Royal slides past Scotties to advance
Derrick Pacheco/Columbia Basin HeraldRoyal senior quarterback Connor Paysse is tackled in the end zone after his 14-yard touchdown run in the first quarter of Saturday's playoff win over the Freeman Scotties.
Royal 32, Spokane 27
Knights 32, Scotties 27
SPOKANE - The frigid temperatures and a stubborn Freeman Scotties football team were not enough to deny the Royal Knights their seventh consecutive trip to the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) 1A football semifinals Saturday in Spokane.
The Knights overcame an injury to senior starting quarterback Connor Paysse and a third quarter rally from Freeman to earn the 32-27 state quarterfinal victory.
Royal head coach Wiley Allred said the victory was intense.
"I am proud of the way our kids came back," he said. "We had to change our thinking a little bit."
The Knights took an early lead in the first quarter when Paysse scored the first touchdown of the game when he scrambled into the end zone from 14 yards out to give Royal its first lead of the football game.
Freeman responded to Royal's score with a touchdown of their own. The Scotties would miss the extra point attempt and Royal maintained the advantage with a 7-6 lead.
With the Knights leading by a single point, Royal would continue to put the pressure on the Scotties in the first quarter.
Paysse found junior tight end Marc Albertson in the corner of the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown pass and a 14-6 lead.
After the Royal defense recovered a Freeman fumble, Paysse led the Knights offense down the field and into Scotties territory. With the first quarter running out, Paysse threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Angel Ledezma for a 20-6 Royal advantage.
The Knights closed out the first quarter scoring 13 unanswered points.
The Royal defense kept the Scotties out of the end zone in the second quarter as the Knights were looking to build on their first half lead. The Knights offense continued to march down the field late in the second quarter.
Royal began to close in on the end zone for their fourth score of the half when Paysse took the snap from senior center Sam Rice. Paysse ran the ball for a short gain before he was swarmed by a pack of Freeman defenders.
As the pile of players got to their feet, Paysse remained on the field turf, writhing in pain from his ankle with 3:30 left to play in the half.
"I thought it was (broken)," he said. "I have never rolled my ankle before. I stood up and felt it sliding around. It was a little scary."
Members of the Royal coaching staff assisted Paysse off the field, leaving the offense in the large hands of Albertson. Albertson is the Royal backup quarterback.
With Paysse on the sidelines, Albertson took his place under center. He took the snap from Rice and dropped back in the pocket on his first play as quarterback. Behind a protecting offensive line, Albertson found senior wide receiver Blair Collins for a 25-yard touchdown and a 26-6 halftime lead.
"I knew I had to focus," Albertson said. "I knew the team was counting on it."
Allred said he had confidence in Albertson when he sent him out to play quarterback.
"You're gonna hit it," Allred said he told Albertson. "They don't think you're gonna throw and we're gonna throw. Marc's got a great arm."
After the teams filed out of the locker room after halftime, Paysse remained on the sidelines, trying to keep his ankle loose.
Royal received the second half kick off and began their first drive of the half in their own territory.
The Knights' first possession would be cut short when Albertson threw an interception, giving the Scotties possession of the football in Royal territory.
Freeman would capitalize on the Royal turnover when they scored just 1:44 into the third quarter to cut the Royal lead to 26-14.
On their first play from scrimmage following the Freeman touchdown, the Knights fumbled the football and the Scotties recovered the ball deep in Royal territory.
The Scotties took advantage of the Royal turnover and pulled within 26-20 halfway through the third quarter.
With the Royal lead slipping away, Paysse returned to the huddle for the Knights.
With the less than four minutes left in the third quarter, Paysse dropped back in the pocket and threw an interception. The Scotties would return the interception 33 yards for a touchdown and their first lead of the game at 27-26 at the end of the third quarter.
The Knights continued to trail in the fourth quarter as the Freeman offense drove deep into Royal territory. The Royal defense stood strong on their own 9-yard line, denying Freeman on fourth down. With the clock winding down on the fourth quarter and possibly their season, the Royal offense persevered.
Paysse and the Knights rallied, scoring the final touchdown of the game with 6:36 left to play.
The Knights regained the lead at 32-27 when Collins scored on a 15-yard touchdown run to seal the game for the Knights.
Royal knew it would be a tough game, Paysse said.
"It was gut-wrenching in the fourth quarter," he said. "We knew it would be a fourth quarter game."
With their season on the line, the Knights were confident in their ability, Paysse said.
"I have played with these kids my whole life," he said. "I know that is how they play. When it came time (the offensive line) stepped it up."
Freeman's defense held strong for most of the game, Allred said.
"They were tough against the run all day long," he said. "I gotta give them credit for that."
Collins said their next playoff game will be tough.
"It was a close one," Collins said. "It is going to be another hard game next week."
With the victory the Knights will play the Cashmere Bulldogs in the semifinals of the WIAA 1A playoffs Saturday, Nov. 29 at Moses Lake's Lions Field.
Kick off is scheduled for 12 p.m.
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