Knights get fourth title under Wiley Allred, beating SCAC rival Connell

Knights 28, Eagles 16

TACOMA - Didn't it seem appropriate that the Connell Eagles and Royal Knights met one more time this season, this time for the 1A state championship?

And didn't it seem appropriate that Royal, which had lost its last two matchups with the Eagles on last-second field goals, earned redemption?

That's the scenario that transpired under the Tacoma Dome roof on Saturday afternoon, with the Knights beating their South Central Athletic Conference rivals 28-16 to win their fifth state title in 12 years - the fourth of head coach Wiley Allred's tenure.

Allred, Royal's ninth-year head coach, downplayed the significance of beating Connell to win the title - at least from the standpoint of revenge.

"The only thing that makes it sweet is they're just so tough," he said. "You just know you're going to have to battle and play a good game to have a chance. That's why they're so happy when they beat us and we're so happy to beat them."

Top-ranked and unbeaten Connell had walked off Royal's David Nielsen Memorial Field with a 23-20 victory in week four of the regular season, winning on a Raul Farias field goal with 4 seconds left. But the key to that triumph - the swift legs of Connell senior quarterback Brett Clyde - wasn't a factor in the rematch.

In the regular-season meeting, Clyde had 75 rushing yards, including a huge 49-yarder late in the fourth quarter. But on Saturday, the Knights kept him in the pocket and controlled the line of scrimmage, holding Clyde to 22 yards on eight carries. Connell had just 59 yards on the ground as a team.

"I guess the difference was we contained Brett Clyde a little better than we did the first time," Wiley Allred said.

"That really changed the game in the first game," said senior linebacker Dexter Allred, the head coach's son, of Clyde's running ability. "We got just enough pressure on him, filled our lanes. We just played a lot better, sounder defense today."

Connell's other star, Brigham Young-bound Spencer Hadley, was also a non-factor for much of the game. Hadley caught eight balls for 100 yards, but most of that came in the second half after Royal (14-1) had taken a 21-3 lead.

"I thought we did a great job," Wiley Allred said of his team's effort on Hadley. "He's a stud - he's the best player, in my opinion, in the state of Washington."

The Knights also got superb efforts from their offensive stars. Quarterback Austin Allred and tailback Hector Ledezma - both playing their last games in black and gold - repeatedly sliced and diced the Eagles. Austin Allred completed 13 of 24 passes for 229 yards and one score, and rushed 17 times for 86 yards and two more scores. Ledezma had a game-high 107 yards on 22 carries and Royal's other touchdown.

Allred threw a steady diet of deep balls that ate the Eagles alive. His 28-yard pass to Blair Collins got things going, and a 5-yard bullet to Collins ended an 85-yard march, putting the Knights up 7-0 midway through the first quarter.

Royal went 75 yards on 11 plays to go up 14-0 in the second period. Allred and Collins hooked up for 28 more yards, and the quarterback finished the drive with a 1-yard sneak.

Connell got on the board moments later after a 39-yard pass from Clyde to Nick Holdiman set up a 40-yard Farias field goal. But with just over 2 minutes to play in the half, the Knights weren't content with a two-score lead.

Ledezma rumbled 15 yards and a personal foul face mask penalty set up Royal at midfield. Then Allred launched a beautifully placed go route to Zach Lewis, picking up 41 yards and a first-and-goal. Ledezma bolted in from 2 yards out, giving the Knights a 21-3 lead with 28 ticks left in the half.

"Because of our running back and our line and everybody else, they had to cover those guys," said Austin Allred, talking about why his deep routes were available. "That opened up the passes downfield."

"We might outmatch them man for man receiver-wise," Wiley Allred added. "We try to get them in situations to take advantage. You've kind of got to go for it, I felt like."

Wiley Allred said his nephew took a little time getting used to the role of field general this fall. But once he did, the results were outstanding.

"Four games into the season he didn't even know if I trusted him," the coach said. "After that, he realized I did and we were going to go with him the rest of the year. After that, he started developing a lot more confidence."

Royal also had a halftime lead in the regular-season game, and they knew the Eagles (13-1) were perfectly capable of coming back. On Saturday it took the Eagles 15 minutes of second-half action before they dented the scoreboard, narrowing Royal's lead to 21-10 on a 17-yard pass to Wes Jenks.

The Knights nullified that score just 68 seconds later. Austin Allred hit Lewis with a 57-yard heave, then called his own number and dove in from 7 yards out.

Hadley barreled in from 2 yards out for the game's final points, but it was too little, too late for the Eagles.

Dexter Allred, hampered by a leg injury but gamely gutting things out, said Royal's defensive strategy worked wonders.

"Basically, our plan was to shut down (Clyde and Hadley) as much as we could," he said. "We did pretty good. We played tough defense.

"I don't know if I got a single tackle the whole game, but it was awesome," he added, laughing.

Sharing the victory with his son and nephew made the game that much better for Wiley Allred, who didn't hesitate when asked to compare his four state titles.

"The last one's always the best," he said with a smile.