MOSES LAKE - The action was fast and furious at Lions Field Friday night as Moses Lake High School hosted the Hermiston Bulldogs in a nonleague matchup looking to get off the schneid and rack up their first W of the year.

Unfortunately, for the home team, several missed tackles and two key injuries left the Chiefs on the short end of the scoreboard, 28-24.

"It was an exciting game ... we were in it until the end," coach Todd Griffith said. "We didn't get the win, but I am happy with the way the kids played. There was no quit in them."

The game got underway on a balmy fall evening as the Chiefs won the coin toss and elected to receive the ball.

The opening drive for Moses Lake started at the teams' 25 yard line, but a fumble and recovery by Hermiston on the third play of the series quieted the home crowd. Two plays later the Bulldogs Bobby Adams found the end zone on a 7-yard yard scamper. The PAT by Jerod Musterman was good and the visitors were up 7-0.

Just like a prizefighter who was rocked with a punch early on, but was able to regain composure, the Chiefs answered back with a TD of their own 90 seconds later on a 17- yard run by Bryce Perez. The extra point by A J Montes evened the score 7-7.

The Bulldogs got the ball back and were threatening to score on their second possession of the game, but Trino Rubio intercepted a pass by Alex Campbell at the Chiefs 28 yard line and returned it to the 35.

It looked as though Moses Lake would go three and out after the turnover as the team was facing a third and 13, but Jordan Coons hauled in a one-handed grab from QB Justin Simmons to keep the drive alive.

"That was some catch," Griffith said. "The kind that makes the highlight reels."

The Chiefs continued to march down the field and were poised to take the lead, but the Bulldogs intercepted a Simmons pass at the 1-yard line to stop the threat.

Moses Lake's defense stiffened and forced Hermiston to go three and out and punt the ball. Rubio returned the kick to the Bulldog 30. The Chiefs grinding it out on the legs Perez, pounded the pigskin to the 6-yard line, but a hard tackle with 39 seconds left in the quarter, left him dazed on the turf, stopping play for approximately three minutes.

 Perez was able to walk off the field on his own and play resumed.

The Chiefs were unable to score before the quarter ended, but did put another TD on the board at the start of the second on a 4-yard keeper by Simmons to go up 14-7.

Both teams went three and out on their next two possessions and on a first down at the Moses Lake 33 yard line with Perez back in the game, Simmons connected up with Coons for a 62-yard pass to the Bulldog 5-yard line. One play later, Perez hit pay dirt and the Chiefs went up 21-7.

Hermiston got the ball back and went on a time consuming five-minute drive, scoring on 22-yard screen pass from Alex Campbell to Alex Ortiz after several missed tackles by the Chiefs to close within seven, 21-14 with two minutes left in the half.

Moses Lake looked content to run the clock out but was forced to punt.

An interception by Elliot Saige at the Bulldog 28-yard line with eight seconds on the clock led to a 38- yard field goal by Montes to end the half and give the home team a 24-14 lead at intermission.

"We made some mistakes in the first half ... fumbled on our first series and spotted them seven points," Griffith said. "But we were able to get our running game going."

The third quarter started off with a bang as the Bulldog's Ortiz returned the kickoff 90 yards for the score to get within three, 24-21. The Chiefs unable to move the ball own their next possession, went three and out after Simmons got his bell rung, and had to punt the ball.

A roughing the kicker call gave Moses Lake a first down at the Chiefs 47, but Simmons did not return, so Coons, the backup signal caller, was moved from his receiver position to take over the helm.

"Jordan was having his best game of the year in the slot," Griffith said. "But we had to move him to QB when Justin went down."

The Chiefs moved the ball to the Bulldog 16- yard line, but penalties, two snaps that rolled back to Coons in the shotgun and a sack backed Moses Lake to the 34 and forced the team to punt.

Hermiston took over on their 11-yard line and moved the ball the Chiefs 15 as time expired.

The Bulldogs took the lead a minute into the fourth quarter on a 1-yard run by Campbell to push the score to 28-24.

A three and out and a kick of the side of the punters foot on the Chiefs next possession gave the ball back to Hermiston at the Moses Lake 34.

Tough defense by the home team held the Bulldogs in check as Musterman missed a 28 yard field goal.

The Chiefs mounted another scoring drive and were about to take the lead with a little over a minute left, but Coons was intercepted in the end zone.

The ball was returned to the 47-yard line and Hermiston was able to run the clock out on the last possession of the game.

"It was a tough loss ... the juries hurt us, but I am proud of the way the kids played," Griffith said. "Jordan moved the ball well for us and out-performed the expectations I had in that offense. He did a great job for us and put us in position to win and that's all I can ask for."

The loss drops Moses Lake to 0-5 overall, and 0-4 in league play. The injury status on Perez and Simmons is unknown at this time.

The Chiefs are on the road the next two weeks. First up are the Big 9 league-leading Chiawana. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.