again.

“It’s just about staying together as a family and continuing to work to get better, controlling the things we can control, and the rest will take care of itself.”

P - Carter Pierce 23 field goal

P - Kyle Cramer 1 run (Pierce kick)

U - Jojo Siofele 74 pass from Lincoln Victor (Christian Alcorn kick)

U - Darien Chase 38 pass from Victor (Alcorn kick)

P - Justin Haase 2 pass from Jacob Holcomb (Pierce kick)

P - Darius Morrison 5 pass from Holcomb (Pierce kick)

U - Alcorn 37 field goal

P - Cramer 2 run (Pierce kick)

U - Siofele 7 run (Alcorn kick)

U - Isaiah Jones 55 run (Alcorn kick)

U - Nile Jones 2 run (Alcorn kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATS

Passing: P - Holcomb 19-28-1-192. U - Victor 26-37-1-320.

Rushing: P - Cramer 24-104; Holcomb 10-33; Ethan Steward 2-6; Cohen Cleek 1-0. U - Jones 4-84; Siofele 10-49; Jones 14-48; Victor 4-29.

Receiving: P - Steward 5-81; Morrison 5-47; Haase 4-40; Creek 5-24. U - Siofele 9-144; Chase 9-80; Alishawuan Taylor 5-48; Alexander Gehrmann 2-20; Alex Vallejo 1-12; Jayden Picanco 1-7.

This story was originally published September 29, 2018 at 2:59 AM.