MONTESANO – Receiving the ninth seed meant that Mount Baker had to go on the road, and face the team closest seeded to them. The Mountaineers proved to be road warriors once again as they defeated Montesano 48-7 on Saturday night.
Mount Baker (8-4) is now 7-0 on the road this season.
Tough running and crisp passing contributed to the opening drive of the game for the Mounties, and junior running back Jason Lee capped the drive with a five yard touchdown run.
The Bulldogs answered with a strong drive of their own, but it was interrupted when senior corner back Kaleb Bass leaped in the air to intercept a pass and proceed to take it 84 yards down the Montesano sideline for a touchdown. Baker would continue to pour it on from there.
Lee scored another touchdown in the second quarter, which sandwiched by a pair of passing touchdowns from Bass to wide receiver Michael Kentner and tight end Waylon Kentner. The ladder came with less than five seconds to go in the half, and was an answer to Montesano’s only touchdown of the game.
The defense was at top form the entire game. Lee also intercepted a pass, to go along with Bass’s pick. Bass also had a pair of tackles for losses, as did Waylon Kentner. Senior linebacker Jay Allen had a sack and a tackle for loss. Baker also got quarterback sacks from senior defensive tackle Braeden Shannon and junior linebacker Mark Tikhonov.
Senior running back Sam Barrett had numerous long runs throughout the game, including a 68-yard touchdown that was called back. However, he did finish with a game-high 172 yards rushing on 12 carries, and he did get into the end zone on a 48-yard run in the fourth quarter. Backup quarterback Mason Jacoby finished off the scoring for the Mountaineers with a 3-yard quarterback keeper.
The win for Mount Baker means it will take on number one ranked Royal (11-0) at Royal High School on Saturday at 1:00. The Knights have won the last three Class 1A state championships as well as their last 52 games in a row.
Mount Baker 48
Montesano 7
MB 14 20 0 14 – 48
MON 0 7 0 0 – 7
MB – Lee 5 run (Zavala kick)
MB – Bass 84 interception return (Zavala kick)
MB – M. Kentner 28 pass from Bass (kick failed)
MON – 2 yard touchdown run (kick good)
MB – Lee 3 run (Zavala kick)
MB – W. Kentner 22 pass from Bass (Zavala kick)
MB – Barrett 48 run (Zavala kick)
MB – Jacoby 3 run (Zavala kick)
MB MON
35-318 Rushing Att-Yards 32-138
8-16-0 Comp-Att-Int 12-24-2
143 Passing yards 115
Individual Leaders
RUSHING – MB: Barrett 12-172, Lee 13-58, Bass 3-39, Malone 2-35, Jefferson 3-11, Jacoby 2-3. MON: N/A.
PASSING – MB: Bass 8-16-0-143. MON: N/A.
RECEIVING – MB: M. Kentner 3-42, Lee 2-46, W. Kentner 2-44, Malone 1-11. MON: N/A.
