10/7/16

(Adna, WA) The Rainier Mounties have been somewhat of a surprise this season rolling up a 5-0 record, 3-0 in league play, heading into their showdown with always tough Adna on Friday night. The Pirates were 1-1, 3-2 overall losing to the #1 ranked and preseason favorite Napavine last week 41-0 and losing by just 1 earlier in the season to Toledo.

The Mounties have yet to play Napavine so the Pirates knew this game with Rainier may decided 2nd place and if Rainier could upset the Tigers it could force a 3-way tie for 1st so it was a critical game for Adna while a Rainier win would keep them on course for a likely League Championship battle with Napavine in 2 weeks.

The Mounties would hit the board first on a 24-yard pass from Zach Lofgren to Dillon Stancil and with the extra point took a 7-0 lead in the 2nd quarter. The Mounties defense held the Pirates in check taking the ball away 4 times in the 1st half shutting the out, however, they could only put the 1 score on the board and ultimately blew some great chances to extend the lead by were up 7-0 at the break.

In the 2nd half the Pirates got their running game rolling with Isaac Ingle. Adna would only rack up a little more than 120 yards of total offense all on the ground and Ingle led the way with 9 carries and 80 yards. Ingle burst in from the 8 yard line for Adna’s 1st score but the 2-point conversion failed so the Mounties held to a 1-point 7-6 lead.

The defensive struggle continued until Ingle made the Play of the Game when he cut back on a sweep toss and sprinted 57-yards into the endzone giving the Pirates a 12-7 lead as the 2-point try again fell short all still in the 3rd quarter.

The defenses and rain made it difficult for either offense to move the ball much in the 4th and the Mounties were cringing at not being able to put more points on the board in the 1st half with 4 Adna turnovers. Rainier falls to 3-1 in league play 5-1 overall with league games against Life Christian and Napavine still left to play while Adna improves to 2-1 in league and 4-2 overall. The Pirates have Chief Leschi, Morton-White Pass and Onalaska left to play.

Our Pacific Sports Spa Players of the Game went to Adna’s Isaac Ingle and Rainier’s Dillon Stancil.

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