YFL Playoffs

White Salmon led 22-6 at halftime and 28-12 after three quarters of play.

The Black Knights scored first on a Ladiges bootleg in the first quarter. According to White Salmon coach Bill Ward, a key block by Sebastien Mael cleared the Black Knights quarterback's path to the end zone.

Ladiges made it 14-0 in the second quarter, running in the 2-point conversion after his second TD run.

The Dalles countered with its first score of the game, on a 10-yard run. But White Salmon wasn't finished.

Just before the half, Ladiges scored again and Keith Stephenson ran for the 2-point conversion to give the Black Knights a 16-point advantage.

Leading 28-6, White Salmon found itself in good field position again early in the fourth quarter following a 40-yard punt return by Stephen Batie. But the Black Knights couldn't capitalize.

The Whitecaps took possession and pulled within 28-18 in the fourth quarter after a 6-yard scoring run. They were driving again until Ben Ward intercepted a pass and returned it 32 yards to set up White Salmon's final score.

Other defensive standouts for White Salmon included Chris Kennedy, Stephenson, Kristian Contreras and Alex Contreras.

Goldendale 28, White Salmon Red 0 --

Goldendale ran back punts 70 and 52 yards for touchdowns last Saturday in its win over the Big Red.

"Except for those two punt returns, it was just a good, smash-mouth football game between two strong defensive teams," White Salmon coach Bill Ward said.

"Goldendale wasn't running over us. They had to earn their yards, and they were tough yards," he added.

Ward singled out fourth-graders Kurt Wilkins and Jordan Wilson as the Big Red's defensive standouts.

"They hustled the whole game," Ward noted. "They provided excellent (pass) coverage in the secondary and were in on several tackles each."

Goldendale, however, bent the White Salmon defense just enough to score one touchdown in every quarter, starting with a 9-yard TD run in the first quarter for a 6-0 lead.

The 70-yard punt return and ensuing run for conversion made it 14-0 at the half. In the third quarter, Goldendale drove for another score, from 2 yards out, to extend its lead to 20-0.

Ward credited a stalwart Goldendale defensive effort for White Salmon's inability to score any points in its season finale.

"We tried everything to get something going, but Goldendale's secondary was so fast and so well-coached, we just couldn't do anything against them," he noted.

Offensive standouts for the Big Red included linemen Jeremiah Arnold, Nolan Smith, Nick Mosbrucker and Phillip McMillen.