Royal takes out Goldendale, 70-2
Royal’s Carson Gilbert drills a Goldendale ball carrier before Javier Martinez can get to him.
ROYAL CITY — Junior quarterback Kaden Jenks passed for five touchdowns, and the running attack delivered five more as the balanced Royal High football team kicked off the post-season with a 70-2 victory over Goldendale Friday night.
The varsity starters built a 56-2 lead at halftime, then turned the game over to non-starters and junior varsity players. They won the second half, 14-0.
The triumph gave the Knights the right to host Charles Wright Academy of Tacoma at 7 p.m. this Friday at Nielsen Stadium in the first round of the state playoffs. The Tarriers are 3-6, but they have a prolific senior passer.
Last Friday’s conquest was thorough. The Knights had 22 first downs to one for Goldendale. They out-passed the Timberwolves, 264-45 and out-rushed them 278-(-10).
Afterward, there wasn’t much for coach Wiley Allred to say. It’s all been said before, and every player deserved a pat on the back. The same stats point to a smothering defensive effort, led once again by linebacker Valente Cortez.
Royal scored immediately and repeatedly, posting 28 points in each of the first two quarters. Leading running back Joe Lang carried the ball only six times for 61 yards. Steven Toro carried once for 50 yards.
The big night belonged to senior wide receiver Sam Christensen. He caught three passes for 90 yards and three touchdowns. He ran the ball three times for 43 yards and a touchdown for a total of 24 points.
Wide receiver Jose Ponce nearly matched Christensen. He caught three passes for 112 yards and two scores, and he kicked eight extra points for 20 points.
The shortest scoring play was 4-yard run by reserve ball carrier Adrian Trinidad in the third period. The rest were 15 yards or longer.
The scoring started with a 40-yard pass from Jenks to Ponce. Lang added a 38-yard run. Sam Christensen caught a 48-yard pass from Jenks and closed the quarter with a 21-yard run.
Christensen started the second quarter scoring with a 17-yard pass from Jenks. Danny Cuevas scored from 15 yards, then Sam Christensen caught a 25-yard scoring pass from Jenks. Ponce closed the half with a 58-yard hookup with Jenks.
The second half scoring started with Toro’s lone run of the night, a 50-yard scamper to paydirt.
Jenks finished the contest with 10 completions in 15 attempts and no interceptions. The rushing attack was spread out among 10 players. Six receivers caught passes.
Inside linebacker Valente Cortez led the defense with six tackles, which included one sack and four tackles for loss. He also recorded two assists.
Freshman Alonso Hernandez had three tackles and two assists. Carson Gilbert had three tackles, two of which were for losses.
Houston Miller and Ponce had two tackles and one assist each, and Tyler Dorsing, Derek Alatorre, Sam Christensen, Jenks, Trinidad, Cuevas and Wyatt Allred had one tackle each.
Addin Felker had two assists, and Andy Villafana, Victor Villanueva, Y. Cruz, Carlos Quintero and Lang had one assist each
Sam Christensen intercepted one pass, and Trinidad, Villafana and Victor Villanueva recovered fumbles.
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