ACH moves on at state with win over Wilbur/Creston-Keller

by REBECCA PETTINGILL
Staff Writer | November 22, 2021 1:00 AM

MOSES LAKE — The Almira/Coulee-Hartline (ACH) High School football team beat Wilbur/Creston-Keller High School 46-16 in the quarterfinals of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) State Football Championship Saturday at Lions Field in Moses Lake.

Fans were anticipating the matchup all season. Almira/Coulee-Hartline and Wilbur/Creston-Keller are rivals and usually play each other during the regular season. This year; however, the game was canceled, so any ideas as to which team would come out on top were left for the state tournament matchup.

Going into the game Saturday, ACH was 9-0 and Wilbur/Creston-Keller was 8-1 overall.

The game saw several large yardage touchdown runs by Almira/Coulee-Hartline. The first minute of the game set the scene for ACH’s victory.

With 11 minutes, 49 seconds on the clock, ACH senior Dane Isaak made a 54-yard touchdown run. Isaak attempted a two-point conversion, but the play was no good. Starting off with a six-point lead, ACH did not hold back in the first quarter, scoring 30 points before the quarter was over and holding back Wilbur/Creston-Keller. One touchdown was a 59-yard run by senior Parker Roberts.

In the second quarter, ACH again kept Wilbur/Creston-Keller from scoring any touchdowns. Isaak had a 54-yard run for a touchdown with three minutes, 53 seconds left in the quarter. Just 11 seconds later, senior Grady Murray had a 35-yard touchdown run.

In the third quarter, neither team saw the endzone, and in a switchup, Wilbur/Creston-Keller had two touchdowns in the fourth quarter while ACH had none.

The final score was Almira/Coulee-Hartline 46, Wilbur/Creston-Keller 16.

With the victory over Wilbur/Creston-Keller, ACH will move on to the semifinals, where it will take on No. 5 ranked Naselle High School at 1 p.m. Saturday at Lions Field in Moses Lake.

The winner will play in the championship Dec. 4 at Mount Tahoma High School.

Box score

Almira/Coulee-Hartline - 30 16 0 0 - 46

Wilbur/Creston-Keller - 0 0 0 16 - 16