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MOSES LAKE — Draven Nevarez sat in the end zone — arms raised with an incredulous look — as the referees signaled a turnover on downs.

Nevarez’s fourth-and-goal plunge on Moses Lake’s first drive of its Class 4A first-round playoff game with Bothell came a credit card’s width short of the end zone. It would be the first of three times Moses Lake was denied a touchdown inside the three yard line.

“Number one, I don’t care what anybody thinks or what anybody says,” head coach Todd Griffith said. “I’ll stand behind my front and my running back. I’d do it all over again. I wouldn’t change anything that I did. Yeah, it’s a big deal. That’s 21 points we had an opportunity to get and we didn’t get them. That’s just way the ball bounces sometimes.”

Conversely, Bothell was able to capitalize with two 99-yard touchdown drives and 10 points off turnovers to win 31-13, setting up a quarterfinal match-up with Richland.

After the Cougars went three-and-out to start the game, the Chiefs were able to move the ball well on the ground — highlighted by an 18-yard quarterback keeper from Brandon Griffith and a 17-yard run from Nevarez.

However, after an encroachment penalty moved the ball to the four yard line, the Chiefs were only able to net three yards on four rushes.

Bothell — content to hand the ball to running backs Christian Lee Galvan, Jalen Ford and Alexander Indelicato — broke off chuck yardage until Lee Galvan found room to scaped 19 yards down to Moses Lake’s eight yard line. Lee Galvan punched in an eight-yard touchdown on the next play, completing the 99-yard drive.

The Cougars totaled 307 yards on the ground.

“They wanted to run the ball,” Griffith said. “They have a great offensive line, some good running backs, they’re a physical team. So I think it was in their best interests to run the ball as much as they can and throw the ball on third down when they had to. They executed their game-plan perfectly.”

Moses Lake’s first turnover came on a fumbled option exchange between Brandon Griffith and Nevarez that was recovered by Bothell linebacker Joseph Inghram. The Cougars turned that miscue into points by way of a Ford five-yard touchdown run.

On the ensuing kickoff, Dalenh Anderson set the Chiefs up with good field position at midfield. A slant pass to Gio Walker and an 11-yard scramble by Brandon Griffith moved Moses Lake to the 25 yard line. Once again, the Chiefs found themselves near the goal line, facing a first-and-five from the six.

Two incomplete passes and a short run set up fourth-and-two. Nevarez was dropped short of the first down and goal line for another turnover on downs.

“It was tough,” Walker said. “They just really hit us hard that we couldn’t push a little bit, like another foot just to stop them and they just beat us to it and we couldn’t do nothing about it.”

A 43-yard run by Ford and two receptions by Ryder Locknane allowed the Cougars’ James Johnston to nail a 35-yard field goal as the first half expired.

Down 17-0, Brandon Griffith struck quickly with a 32-yard touchdown toss to Walker on Moses Lake’s second play of the second half. Looking to steal a possession, the Chiefs attempted an onside kick, but the ball skittered out of bounds.

“I thought right there we were just going to get it, defense is going to stop them and we’re going to keep going,” Walker said. “I thought we were going to come back right here and just come back and get them, but we just didn’t have enough in us.”

Bothell took advantage of the good field position and converted a double pass from Jacob Sirmon to DaVicious Wilson to Locknane for a 21-yard score.

The Cougars put together their second 99-yard drive of the afternoon after a 62-yard punt pinned them at the one yard line. A 47-yard run by Indelicato moved Bothell into Moses Lake territory. Indelicato eventually capped the drive with a one-yard touchdown.

Moses Lake cut into the deficit some when Brandon Griffith found Haneberg for a six-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter. The Chiefs looked for more later in the quarter after Walker slipped two tacklers for a 46-yard reception.

Inside the three yard line again Griffith was sacked on fourth down, ending any comeback hope.

Despite the early exit, an appearance in the state tournament was a positive after an 0-3 start and an injury-plagued season for Moses Lake.

“If you would’ve told me we would be in this same spot after Week 3 after losing the starting quarterback, starting center, starting corner — key guys — and then losing Brandon Week 3, I would’ve said no way,” Todd Griffith said. “This team was pretty resilient in the fact that they came back and won five league games.”

Score by quarters

Bothell - 0 17 14 0 — 31

Moses Lake - 0 0 7 6 — 13

Scoring summary

B - Christian Lee Galvan 8-yard run (PAT good)

B - Jalen Ford 5-yard run (PAT good)

B - James Johnston 35-yard field goal

ML - Gio Walker 32-yard pass from Brandon Griffith (PAT good)

B - Ryder Locknane 21-yard pass from DaVicious Wilson (PAT good)

B - Alexander Indelicato 1-yard run (PAT good)

ML - Kyler Haneberg 6-yard pass from Griffith (Conversion failed)