No. 2 Almira/Coulee-Hartline opens state title defense against No. 7 Crescent

MOSES LAKE — Brandon Walsh wants his team playing its best when the calendar turns to November and, if things go to plan, December.

“Throughout the season, we set the pace of practice in a way we’re not peaking in Week 5,” he said.

Week 5 is in the rear-view, what’s in front of Almira/Coulee-Hartline (ACH) and consecutive Class 1B state championships is No. 7 seed Crescent. ACH opens its title defense against the Loggers Saturday, 2 p.m., at Lions Field in Moses Lake.

It’s the first time in 22 years Crescent has reached the state tournament. The Loggers shocked state tournament stalwart Lummi Nation 46-36 in a district playoff game last weekend.

“They have a kind of one big load of a running back,” Walsh said.

That “big load” Walsh alludes to is Noah Leonard. Leonard racked up 302 yards against Lummi and Walsh expects him to carry the ball upward of 30 times.

The Warriors counter with a defense that has only been gashed once this season in a 56-22 loss against top-seeded Odessa.

The Warriors will lean on senior captains Maguire Isaak, Hayden Loomis, Gage Burchill, Anthony Giuliani and Jared Goetz.

“I love their approach,” Walsh said. “We talked a lot about it over the course of the season.”

Crescent will also have to contend with a bus ride from Joyce that will top five hours. Conversely, ACH has less than an hour drive south.

“I love it,” Walsh said. “It’s great, especially after last year. We’ll have a good crowd because of it.”