Baker boots Rams to 3A state

FOOTBALL ROUNDUP: Riley Baker’s field goal helps North Thurston beat Seattle Prep, 17-14

The Olympian | • Published November 08, 2009

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North Thurston senior Riley Baker hit a game-winning 27-yard field goal with 1 minute, 46 seconds remaining to give the visiting Rams a 17-14 win over Seattle Prep in the teams’ Class 3A state preliminary round game at Seattle’s Memorial Stadium on Saturday night.

North Thurston (7-3) advances to the first round of the Class 3A state playoffs for the first time since 2004. The Rams will travel to face Lakes next week at Harry Lang Stadium in Lakewood.

After Michael Koehler recovered a fumble at Seattle Prep’s 41, quarterback Jake Klumker hit a 41-yard touchdown pass to Luke Kitterman to tie the score at 14 with 5:05 to go in the game. On the kickoff, the ball bounced off a Seattle Prep player and Baker recovered to set up North Thurston’s go-ahead scoring drive.

Klumker and the North Thurston offense marched to the Prep 8. On fourth-and-goal, still from the 8, Baker hit a 27-yard field goal to give the Rams a 17-14 lead. North Thurston’s defense was able to keep Seattle Prep in check from there .

The Panthers, who led 14-7 at halftime, got the game’s first score and led 7-0 after the first quarter.

North Thurston tied the score when Klumker found Oliver Nelson for a 15-yard touchdown in the first half.

Mark Morris 55, River Ridge 13: The Hawks tasted a playoff atmosphere for the first time since 2004, but came out on the wrong end of a 2A state preliminary game against the Monarchs on the road.

“Mark Morris is a very good football team,” River Ridge coach Steve Schultz said. “They have playoff experience and we went out and showed our inexperience in playoff games.”

The last time River Ridge was in this situation, the Hawks played a state preliminary game against Kelso.

River Ridge was its worst enemy to start the game. The Hawks turned the ball over on the first play from scrimmage and Mark Morris capitalized, going up 7-0 early. Mark Morris led after the first quarter, 28-0, and 42-6 at the half.

Quarterback Adam Walker got the Hawks on the scoreboard in the second quarter with a 30-yard run. Kyle Lamm had a 1-yard touchdown run and PAT in the fourth quarter.

River Ridge was four days removed from playing in a five-way tiebreaker to decide the fourth and final playoff spot from the 2A Evergreen Conference.

“I was really proud of the kids the way they came back,” Schultz said.