Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Colton senior Brady Chadwick throws for a few of his 574 yards and seven touchdowns last Friday in the 1B state quarterfinal. Still unbeaten Sunnyside Christian advanced.
Colton drove.
With 1:49 remaining in the fourth quarter, ball on their own nine-yard line, Colton trailed 60-58 in a state 1B quarterfinal game.
On turf, under lights at Grandview High School, Wildcats quarterback Brady Chadwick threw to Grant Kinzer, who broke deep into Sunnyside Christian territory – the unbeaten Southeast 1B league winner. Two completions to Luke Vining followed and, with 1:08 on the clock, Colton had the ball at the Knights' 16.
A second-down throw to the endzone slipped the grasp of receiver Cameron Bean.
Then Chadwick was sacked.
Now it was fourth down from the Sunnyside Christian 28-yard line.
Chadwick took the snap, looked, and threw high in the air to Bean streaking in a straight line for the endzone.
The junior dove, arms extended. He touched the ball, hitting the turf before he could corral it, hands outstretched, a foot from the endzone.
Sunnyside Christian's crowd erupted.
Bean laid flat on the turf, before a long walk back to the huddle.
Sunnyside Christian remained undefeated, 60-58.
“A wild game, a tough ending,” said Colton coach Clark Vining. “A game where every play was pretty big. We did a great job of never quitting. We had a chance to win. We had a chance, for sure.”
Chadwick went 34 for 58 for 574 yards and seven touchdowns. Kinzer had 15 catches for 290 yards and five touchdowns. Luke Vining added seven receptions for 99 yards and two touchdowns while Reece Chadwick finished with eight catches for 122 yards.
“It was such a great run to get into the playoffs, this loss was heartbreaking, but looking back, I think our kids will be proud,” Vining said. “A great season.”
THE GAME
It was played at Grandview – a WIAA-designated site eight miles from Sunnyside – because Sunnyside Christian had the higher playoff seed.
“So in 8-man football, would you think that the scores tend to be higher or lower?” said a young Grandview High teacher monitoring their new track before kickoff.
“My thoughts are, higher,” said another teacher.
“I've never seen this before,” said the woman from New Jersey. “Like half the team is missing.”
So it began.
A fourth-down, 26-yard touchdown throw from Chadwick to Kinzer preceded a 53-yard scoring throw from Chadwick to Kinzer to tie the game 20-20, still in the first quarter. An interception by Reece Chadwick gave Colton the ball back, soon after which Chadwick threw to Vining for a 38-yard touchdown.
On their next possession, Kinzer caught a pass out wide with open turf in front of him, except for Sunnyside Christian's No. 4 – sophomore Brennan Rip -- who fought and grabbed and reached at Kinzer for seven yards, finally pulling him down by his cleats. Kinzer kicked off Rip's hold and a flag flew: personal foul Kinzer.
On fourth-and-two at the Sunnyside Christian 38, Chadwick missed Vining wide.
Nearing halftime, Colton sophomore Parker Druffel caught a pass inside the Knights' five, was hit and fumbled.
Sunnyside Christian took over at their own three-yard line. The ensuing 97-yard drive was capped by a nine-yard touchdown pass from Chance Marsh to Lane Marsh.
On the two-point conversion, Colton stuffed quarterback Marsh, turning him around for no gain, just as he flipped the ball to Kyler Marsh, running free for the goal line, 28-26 Knights.
With 1:46 left in the half, Colton responded, pushing for a first down at S.C.'s 19-yard line on a throw from Chadwick to Reece Chadwick.
A catch by Bean put it five yards closer. On the next play, Brady Chadwick threw to Kinzer in the corner of the endzone. The senior leaped and reached, pulling the ball in with one hand.
“He caught it?” said the game announcer, over the loudspeakers.
He did, touchdown Colton, pass interference declined.
Chadwick got stuffed on the PAT, but flags for a facemask and encroachment moved the ball to the one-yard line for another try. This time Chadwick threw to open Reece Chadwick for 34-28 Wildcats.
SECOND HALF
Opening the third quarter, Chadwick threw to Bean for another touchdown and 42-28.
A momentary hush fell over the Sunnyside Christian grandstand and its three cheerleaders standing on a protective tarp of the new Grandview track.
But the Knights came back, scoring on a fourth-down, 25-yard touchdown run to cut it back to 42-34 with 5:13 left in the quarter.
Sunnyside Christian scored again after recovering fumble from the Wildcats' Jon Bean.
Again it was a two-point game, Colton holding on to 42-40.
The Wildcats responded: Chadwick to Kinzer in the corner again for 48-40, Chadwick to Reece Chadwick for 50-40.
Colton had the momentum, until the next whistle.
Sunnyside Christian's Lane Marsh ran the kickoff back for a touchdown.
Chance Marsh on the PAT cut the margin again to two points with 1:01 left in the third.
“Looks like it's gonna be a game of attrition here, Scotty,” said the Sunnyside Christian Athletic Director, walking the sideline.
After another personal foul called on Kinzer, Knights defenders jumped up and down.
“He's gone, that's two, he's gone!” they called out.
But he wasn't, they had the rules wrong, and Colton opened the fourth quarter with the first punt of the game.
FOURTH QUARTER
Sunnyside Christian called a quick sweep to No. 33, Adrian Heffron, and he took the corner for a 75-yard touchdown and 54-50 Knights.
Colton denied the PAT.
Under 10 minutes remaining, Colton lined up again and Chadwick overthrew Bean. S.C.'s Lane Marsh intercepted it.
The Colton defense held.
Taking the ball back, the Wildcats drove and quickly scored again on a three-yard run from Chadwick, putting them up 58-54.
With 6:55 left, Sunnyside Christian faced a fourth-and-four from the Colton 33.
They gave it to Heffron again for a sweep. Again he got to the corner, and then the endzone.
Colton held on the PAT to keep the score at 60-58.
“Luke Wagner to kick to Grant Kinzer,” called the game announcer.
But he never did, avoiding Kinzer every time.
After a short kick and return, taking over on first down, Chadwick threw deep to Kinzer and Chance Marsh leaped, pulling the ball away for an interception.
The Knights took over on their own 40.
Driving to Colton's 36, on fourth-and-four, No. 33 got the call again. This time, he found nothing, Cameron Bean on the stop.
Colton got it back.
With 3:27 left, ball on their own 34, Coach Vining called a trick, three pitch-back play for a loss of 14 yards.
An incomplete pass to Bean followed before a screen pass fell short to Vining. On fourth down, Chadwick threw downfield to Vining and Chance Marsh knocked it away.
The Knights took over, under three minutes left. A pair of first downs could end it, but instead it was false starts. Colton held.
They had another shot to win it.
With 1:49 remaining in the game, the Wildcats set up for one last drive.
In the end, Sunnyside Christian went 3-for-9 on two-point conversions. Colton was 5-for-8.
On defense, Brady Chadwick had 15 tackles while Kinzer had 11 and Bean 9. All three played linebacker. Druffel added two sacks.
Sunnyside Christian will play Odessa-Harrington Saturday in a state semifinal in Moses Lake. Neah Bay and Lummi Nation play in the other 1B semifinal, at Everett Memorial Stadium. The state championship game is Dec. 3 at the Tacoma Dome.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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