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Josh Kraght ran for four touchdowns as No. 1 Lynden edged No. 4 North Thurston, 29-26, in the first round of the Class 2A state football playoffs at South Sound Stadium.
“I am so proud of this team,” Rams coach Rocky Patchin said. “It’s a tough way to have a season end. This was a semifinal-caliber game. It deserved to be a semifinal game.”
Trailing 16-0 seven minutes into the game, the Rams grabbed a 26-23 lead on Hayden Maliska’s 3-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter.
But back came the Lions, getting Kraght’s fourth score with 7 1/2 minutes to play.
North Thurston, using a powerful ground game, marched inside Lynden territory again before Mo Manning, who finished with 126 yards on 25 carries, fumbled the ball and the Lions recovered at their 44.
From there, Lynden (11-0) was able to run out the clock.
“Down 16-0 that early to such a gifted team, we could have folded up the tents and quit,” Patchin said, “but we didn’t. This team battled back and showed their character and were even able to take a lead. It wasn’t the outcome we wanted, but that showed a lot. This is a special group.”
North Thurston led at the half, 19-16, scoring 19 unanswered points after spotting the Lions a pair of TDs and a field goal in the opening seven minutes.
Lynden took advantage of two North Thurston turnovers to race to its early advantage.
Zach Vis took the opening kickoff for the Lions and returned it to midfield.
Kraght scored on a 14-yard quarterback draw to get the Lions on the board 31/2 minutes into the game.
North Thurston’s opening possession stalled, forcing the Rams into a three-and-out.
A high snap on the punt sailed over Joey Renaud’s head, giving Lynden first-and-goal from the 8.
Kraght kept the ball again for the score.
On North Thurston’s second possession, quarterback Ben Broeker threw an interception.
It had been eight games – more than 130 pass attempts – since Broeker had thrown an interception.
But that streak came to an abrupt end when Matt Meyer stepped in front of a Broeker pass and returned it to the 35.
Remarkably, it wasn’t even a defensive back that did something no Evergreen Conference defender could do this season as Meyer is a 6-foot-5, 260-pound defensive lineman.
Lynden added a 20-yard field goal to grab the early 16-0 lead.
Things, however, improved significantly for the Rams from there as they rebounded to take the fourth-quarter lead before the late fumble proved to be too much to over come.
Broeker completed 6 of 10 passes for 94 yards, capping his senior season totals at 1,612 passing yards, 22 touchdowns and four interceptions.
North Thurston ends it season with a record of 9-2.
Lynden, which has won three state titles since 2006, will play Interlake next week in the quarterfinals.
For North Thurston, Maliska scored on a pair of short touchdowns, Manning scored on a 5-yard run and Ande Grantham chipped in a 2-yard touchdown run. The Rams rushed for 252 yards against a defense that had given up 65 rushing yards a game on average coming in.
“I thought we could run against them,” Patchin said. “Maliska and Manning ran great and so did Ande. The line blocked incredible.”
