Huskies' title bid ends

SPOKANE — A chance to win was within sight and the Othello Huskies could feel the door to a semifinal bid slowly close as the clock ran out.

Losing a shot to win their Class 2A football quarterfinal in regulation, the Huskies saw their chance at knocking off unbeaten West Valley slip through their fingers in a 28-22 overtime loss Saturday at Gonzaga Prep.

West Valley (12-0) won on a Drew Clausen six-yard run in the extra session after stopping Othello (9-3) on their possession moments earlier.

Yet a shot to win the battle went awry when Othello, riding a wave of momentum, lost out on an opportunity to attempt a game winning field goal when the clock ran out.

“Obviously the boys are really disappointed since they felt like they had a chance to win it at the end,” Huskies’ defensive coordinator Brad Swensen said.  “We were going to get up and spike the ball but the West Valley kids laid on top of the ball and we didn’t get a chance..”

Othello, state champions in 1997 and 2004, were riding high from the momentum of a fourth quarter that saw them turn the tide on the Eagles.

Trailing 22-7 entering the final 12 minutes of regulation, Matt Jensen plowed into the end zone for a one-yard touchdown run and quarterback Jeremy Cerillo hit Caleb Garza on two-point pass conversion and it was 22-15.

Jensen scored on a two-yard run in the first quarter giving Othello their only lead at 7-0.

Then the defense did what they have been counted on to do all year.

“We knew they were going to try and run out the clock so we were going to put all kinds of pressure on them and get them in long yardage situations,” Swensen said. “We knew we were going to gamble and that what’s we did and forced the fumble.”

The fumble would fall into the hands of Amando DeLeon, who returned it 35-yards for a score. Brian Elgin’s conversion knotted the game at 22.

Another stop of the Eagles and Othello had one more crack to score in the fourth quarter. They managed to get inside the West Valley 25 hoping for an Elgin field goal attempt.

“He really wanted a chance to win the game and was bummed that he didn’t have a chance,” Swensen said. “He’s kicked 45 yarders in practice before so it was possible.”

This was Othello’s 13th straight playoff appearance.