Black Hills causes six turnovers, routs visiting No. 9 Pullman to remain undefeated

Black Hills High School senior Ethan Loveless recovered a fumble on the second play of Saturday afternoon’s contest against ninth-ranked Pullman.

Then, Loveless, in his second season starting at quarterback, marched the Wolves down the field on their opening drive, and Jaden Toussaint scampered into the end zone for a 17-yard touchdown.

Much of the rest of the game followed that same script, and the Wolves (4-0) never trailed, routing the Greyhounds, 37-13, to close nonleague play at Tumwater District Stadium.

“I think all year we’ve kind of had some doubters,” said Loveless, who is a University of Portland baseball commit. “A lot of people haven’t believed in us, and this week we’re starting to make people believe.

“We have a big senior class. We have the hardest work we’ve ever done in the offseason, so we’re ready to go.”

Black Hills’ defense and special teams units combined to create six turnovers — three fumble recoveries and three interceptions — and its offense put up five touchdowns to blow by the Greyhounds.

“I’m proud of the way we showed up from the beginning,” Black Hills coach Kirk Stevens said. “We started strong and played all the way through and finished strong.”

Loveless had a banner day, finishing 11 of 17 passing for 125 yards and three total touchdowns. He also recovered two fumbles and intercepted a pass.

He picked off Pullman quarterback Konner Kinkae — who finished 13 of 31 for 190 yards and a touchdown, and threw three interceptions — in the second quarter, leading to the Wolves’ second scoring drive.

After a 34-yard completion from Loveless to Nic Bovenkamp set Black Hills up in the red zone, Loveless scored on an 18-yard keeper.

The Wolves caused two more turnovers — on a Preston Lee fumble recovery on the ensuing kickoff, and a Toussaint interception in the end zone on Pullman’s next drive — before the Greyhounds scored.

“We were physical and we played with a lot of speed, and they weren’t used to that,” Stevens said.

Pullman cut the lead to one possession late in the second quarter when Kinkade found James Pitzer for a 34-yard score, but the Wolves answered on the following drive.

Taylor Simmons — who finished with a game-high 121 rushing yards on 20 attempts — carried the ball on four consecutive plays, and broke free for a 28-yard touchdown to push the lead back to 14 points.

The Greyhounds never got closer.

Black Hills opened the second half with a methodical drive, and Loveless eventually scored on a 9-yard keeper.

Pullman responded with a 39-yard connection between Kinkade and Sam Tingstad, and forced a Black Hills punt on the ensuing drive, but Zach Loveless picked off Kinkade late in the third to end another threat.

“We call our defense ‘Nasty D.’ We get turnovers. We try to change the game any way we can,” Ethan Loveless said.

Ethan Loveless then scored his third touchdown on a 21-yard pass to Alex Nagy with 1 second remaining in the third quarter, and Jake Bender added a 26-yard field goal in the fourth.

The Wolves held Pullman scoreless in the final period, and allowed 228 yards of offense (189 passing, 39 rushing) in the contest. Black Hills’ offense combined for 392 yards (261 rushing, 131 passing).

“Last year, sometimes we played to the level of our competition,” Stevens said. “This year, we’re playing to the level of our ability.”

NO. 9 PULLMAN 0 7 6 0_13

BLACK HILLS 7 14 13 3_37

BH – Jaden Toussaint 16 run (Jake Bender kick)

BH – Ethan Loveless 18 run (Bender kick)

P – James Pitzer 34 pass from Konner Kinkade (Sam Tingstad kick)

BH – Taylor Simmons 28 run (Bender kick)

BH – Ethan Loveless 9 run (kick failed)

P – Sam Tingstad 39 pass from Kinkade (kick failed)

BH – Alex Nagy 21 pass from Ethan Loveless (Bender kick)

BH – Bender 26 field goal

INDIVIDUAL STATS

Passing: P – Kinkade 13-31-3-190. BH – Ethan Loveless 11-17-0-125; Jaden Cote 1-3-0-6.

Rushing: Ty Hendrickson 9-29; Connor Coulter 4-27; Henry Perkins 1-3; Isaiah Strong 2-1; Pitzer 2-0; Kinkade 1-(-21). BH – Simmons 20-121; Zach Loveless 5-44; Toussaint 8-41; Ethan Loveless 6-33; Preston Lee 8-22.

Receiving: Strong 5-92; Tingstad 4-57; Pitzer 2-38; Ronny Johnson 1-2; Hendrickson 1-0. BH – Nagy 5-49; Nic Bovenkamp 2-45; Toussaint 2-27; Simmons 1-6; Julian Kennedy 1-3; Zach Loveless 1-1.

This story was originally published September 22, 2018 at 5:02 PM.