By Makayla Sparks – For Whatcom Preps
NOOKSACK – It’s no surprise that after falling to the King’s Knights by just two points last season, the Nooksack Valley Pioneers were out for revenge on Friday and it didn’t take them long to prove it. In a game where the scoreboard didn’t quite tell the story, the Pioneers defeated the Knights 47-20 at Sid Lambert Field.
King’s received the ball to begin the game and were quickly forced to punt it away.
The Nooksack Valley defense put pressure on the punter, who opted to keep the ball and run. He was taken down on his own 18-yard line, where the Pioneers took possession. A few plays later, Nooksack Valley senior running back Colton Lentz took a direct snap and plunged into the end zone from two yards out, his 54th career touchdown, which broke a 21-year old school record.
Two minutes later, Lentz would force a fumble on defense that was recovered by the Pioneer junior safety Jaxon Hester. Putting together a strong drive, Nooksack Valley advanced down the field, and at the 5:19 mark of the first quarter, Lentz found the end zone on a five yard run.
With a little over two minutes left in the first, the Knights’ offense connected on a 59 yard pass that was taken to the house and made the score 13-6 Pioneers.
The Pioneers responded by scoring their third touchdown a minute and 40 seconds into the second quarter, when Lentz powered into the end zone yet again. His seven yard run made it 19-6 in favor of Nooksack.
Pioneer junior defensive back Cole Coppinger grabbed a King’s pass attempt to give the ball back to his team on their own 29 yard line two minutes later.
Junior quarterback Evan Brown located senior receiver Cole Bauman on the sideline and he outraced the Kings defense for a 49-yard touchdown reception. A successful two point conversation upped the Pioneer’s lead to 27-6.
Deep into Nooksack Valley territory, with only three minutes left in the quarter, Hester intercepted another Knights pass. With the clock ticking down, Brown aired one out to senior receiver, Cory Olney for a 64-yard completion and the longest play of the game.
Only 32 seconds remained in the first half when Lentz scored on a fourth rushing touchdown, this time from three yards out. The first half ended with the Pioneers in front 33-6.
The Knight’s attempted an onside kick to start the second half but Nooksack junior Brien Leyerly fell on the ball at the 40 yard line to give his team possession.
A little over a minute and half later, Brown threw a pass that was caught by senior receiver Evan Bravo, who took the ball 39 yards to the house.
With 5:17 to play in the third quarter, Lentz charged into the end zone on a nine yard run for his fifth and final touchdown of the game. The Pioneers now held a 47-6 lead triggering the running clock.
Lentz finished with 226 yards rushing on 24 carries, and his five rushing touchdowns also tied a school record for rushing touchdowns in a game. The only other player to do so was his father Britt, who did it in his final regular season game.
King’s scored on a 44-yard pass with under a minute and half left in the third quarter. However, the slim possibility of comeback was put to rest when Nooksack Valley junior linebacker Andrew Dugger picked off a Knights pass in the fourth quarter.
One 22-yard rushing touchdown for King’s later, Nooksack Valley was celebrating a successful revenge story and a 47-20 win.
The Pioneers (3-0) will travel to Tumwater (3-0) on Friday to take on the Thurderbirds at 7:00.
Nooksack Valley 47 King's 20 KI 6 0 8 6 - 20 NV 13 20 14 0 - 47 NV - Lentz 2 run (T. Martin kick) NV - Lentz 5 run (kick failed) KI - 59 yard touchdown pass (kick blocked) NV - Lentz 7 run (run failed) NV - Co. Bauman 49 pass from Brown (C. Martin run) NV - Lentz 4 run (pass failed) NV - Bravo 39 pass from Brown (T. Martin kick) NV - Lentz 9 run (T. Martin kick) KI - 44 yard touchdown pass (2pt pass good) KI - 22 yard touchdown run (pass failed) KI NV 21-125 Rush Att-Yards 36-282 10-18-0 Comp-Att-Int 8-16-0 247 Passing Yards 193 Individual Leaders RUSHING - KI: N/A. NV: Lentz 24-226, C. Martin 5-33, Almojera-McKendry 5-20, Brown 1-4, Dugger 1-(-1). PASSING - KI: N/A. NV: Brown 7-14-0-186, Cr. Bauman 1-2-0-7. RECEIVING - KI: N/A. NV: Coppinger 2-19, Kamphouse 2-15, Olney 1-64, Co. Bauman 1-49, Bravo 1-39, M. Lautenbach 1-7.
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