Cashmere running game cuts down Knights

WENATCHEE - Cashmere hit the Royal Knights early and it appeared that the Bulldogs were en route to a big win in the teams' Class 1A first round playoff game at Wenatchee's Apple Bowl on Friday night.

Trailing 7-0, Royal, however, came to life after an apparent late hit on Knights' quarterback Alex Myrick was not called and that spark was all that they needed to come to life.

Royal marched down the field but settled for a field goal and after that the Bulldogs would assert their dominance as the Knights' threat was quashed and Cashmere kept its season alive in a 34-10 win.

Cashmere's Kevin Kenoyer did most of the damage with 132 yards rushing and four touchdowns.

Royal lost to Cashmere in the season's first week of play, 40-27 on the Knights' home field, and once again the main culprit was the Bulldogs' running game.

The Knights gave up much more than Friday's 255 rushing yards against Cashmere in week one, but this playoff night Cashmere took advantage of what the Knights (8-3) gave them.

Royal got on the board with Shag Ledesma's 25-yard field goal in the first quarter, but Kenoyer scored on two touchdown runs in the second quarter to bump Cashmere (9-2) up to a 21-3 lead.

Royal made a move late in the first half Myrick hit Dylan Delay on a 13-yard scoring pass play and the Bulldogs' lead was down to 21-10 at halftime.

After a scoreless third quarter, Cashmere got 15 and 10-yard touchdown runs from Kenoyer and Royal's post season once again ended in the first round of the playoffs for a second straight season.

Myrick finished with 69 yards rushing on 14 carries and went 12-for-26 passing with two interceptions and 148 yards.

Delay ran for 61 yards on 16 carries and caught four passes for 27 yards.