The Pe Ell-Willapa Valley football team’s season came to an end on Saturday, as the Titans fell on the road to Kalama.
The Titans led in the second quarter and were within two points deep into the fourth quarter, but the offense couldn’t get the go-ahead score, and the Chinooks eventually pulled away.
“We played a great game,” PWV coach Nate Smith said. “For playing the number one team in the league over there, I think we did pretty damn good. Our kids played hard.”
After going down 8-0 in the first, the Titans took the lead with two touchdowns of their own.
Blake Howard ran in a 5-yard score before Nate Fluke hit Blaine King over the top for a 71-yard touchdown that made it 12-8. The Chinooks regained the lead just before halftime on a 20-yard touchdown from Aiden Brown.
The second half turned into a defensive battle, one where neither team could take control of the game.
The Titans’ best chance came in the third quarter, when they were driving, but a costly 15-yard penalty put them behind the sticks.
Smith said that they typically have success when they stay on schedule, and they couldn’t overcome a 1st and 25.
“Four, five, six yards at a time we were looking good,” Smith said. “We aren’t a big play team. Just got stuck behind the chains.”
Kalama scored on its next two possessions to cushion the final score and advance to the state tournament.
Howard finished the game with 98 yards on 20 carries, while King hauled in two passes for 76 yards. Fluke finished 5 for 14 with a touchdown and an interception.
The Titans finish the season with a 6-5 record. They are set to graduate five seniors: Tyson Portmann, Dylan Jerles, Isaiah Workman, Trace Shanklin, and Howard.
