LRS Cuts Cards From Playoffs

KENNEWICK - The Lind-Ritzville/Sprague defense stuffed WP's high octane offense into a box in the first half of their state semifinal tilt, padlocked it, stuffed it inside another box, sealed it shut with five layers of packing tape, then shipped it off to Mars.

Or at least that's how it felt here Saturday, as the Broncos did what no other team has been able to do all year: hold WP scoreless for three quarters of football.

Add to that a fast start by the LRS offense that provided just enough points to put the game out of reach, and the sum was the elimination of the Cardinals in the Class 2B state semifinals, 21-7.

How dominant was the LRS defense in the first half? It held the Cards to 44 yards of total offense, didn't allow a single WP third down conversion, allowed just two first downs, and forced three turnovers in the span. And while WP played considerably better offensively in the second half, LRS still held the Cardinals to a lone touchdown, and that was thanks to an answered prayer on fourth down-and-six from 13 yards away.

LRS received the ball to start the game. The Broncos moved the ball 41 yards in 10 plays on their opening drive before WP forced a punt. On their second drive they used just two plays to score their first touchdown. Quarterback Dylan Hartz found Cort Ruzicka on a short screen pass to the right side. In an attempt to make the tackle, defensive backs Roy Ebong and Dalton Estes violently collided, knocking each other to the ground and springing the big receiver free for a 64-yard gain. One play later, running back Connor O'Neill swept right from seven yards out for the score. The extra point sailed wide left, and the early tally stood, 6-0, Broncos.

WP's Dalton Estes took the hand-off on second down of the Cards' second possession, only to have the ball dislodged from him and recovered by Hartz near midfield. This time, the Broncos used two big pass plays to score six-a 26-yarder from Hartz to O'Neill to cross into WP territory, and a few plays later, a 20-yarder from Hartz to Ruzicka for the touchdown. Hartz then completed a twopoint conversion pass to Ryan Whitmore in the back of the end zone to make the score 14-0.

LRS scored their final points 11 seconds later. On the first play of WP's next drive, Stirling Eastman threw to Estes over the middle. The spiraling pigskin glanced off Estes' hands and into the chest of Hartz. Catching the ball in stride, Hartz flew past everyone 41 yards down the left sideline for the touchdown. The extra point made it 21-0 with 13 ticks left in the first quarter.

WP finally produced on its first drive of the second half.

Starting at their own 24, the Cards came out throwing, attempting passes on its first four plays. But on the fifth play-a third down option pitch to Chance Leroue that yielded a first down-Eastman dislocated his finger and was forced to the sidelines to get it relocated. In his absence Estes stepped under center, and the combination of Estes and Leroue via the ground drove WP all the way to the LRS 16. Back-toback false start penalties turned fourth-and-8 into fourth-andforever, and Estes was sacked from behind by O'Neill while searching for an open receiver.

The Broncos took over on downs and in eight plays galloped 56 yards deep into the WP end. But the Cardinals' defense held in the red zone and took the ball back on downs. In 14 plays, WP moved the ball 85 yards, using five minutes of clock, and finally scoring a touchdown. The capper came on fourthand 6 from the LRS 13. Eastman, forced from the pocket, scrambled to his right, then not wanting to take a sack or throw it away on fourth down, tossed a rainbow of a prayer to the center of the end zone in the general vicinity of his big tight end Leroue. Leroue stepped up and out-jumped two Bronco defenders, pulled in the pass, and rolled to the ground two yards across the line for the score.

LRS sucked WP's fresh life away on the next drive, eating four minutes of clock and converting a fourth-and-8 play. At the 10-yard line, Ruzicka took a handoff up the middle and appeared destined for the end zone, when WP senior Alex Dill ripped the ball loose. The ball bounced forward into the end zone, where WP's James Thompkins picked it up for a touchback. WP was unable to convert on either of its final two drives. Hartz finished the game for LRS by taking the knee three times inside the Cardinal 10 to run out the clock.

"These kids never quit," said head coach Jeff Bartlow. "They've been winners since they were freshmen and I'm going to miss them."

WP finishes the season with an 11-2 record and a third place WIAA trophy.