Moses Lake comeback bid falls short against Ike
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Eisenhower wide receiver Drew Reyes (1) falls into the end zone in front of Moses Lake defensive back Lerenz Thomas.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Moses Lake defensive back Carter Visker (maroon) tries to break up a pass to Eisenhower wide receiver Drew Reyes.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Eisenhower running back Demario Morgan tries to find space against the Moses Lake defense.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Moses Lake’s Rodney Fuchs finds running room against Eisenhower.
MOSES LAKE — The rain began just before kickoff and started to relent when the final whistle blew, acting as a dark cloud that hovered over Moses Lake football like an on-the-nose cartoon.
It was a frustrating evening all-around as a third-quarter turnover and mistakes offensively kept Moses Lake from mustering a rally in a 20-13 loss to Eisenhower.
Eisenhower did its best to give up the lead with a turnover on downs and lost fumble in the final minutes, however, the Chiefs could not take advantage of either chance as quarterback Dominic Signorelli was sacked on fourth down to end one drive and another fourth-down incompletion ended the next drive, and effectively, the game.
“We just didn’t execute,” head coach Todd Griffith. “When you get in those type of situations they’re going to drop off and you’ve got to take what they give you and we just didn’t get that piece down. We knew they were going to be all dropped off so we were trying to hit the under routes and we couldn’t execute at that point in time.
“It wasn’t anything special that they did, I don’t think.”
In the adverse conditions, offense was at a premium.
Both teams traded touchdowns in the first half.
Eisenhower wide receiver Drew Reyes spun out of a tackle and raced 20 yards for the game’s first score. Mid-way through the second quarter, Signorelli hit Moses Garza for a 5-yard touchdown, allowing Moses Lake to take a 7-6 lead after the successful extra point.
Tristan Queen intercepted Eisenhower quarterback Drew Kornegay in the end zone to end the half and preserve the lead.
It would be the Chiefs’ last advantage.
Moses Lake fumbled on its first play of the second half, which gave Eisenhower the ball at the 15 yard line. From there, it was only a matter of time before Columbia Basin Big Nine leading rusher Damian Pacheco punched the ball in from four yards out. Demario Morgan added another touchdown on the ground to give the Cadets a 20-7 cushion.
There was plenty of time for a comeback bid as Signorelli scored a 16-yard rushing touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter, to make it a one-possession game.
A potential game-tying or game-winning drive continually stalled near midfield.
“Against Wenatchee we were in the red zone three or four times and didn’t come up with any points and we came down tonight and got in the red zone and didn’t score so that’s a rough thing for me to take. We pride ourself about getting in the red zone and score touchdowns and we just didn’t get that done the last two games.
“We’ve got to get better and that point in time and be able to convert in those situations.”
Score by quarters
ML — 0 7 0 6 13
E — 6 0 14 0 20
Scoring
E — Reyes 20 pass from Kornegay (PAT blocked)
ML — Garza 5 pass from Signorelli (PAT good)
E — Pacheco 4 run (2-point good)
E — Morgan 4 run (PAT blocked)
ML — Signorelli 16 run (PAT failed)
Highlights: Queen interception; Lerenz Thomas fumble recovery
Other Basin scores
Othello 24, East Valley 12
Ephrata 37, Quincy 3
River View 15, Wahluke 7
Warden 52, College Place 0
Soap Lake 34, Liberty Bell 8
Reardan 24, Lind-Ritzville/Sprague 14