4A Football | E-W rally in the 4th comes up a bit short
TACOMA - It’s too bad for Edmonds-Woodway that valiant comebacks don’t get you into the championship game.
Down 21 points entering the fourth quarter to Lewis and Clark of Spokane in the Class 4A state football semifinals at the Tacoma Dome on Saturday, the Warriors forced four fourth-quarter turnovers and scored three touchdowns.
But a missed extra point on the second fourth-quarter TD forced the Warriors to go for two on their final score. Quarterback Kyle McCartney’s pass was deflected and the team’s comeback - and championship - dreams were dashed with a 28-26 loss to the Tigers.
Lewis and Clark marches on to face Bothell at 7:30 p.m. in next Saturday’s final at the Tacoma Dome.
“We played a great season,” said Warriors coach John Gradwohl.
The third-ranked Warriors seemed done against a Tigers team that allowed only seven points in the playoffs until Saturday.
But senior Antoinne Wafer gave the Warriors a much-needed spark, catching a 14-yard TD pass after a Lewis and Clark fumble and making an interception that set up a Tony Heard 3-yard TD run that made the score 28-20. Justin Milone’s extra-point attempt hit the left upright.
“It didn’t look like karma was with us in the fourth [quarter],” said Tigers coach Tom Yearout. “But that PAT hitting the post gave us a little energy. We knew if they scored again, we’d have another chance to stop them on the conversion.”
On the ensuing kickoff, Edmonds-Woodway stripped the Tigers returner and recovered on the Lewis and Clark 44-yard line. The Warriors turned the ball over on downs, however.
When the Tigers got the ball back, a Steven Eglet pass was intercepted by McCartney and returned to the Lewis and Clark 26-yard line.
Eight plays later, Heard scored his second TD on a 1-yard run with 44 seconds to play.
But forced to go for two, McCartney rolled out to his left, fired to the back of the end zone and the pass was batted away.
“Coach told us on the sideline, ‘We’re going to win this game,’ ” said Tigers running back Alex Shaw, who rushed 28 times for 141 yards and a TD. “I looked him dead in the eye and believed him.”
The unranked Tigers (10-2) turned the ball over five times in the second half, but escaped with a win.
“I don’t think we’ve turned it over five times in the last five weeks,” said Yearout.
Edmonds-Woodway’s season comes to an end at 12-1. Much like last season, the Warriors’ undefeated season was stopped in Tacoma in the semifinals. Edmonds-Woodway lost 28-14 to Bothell last year.
McCartney threw for 99 yards and two TDs, but was intercepted twice. He came into the game with four interceptions on the season.
Wafer caught seven passes for 86 yards and two TDs. He also had two interceptions, giving him 13 this season.
Without the turnovers that gave the Warriors life, the Lewis and Clark defense seemed too much to handle for an Edmonds-Woodway team that came in to the game averaging 40.4 points.
“They are one of those rare football teams that will just line up and play smash-mouth football,” said Shaw.
And the Warriors did on Saturday, but came up a little short.