The fifth-ranked Cougars were plenty familiar with Hadley and Connell – they’ve met in the finals the past three seasons. The Eagles won in 2009 and Cascade Christian evened the score last fall, winning 42-35.
This time, it was all Connell (13-1), which deflated the Cougars (10-3) late in the first half. Facing third-and-10 at the Cascade Christian 44, quarterback Chandler Salisbury found Kade Eppich on a sideline route. The cornerback made a play for the ball, missed and Eppich raced into the end zone, giving the Eagles a 14-7 lead with 20 seconds to play in the half.
Hadley, who’s orally committed to BYU, put the game out of reach in the second half. He scored on a 40-yard run in the third quarter, then had a 70-yard touchdown, giving the Eagles a 28-7 lead with eight minutes left.
CLASS 2A
Lynden 17, Archbishop Murphy 16: Senior Kyle Hanson rushed for 50 yards on 13 carries, including the winning 11-yard touchdown run in the final minutes, to lift the Lions (14-0) past the Wildcats (12-2).
It took an intentional safety and onside kick at the end for the Lions (14-0) to win their sixth state title and fourth in six years.
CLASS 2B
Waitsburg-Prescott 33, Morton/White Pass 7: The top-ranked Cardinals (14-0) never trailed, holding the fourth-ranked Timberwolves’ high-powered rushing attack in check to claim their first title.
Quarterback Zach Bartlow completed 14 of 21 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns – both to Dalton Estes, who had six catches for 136 yards.
Estes also intercepted two passes by Morton/White Pass (11-2).
