Ephrata sprints to early lead, beats Ellensburg for first time since 2007

EPHRATA — The last time Ephrata beat Ellensburg most of the players were in Grid Kids or had not even started competitive football.

That all changed Friday night.

The Tigers raced to a 21-0 first-quarter lead and snapped a 10-year losing streak to the Bulldogs 35-14.

“It felt good because Ellensburg’s always had the upper hand on us,” wide receiver Chris Walker said. “This year we’re just coming on strong and we’re working way better as a team together and we really focused on starting fast tonight and that was just how we sealed it off.”

Zac Berrymann, Ephrata’s dual-threat quarterback, bounced outside for a 63-yard touchdown run on the second play from scrimmage. Berryman looked corralled for a minimal gain before shaking a few defenders and finding daylight up the right sideline.

Trace Townsend fumbled on Ellensburg’s second drive, setting up Ephrata at the 25 yard line. Once again with his feet, Berryman scampered 21 yards and then finished the drive with a four-yard sprint to the left pylon for his second rushing touchdown.

Berryman showcased his arm — and his lengthy receivers — on the next drive. Jake Oxos and Walker caught balls for 24 yards apiece and Berryman found Josh Benthem in the back right corner of the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown reception.

Just like that, it was 21-0 near the end of the first quarter.

“That was the key for us,” head coach Jay Mills said. “It built our confidence for our kids and to be able for him — for Zac — to be explosive like that early was huge and it gave our kids that momentum that they could believe that we were going to do it.”

Ellensburg attempted to get back into the game when Tyler Martin returned a kickoff down to Ephrata’s 31 yard line. Brady Helgeson worked the read option up the field and capped the drive with a one-yard touchdown plunge.

However, Helgeson was limited to 62 yards passing in the first half and did not play in the second due to injury.

“The line was there a lot, getting there clogging up the middle and just stopping them,” defensive lineman Efrain Bedolla said.

Ephrata quelled any momentum Ellensburg hoped to cultivate with a backbreaking ensuing drive. Berryman scrambled for 14 yards on fourth-and-12 and Oxos caught a screen pass to convert a third-and-10.

Oxos was rewarded with a 10-yard touchdown reception.

In response, Ellensburg turned the ball over on downs.

Leeland Burleson took advantage with a 46-yard sprint down to the one yard line. Berryman sneaked the ball in to secure a 35-7 halftime lead.

Ellensburg struggled on fourth down all night. The Bulldogs had a chance for more points before halftime, but a bobbled snap on fourth-and-2 caused Helgeson to be stopped short.

The Tiger defense stood up again late in the third quarter to ostensibly seal the win.

Ellensburg faced a fourth-and-1 at Ephrata’s six yard line. Cade Stevenson took the hand-off and was met in the backfield by a host of Tiger tacklers.

“It’s great for our defense to be able to do that because it’s been a few years since we’ve had stops like that,” Mills said. “To bend and not break and I think more our will and our heart on defense, those kids saying this isn’t happening and let’s find a way to make plays and get it done.”

Score by quarters

EPH — 21 14 0 0 35

ELL — 0 7 0 7 14

Scoring

EPH — Berryman 63 run (Benthem kick)

EPH — Berryman 4 run (Benthem kick)

EPH — Benthem 10 pass from Berryman (Benthem kick)

ELL — Helgeson 1 run (Kick good)

EPH — Oxos 10 pass from Berryman (Benthem kick)

EPH — Berryman 1 run (Benthem kick)

ELL — Townsend 57 pass from Ryan Ferguson (Kick good)

Moses Lake 38, Eastmont 21

EAST WENATCHEE — Moses Lake jumped out to a 17-0 lead and won its Columbia Basin Big Nine opener against Eastmont 38-21.

Brandon Griffith passed for 195 yards and three touchdowns; Kyler Haneberg was the recipient of all three throws, totaling 123 yards on eight catches.

Spencer Skeesick knocked in an 18-yard field goal and Payton Castro returned an interception for a touchdown to give the Chiefs a 10-0 lead in the first quarter.

Moses Lake led 17-7 at halftime and scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to hold off Eastmont.

Score by quarters

ML — 10 7 0 21 38

EM — 0 7 0 14 21

Scoring

ML — Skeesick 18 kick

ML — Castro INT return

ML — Haneberg 10 pass from Griffith

EM — Cameron Scaramozzino 49 run

ML — Haneberg 7 pass from Griffith

EM — Carson Everhart 1 run

ML — Haneberg 9 pass from Griffith

EM — Scaramozzino 1 run

ML — Peter Beloborodyy 13 run

Royal 74, College Place 0

ROYAL CITY — Royal led 64-0 at halftime and breezed to its 31st straight win, beating College Place 74-0.

Corbin Christensen caught two touchdown passes for 99 yards and also returned a punt for a touchdown. Sawyer Jenks completed six passes for 212 yards, five went for touchdowns.

Royal took 37 seconds to score its first touchdown.

College Place was held to 78 total yards.

Score by quarters

R — 43 21 10 0 74

CP — 0 0 0 0 0

Liberty Bell 21, Soap Lake 14

WINTHROP — Klayten Northup threw two touchdowns, but Soap Lake fell to Liberty Bell 21-14.

Joey Babak finished with 115 receiving yards and one touchdown reception. Deezy Bentley had 78 receiving yards and one touchdown catch.

Score by quarters

LB — 0 7 7 7 21

SL — 7 0 0 7 14

Colfax 12, Lind-Ritzville/Sprague 6

RITZVILLE — Colfax scored 12 unanswered points in the second half to down Lind-Ritzville/Sprague 12-6.

Mason Brausen scored the Broncos’ only touchdown on a three-yard run in the second quarter.

Colfax responded with two passing touchdowns from Brett Kincaid in the second half.

Score by quarters

C — 0 0 6 6 12

LRS — 0 6 0 0 6

Connell 17, Warden 3

CONNELL — Warden played second-ranked Connell to a 3-3 tie at halftime before succumbing to the Eagles 17-3.

Wahluke 31, River View 8

MATTAWA — Wahluke improved to 2-0 in South Central Athletic Conference East play with a win over River View 31-8.