Wahluke football wins season opener, 21-19
Wahluke running back Anthony Zebrano, 32, looks for an opening during the Wahluke-Grandview game Friday.
CHERYL SCHWEIZER/COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD
Wahluke quarterback Andrew Yorgesen, 7, goes back to pass during Friday’s game against Grandview.
Running back Anthony Zebrano fights for yardage against the Grandview defenders in Friday’s football season opener.
MATTAWA — The Wahluke High School football team stopped Grandview’s extra-point attempt on the next-to-last play of the game to win its season opener, 21-19 during their first at-home game Friday.
“We fought back and did what we needed to do,” Coach Anfernee Cortez said. “I was really pleased with my team continuing to fight.”
The Warriors came back from a 13-0 deficit against a 2A team, and Cortez said he liked the team’s reaction when they fell behind.
Grandview took a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter when Alejandro Garcia got to the sideline and scored on a 70-yard run. Grandview had a chance at another score on an interception against Wahluke quarterback Andrew Yorgesen, but the Wahluke defense held and Grandview failed to gain a first down. Grandview led 7-0 at the end of the first quarter.
The Greyhounds took a 13-0 lead when Austin Garza intercepted a Yorgesen pass and returned it for a touchdown with 7:27 left in the second quarter.
Cortez said the attitude on the sideline remained upbeat, even with mistakes that led to opposing scores.
“The response is what I expected from us,” he said.
Wahluke cut the lead to 13-7 when running back Anthony Zambrano scored on a 10-yard run. The Warriors scored again on a run by Jose Valdovinos with 12.1 seconds left in the first half; a successful extra point gave Wahluke a 14-13 lead at the half.
The score stayed that way until 2:21 left in the fourth quarter when Wahluke scored on a pass from Yorgesen to Alessandro Maravilla. Grandview responded by driving down the field and scoring with 1.9 seconds left.
The score was 21-19, Grandview opted to attempt a two-point conversion, and the Warrior defense stopped the play at the line of scrimmage. A wild celebration erupted, but there were still 1.9 seconds left on the clock when the play was completed. Wahluke recovered the ensuing kickoff to end the game.
Cortez said there were some first-game jitters and some mistakes, but it was a good first game.
“We have a lot of work to clean up, but our boys, they work hard,” he said.
Cheryl Schweizer may be reached via email at cschweizer@columbiabasinherald.com.
