Class 4A football semifinals: Kentwood back in title game

TACOMA — Kalen Roy is ready for his turn.

Roy didn't get a snap when Kentwood beat Pasco in last year's Class 4A state-championship game. That team belonged to quarterback Carl Bonnell, a three-year Kentwood starter who is now at Washington State University.

But Roy is making his mark with this year's team. He played possibly his best overall game of the season last night to lead the fourth-ranked Conquerors back to center stage with a 20-9 semifinal victory over Mountain View at the Tacoma Dome.

Kentwood (12-1) plays Capital (10-2) for the title Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Tacoma Dome. The unranked Cougars, who lost to Kentwood in the 1999 semifinals in their first year as a 4A school, advanced by beating Walla Walla 34-28 in double overtime yesterday in Kennewick. Mountain View of Vancouver finished the season 10-3.

Roy, a junior, didn't have gaudy numbers last night. He completed nine of 18 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown. But in an offense that relies on the run, it was impressive and rather Bonnell-ish.

"There was a lot of pressure at the beginning of the year to fill Carl Bonnell's shoes," Roy said. "I figure there's no better way to fill them than to repeat (as state champion)."

Roy's counterpart, Mountain View senior Ben Huebschman, came into the game with all the hype, and it was well deserved because of his dazzling passing numbers. But Huebschman was harassed by a swarming Kentwood defense and left with a separated right shoulder midway through the third quarter. He completed 14 of 22 passes for 117 yards and was intercepted once before leaving. He became the state's Class 4A/3A leader in season passing with 3,405 yards. Drew Miller of Lakes had held the record with 3,366 yards in 1997.

That was of little consolation last night as Huebschman watched from the sideline.

"I was crying because I knew my senior year was over," Huebschman said.

Sophomore Dan Lewis came in to complete eight of 18 passes for 79 yards. But he, too, had little time to throw.

"Their line was all hyped up (coming in), and they deserved all the hype they got," Huebschman said, noting it was the most pressure he'd seen all season.

It was the second dominating performance by the Kentwood defense in a row. The Conquerors manhandled top-ranked Bethel the week before, holding the Braves to negative yardage on the ground and forcing DuRocher into hurried throws. Last night, they came up with four sacks, two by Ryan Conwell, and two interceptions.

"The kids have just played phenomenal defense the last two weeks," Kentwood Coach Tom Ingles said. "This was a mirror game of the Bethel game, I thought, and they just rose up."

And 5-foot-5 running back Will Thompson also stood tall after sitting out last week's game for failing to meet Kent School District academic standards. He got the Kentwood party started in a hurry, bursting 72 yards for a touchdown on the second play of the game — his first carry.

"That really set the tone for us," Roy said.

The Conquerors had opened with all-state linebacker Tahj Bomar at fullback and he got the first carry, a 2-yard gain up the middle. Bomar started both ways at the beginning of the season, but has primarily concentrated on defense most of the season.

On second down, Roy put the ball in Bomar's belly, pulled it back out and handed off to Thompson, who zipped through the hole and was off to the races. Justin Forney's kick made it 7-0 with less than a minute off the clock.

Mountain View's first punt was then muffed by Greg Otis, and Brooks Lindsley recovered for the Thunder at the Conquerors' 24-yard line. Huebschman threw 19 yards to Josh Baird to set up a first-and-goal play from the 5, but Kentwood held and Mountain View had to settle for Nick Young's 22-yard field goal.

Adrian Chandler answered with a 58-yard kickoff return to set Kentwood up at the Mountain View 36, and Roy's 24-yard pass to Brett Haack brought the ball to the 10. Forney, back at fullback, eventually scored on a 3-yard run and added the kick for a 14-3 lead with 5:11 still left in the opening quarter.

Mountain View used a trick play to get its only touchdown. Huebschman threw a lateral to Baird, who found Trent Overman wide open for a 41-yard score, and it was 14-9 with 3:23 to go in the first quarter. Chandler, covering on the play, was fooled, but got revenge later with an interception.

The Conquerors missed a prime opportunity to add to their total late in the second quarter, driving from their 12 to the Mountain View 2. But on second-and-goal with 12 seconds left, Roy was rushed and didn't get rid of the ball. With no timeouts, Kentwood had to watch the clock expire.

Alex Moaalii gave the Conquerors another chance early in the third quarter when he tackled Lindsley, caused a fumble and recovered it at the Mountain View 24. Thompson's four-yard run on fourth-and-4 kept the drive alive and Roy hit Ravotti with a 14-yard TD pass on the next play for a 20-9 lead. Thompson finished with 144 yards on 26 carries.

William Matua's interception at the Kentwood 10 sealed the win.

Mountain View was trying to become the first Greater St. Helen's League school to reach a championship game. Columbia River of Vancouver's efforts to get to the Class 3A title game were thwarted by Bellevue, the defending champion, in Friday's semifinals. Mountain View lost its first and last games of the regular season. The first was to Capital of Olympia, 35-21.

Mountain View 9 0 0 0 — 9 Kentwood 14 0 6 0 — 20

K — Will Thompson 72 run (Justin Forney kick)
MV — Nick Young 22 FG
K — Justin Forney 3 run (Forney kick)
MV — Trent Overman 41 pass from Josh Baird (run failed)
K — Joey Ravotti 14 pass Kalen Roy (kick blocked)

Rushing — Mountain View, James Day 3-2, Kenny Lutz 3-(-2), Dan Lewis 4-(-18). Kentwood, Will Thompson 26-144, Justin Forney 10-27, Kalen Roy 6-22, Tahj Bomar 2-3, Nate Whitlock 1-2.

Passing — Mountain View, Ben Huebschman 14-22-1-117, Dan Lewis 8-18-1-79, Josh Baird 1-2-0-41, Kyle Warner 0-1-0. Kentwood, Kalen Roy 9-18-1-125.

Receiving — Mountain View, Trent Overman 5-75, Josh Baird 4-59, Kyle Warner 4-49, Brooks Lindsley 4-21, Matt Hoss 3-17, James Day 2-7, Jason Richardson 1-9. Kentwood, Brett Haack 3-55, Joey Ravotti 5-69, David Jensen 1-1.