ACH football second at state

TACOMA - The Almira/Coulee-Hartline (ACH) Warriors left everything they had out on the field at the Gridiron Classic Friday, but unfortunately their efforts came up short as team lost to Neah Bay 36-28.

The two competitors stood toe-to-toe like a pair of heavy weight prize fighters exchanging blows as they thrilled the crowd with outstanding eight man football.

"It was and exciting game," coach Brandon Walsh said. "The kids really played their hearts out."

The Red Devils struck first after receiving the opening kick and moved the ball 84 yards to pay dirt. Quarterback Josiah Greene punched it in from 2-yards out and Titus Pascua converted the 2-point try to give Neah Bay an early 8-0 lead.

The Warriors started their initial drive on the ACH 36 following the ensuing kickoff, but went three and out on their first series and had to punt.

Neah Bay took over on the Red Devil 21. A determined Warrior defense rose to the occasion and forced Neah Bay to go three and out and punt the ball back to ACH.

A 27-yard return by Derek Isaak put the pigskin to the Red Devil 38. But a holding call on Neah Bay moved the ball to the 28. One play later, quarterback Derek Isaak dashed around the left side of the line for the score. Thunder Wellhausen was on the receiving end of a 2-point conversion pass from Isaak to tie the game 8-8 with one minute left in the first quarter.

"We gave up a long drive and a score on their first possession," Walsh said. "But the kids were resilient and fought back to tie the score."

The Red Devils started their next possession on the Neah Bay 16, but a holding call pushed the ball back to the 7-yard line as time expired.

The Warriors defense came up big again and forced the Red Devils to punt. Isaak returned the ball to the Neah Bay 40. But on fourth and inches from the 28, Neah Bay's Harold Tyler stopped Isaak on a quarterback sneak and the Red Devils took over on downs to stop the drive with seven and a half minutes left in the half.

Neah Bay went on a time-consuming six-minute drive pounding the ball on the ground with Pascua leading the way.

But an interception by Isaak at the Warriors 12 yard line stopped the scoring threat. ACH moved the ball to Red Devil 40. On fourth down and 10, a pass from Isaak to Deyarmin fell incomplete at the Neah Bay 10 as time ran out and the score tied 8-8.

"The low score at half time was not a typical score for eight man football," Walsh said. "But both teams' defense was playing exceptionally well."

It was a tale of two half's as the Warriors and Red Devils offensive units started hitting on all cylinders, scoring 58 points over the last 24 minutes of the ball game.

ACH got the ball on the Warrior 40 to start the second half of play, but were forced to go three and out and punt. A long kick by Colin Deyarmin put Red Devil's deep in Neah Bay's territory at the 14 yard line.

Moments later, Pascua following the block of his left guard, burst throw the line breaking several tackles on his way to a 73-yard TD run. The 2-point conversion run by Greene put the Red Devils up 16-8.

"We were hoping to score on the first drive of the third quarter, but we were forced to punt," Walsh said. "Then we gave up a big play and Neah Bay took the lead."

It didn't take long for the Warriors to answer the score however, as Isaak put six points on the board for ACH on the first play after the kick return on a 58-yard scramble, and 2-point run, to ignite the teams rooting section and close the gap to 16-14.

Neah Bay, not to be outdone, drove the ball 70 yards on its next possession for a score on a pass from Greene to Zeke Greene. But a big stop by the Warriors defense on the 2-point try, kept the game at one possession for ACH, 22-14.

An on side kick attempt by the Warriors was recovered by the Red Devils at the ACH 41 and one play later Greene found the outside edge and rambled for 38 yards and a score. The 2-point try was unsuccessful, but Neah Bay had increased its lead to 28-14 with four minutes left in the third quarter.

The score seem to swing momentum to the Red Devils, but ACH would have none of it as Deyarmin return the kickoff to the Warrior 47 to give the team good field position to start its next drive.

ACH pushed the ball to the Neah Bay 19, but a holding call moved it back to the 38 as time ran out.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Isaak connected with Deyarmin for a 31-yard strike. The 2-point conversion by Isaak was good and the Warriors were right back in it, 28-22.

"We were trading scores with them," Walsh said. "But we had a couple of key plays go against us. The onside kick gave them an extra possession and that hurt us."

The ACH defense looked as though they were going to force Neah Bay to punt on its next possession, but a holding call on fourth and five, kept the Red Devil drive alive.

On fourth and goal from the Warrior 1-yard line, Neah Bay's Tyler McCaulley found the end zone. The 2-point pass from Greene to Leyton Doherty put the Red Devils up 36-22 with three minutes left in the title game.

But Warriors still had fight left in them as Isaak found Wellhausen streaking over the middle for a 29-yard TD pass and catch for six points. The 2-point try failed, but ACH had narrowed the gap to 36-28 with two minutes on the clock.

"That was a big play for us," Walsh said. "It kept us in the game and gave us a shot to tie the game."

Following the score, an onside kick attempt by the Warriors was recovered by the Red Devils, but an offside penalty was called on the kicking team, giving ACH another try.

But Neah Bay recovered the second attempt with one minute to go. A first down run one third and one with 25 ticks on the clock was all the Red Devils needed to close the door on the Warriors season.

"You need a little bit of luck ... some big plays in a state championship game," Walsh said. "It didn't seem like we were on the receiving end of those, but you have to hand it to Neah Bay. They played a heck of a game and didn't make any mistakes."

Despite the tough loss, Walsh said the team had a successful season.

"I told the kids in the locker room once they gain a little distance from the hurt of the game they'll gain a lot perspective," Walsh said. "We finished the season 13-1 and played in the title game and there is nothing to be ashamed of."

Isaak led the charge for ACH with 119 yards rushing on 12 carries and two touchdowns. He also threw for 145 yards, completing 8-of-17 attempts and two TD passes. Deyarmin had 94 yards receiving on five catches.

Wellhausen received the sportsmanship award for the Warriors.