Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Thurman
Tyler Thurman slapped his hands in frustration after a couple passes slipped through his grasp Homecoming night in the first half against Touchet.
But there was still time.
A leaping Thurman catch off the shoulder pad of an interfering defender gave Garfield-Palouse a touchdown late in the second quarter.
After quarterback Hunter Woltering scrambled for the two-point conversion, the game was tied 20-20.
But there was still time.
With only 32 seconds remaining until the half, Touchet quickly drove and scored on a bobbled catch by James Kates in the endzone between Gar-Pal’s Evan Weagraff and Cole Sanderson.
The Vikings denied another Indians’ two-point conversion attempt and one second remained on the clock.
But there was still time.
Thurman fielded the short kickoff, cut right and ran past the erupting Garfield-Palouse bleachers, 45 yards up the sideline. Touchet’s Colter McKeown caught him at the two yard-line. He extended and the orange pylon fell.
No touchdown was the call.
Thurman was inches away from six more points. Would the Vikings need those in the second half?
First, Homecoming royalty needed to be crowned, including king Cole Sanderson.
"I’m running out of fake smiles, guys," he said, as photographers snapped away.
The second half began and Touchet’s McKeown got loose on a 51-yard run for a 32-20 Indians lead.
Sanderson crunched McKeown on the two-point conversion but he fell into the endzone anyway.
The Vikings then drove, before Woltering threw an interception in the endzone which was called back for pass interference. Nonetheless, Gar-Pal turned it over on downs.
On their next possession, Woltering hit Thurman for an in-the-air, off-the-defender’s-facemask catch for a 35-yard gain.
A play later, Woltering threw to Ian Niebergs for a 15-yard touchdown.
The senior quarterback ran for the conversion and it was now 34-28 Touchet.
Into the fourth quarter, the Vikings pushed to tie the game.
Stalled at fourth-and-15 in Indian territory with 5:08 left, they went for it. Holtering threw across the middle to Thurman for a just-enough 15-yard completion.
With a first down on the Touchet 14, trailing by a touchdown, Sanderson ran the ball to the Indians’ nine, going out with a knee injury on the play.
On second down, Woltering got stood up and spun around on a quarterback keeper. Touchet punched the ball loose and recovered it. It was the only turnover in the game.
But there was still time.
On the Indians’ subsequent possession, third down and three, No. 14 got loose again – McKeown – for 85 yards and a touchdown.
They led 42-28 with 1:59 left.
McKeown then sealed the game with an interception.
Surely, Sanderson had one more fake smile in him.
Woltering finished the night with 20 completions on 35 attempts for 288 yards and three touchdowns. Thurman had 13 catches for 155 yards and two touchdowns while Sanderson ran for 107 yards on 18 carries.
The Vikings (3-1) will now play at Liberty Christian (4-0) Friday. They will be without Sanderson and tight end Ian Niebergs, who hurt his shoulder against Touchet.
Sunnyside Christian 52, Colton 48
A long drive and a fourth-and-six conversion led to the Knights’ final touchdown, proving enough late in the fourth quarter to beat Colton.
The Wildcats had time to answer but stalled at their own 40-yard-line on the ensuing possession.
Junior quarterback Carter Dahmen led Colton, going 13-for-18 for 265 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran 16 times for 130 yards and four touchdowns.
Tristan Blewett caught five passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns.
The game was moved from a Friday game to Thursday because Sunnyside Christian has no home field. The two teams played at Sunnyside High School.
Pomeroy 72, St. John-Endicott 0
The Eagles of S.J.E. went to Pomeroy last Friday and may have wished they’d landed somewhere else.
"We just didn’t show up," said Coach Steve Selk, of his team, which trailed 28-0 at the end of the first quarter. "We couldn’t stop the run that night and they couldn’t stop running."
The team began the game with a few St. John-Endicott starters out due to missed practice time.
Pomeroy scored on their first possession, then again after the Eagles fumbled on their first possession.
"This is a time for selective amnesia," Selk said. "We need to pick anything positive we can find from that game and flush the rest."
Friday night is St. John-Endicott’s Homecoming game against Colton.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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