Championship game turns into Warriors' rout

COULEE CITY - What was supposed to be the football championship game of the 1B Northeast League turned into a new episode of "Who's the Boss?"

Almira/Coulee-Hartline turned what was supposed to be a clash between two unbeaten, state-ranked opponents, into a laugher after halftime, as the host Warriors (9-0) demolished Cusick 54-6 on Friday night.

"I'm not entirely sure what to say about the game but our kids played very well in all phases of the game," ACH head coach Brandon Walsh said. "Our defense especially came up huge, holding the top scoring offense in the state to six points which the scored on the first play from scrimmage in the game."

After that, it was the Warriors who took over the scoring and then some.

ACH tied the game on a 23-yard touchdown pass from Derek Isaak to Brandon Boutain, making it 6-6 after the game's first 12 minutes.

Isaak would give the Warriors the lead for good with a 91-yard touchdown run in the second quarter as ACH led 12-6 going into the locker room.

From that point on fans may have wondered if Cusick (9-1) came out of the locker room and spiritually got back on the bus.

First Colin Deyarmin trotted in to the endzone on a 65-yard scoring run, Isaak would follow with a 36-yard scamper and a 21-yard touchdown sprint, to put ACH up 32-6 after 36 minutes of play.

The onslaught continued in the fourth quarter as Deyarmin scored his second and third touchdown runs of the game on 46 and 82-yard bolts to the endzone. Isaak would get one up on Deyarmin with his fourth sprint to the house off of a 24-yard run.

When the final whistle blew ACH had run for 464 yards of total offense on just over 19 yards a carry.

"I couldn't be more proud of the great effort that every kid put forth," Walsh said. "We were physical and ran the ball the way we needed to on the offensive side of things and defensively we got after it as well."

ACH's defense held Cusick to 287 yards of offense while the Warriors ended up with 506.

Isaak ran 14 times for 204 yards and Deyarmin completed his night with just eight carries but 204 yards.

Thunder Wellhausen, Daniel Hardy, and Boutain, all caught one pass from Isaak, who threw for 42 yards.

"Cusick is a very good team but we know we have a good football team too, so we were confident going into the game," Walsh said. "However, as it started to snowball our way in the second half it was a bit surprising.  Football is a funny game that way though and sometimes it happens that way."

With the win, the third-ranked Warriors, must now expect to be placed among the favorites for a state title.

"We have a pretty good team and I think everyone who pays attention to polls and that sort of thing know that," Walsh said. "I think there are plenty of teams, including Cusick, Lummi, and St. John-Endicott out there that are very dangerous.  But we don't really worry about what everyone else thinks anyways, our kids have bought into the idea that we have to take care of business on a week-to-week basis and that in any game someone could get us, especially now that we're heading into the playoffs when a loss finishes the season.  If the win does anything for our team it gives our players a lot of confidence heading into the playoffs, we know we can beat a very good team."

Next, the Warriors will host Odessa-Harrington at a site and day yet to be determined, but Walsh believed the two league opponents could meet on Saturday.