TOPPENISH – It was a wild game that kept the scoreboard operator busy, as Toppenish defeated Mount Baker 48-31 on Friday night.
The Mountaineers outgained the Wildcats in total yards, but five special teams mistakes (a four-yard punt from the end zone, a low snap that resulted in a blocked punt, a snap over the punter’s head, a snap that rolled past the punter and a fumbled kickoff return) resulted in short fields, which then turned into quick points for Toppenish.
Mount Baker did strike first when senior quarterback Landon Smith called his own number from two yards out, which was followed up by senior running back Marcques George scoring on an eight yard run.
The Wildcats answered with a 16-yard touchdown pass, and after a successful two-point conversion the Mountie lead was lowered to five, at 13-8.
Smith then threw a bullet-like pass down the middle of the field which connected with junior Landen Hanstead who then took it 61 yards for a touchdown to give Baker it’s biggest lead of the game, 19-8 with less than a minute remaining until halftime.
The Wildcats wouldn’t be denied as a they connected on a 24-yard touchdown pass with just six seconds left in the second quarter, and Mount Baker led at halftime 19-14.
Toppenish took a quick 20-19 lead in the third quarter after scoring on a six-yard touchdown run, but the Mountaineers took the lead back on the following drive when George scored his second touchdown of the game, this time from nine yards away. George finished with a game-high 118 yards rushing on 18 carries.
The Wildcats then rattled off four straight scores, thanks to the special teams errors, and in a blink of an eye, Toppenish was up 48-25.
Smith tossed his second touchdown of the game on a perfectly executed hitch-and-go in the fourth quarter, with junior wide receiver Tanyen Staton on the receiving end of it from 36 yards out to finalize the scoring.
The Mountaineers (1-2) will return home on Friday to take on Cedar Park Christian (0-3) at 7:00.
Toppenish 48 Mount Baker 31 MB 7 12 6 6 - 31 TOP 0 14 12 22 - 48 MB - La. Smith 2 run (Staton kick) MB - George 8 run (kick blocked) TOP - 16 yard touchdown pass (2pt pass good) MB - Hanstead 61 pass from La. Smith (run failed) TOP - 24 yard touchdown pass (run failed) TOP - 6 yard touchdown run (pass failed) MB - George 9 run (run failed) TOP - 16 yard touchdown pass (pass failed) TOP - 1 yard touchdown run (2pt pass good) TOP - 2 yard touchdown run (run failed) TOP - 1 yard touchdown run (2pt pass good) MB - Staton 36 pass from La. Smith (pass failed) MB TOP 34-131 Rush Att-Yards 30-51 8-17-1 Comp-Att-Int 19-25-0 157 Passing Yards 178 Individual Leaders RUSHING - MB: George 18-118, West 5-19, La. Smith 4-15, W. Maloley 4-9, Hanstead 2-(-1), A. Maloley 1-(-29). TOP: N/A. PASSING - MB: La. Smith 8-17-1-157. TOP: N/A. RECEIVING - MB: Hanstead 3-75, Staton 2-62, D. Moa 1-10, Rosse 1-7, West 1-3. TOP: N/A.
