Vikings upset Tigers, move to quarterfinals

WENATCHEE, Wash. — The 10th-seeded Garfield-Palouse (Gar-Pal) Vikings rallied in the second and third quarters to beat the 7th-seeded Entiat Tigers, 62-34, in the opening round of the WIAA 1B football playoffs on Saturday, Nov. 16, at the Apple Bowl.

The Tigers were previously undefeated on the season and finished with a record of 9-2, while the Vikings moved to a record of 6-5 and advanced to the quarterfinals.

Entiat scored the lone touchdown in the first quarter on a 1-yard run by quarterback Ethan Fogelstrom. Gar-Pal answered in the second quarter with a 41-yard TD run by Macent Rardon.

The Tigers extended their lead with two touchdown catches from Fogelstrom to Monico Valadez, the first from 2 yards out and the second from a 68-yard pass.

The Vikings swiftly recovered and scored three touchdowns before the first half was out. Bryce Pfaff punched in a 2-yard run, Lane Collier made a 41-yard TD run and Collier caught a 61-yard TD pass from Pfaff to take the lead.

At halftime, the Vikings led, 26-20.

Gar-Pal improved on its lead in the third quarter on a 56-yard TD run from Kaleb Kelnhofer and Rardon made a 79-yard TD catch from Pfaff before the Tigers could find the end zone. Entiat’s Fogelstrom made a 4-yard TD run, but the Vikings didn’t ease up and scored two more touchdowns.

Collier made a 17-yard TD catch from Pfaff and Landon Orr caught a 42-yard TD pass from Pfaff. Before the third quarter was out, Entiat scored its last touchdown on a 66-yard catch by Noah Fogelstrom from Ethan Fogelstrom.

The lone touchdown in the fourth quarter came from Collier on a 13-yard TD run to give the final score of 62-34 in favor of the Vikings.

Pfaff passed for 246 yards on four passing touchdowns while adding one rushing touchdown. Collier finished the day with 260 total yards and four touchdowns.

The Vikings will next head to Lions Field in Moses Lake to take on the No. 2 team in the state, the Wilbur-Creston-Keller Wildcats, at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23, for a quarterfinal playoff matchup. The Wildcats have yet to lose a game this season (11-0).