MOSES LAKE - Anticipation filled the air at Lions Friday, as fans filed into the stadium hoping the Chiefs would produce their first win of the season.

Moses Lake did not disappoint as the home team got past Walla Walla 22-12.

"It was a nice win. I am really happy for the kids because they played so well," coach Todd Griffith said. "It was great for the home crowd ... they did a fantastic job of cheering for us. It was a fun game to be involved in."

The Chiefs kicked off to start the game as Elliot Sage buried a line drive shot into the chest of a Blue Devil upper lineman that bounced off his shoulder pads and onto the ground. Brennan Smith recovered the ball for Moses Lake on the Walla Walla 45 yard line.

The Chiefs quarterback Justin Simmons took the ball around the right guard on the first play of their initial possession for an eight yard gain.

A personal foul against the Blue Devils put the ball on the Walla Walla 23. Moses Lake moved it to the 11-yard line, and on first and 10, Simmons ran around the right side of the line again for the score. The PAT by Sage was wide right and the Chiefs led 6-0 with 10 minutes left in the first quarter.

"We came out and tried to squib kick the ball and it hit one of their front row players and bounced right back to us," Griffith said. "That was a big spark for us because we went right down the field and scored."

Moses Lake forced Walla Wall to go three and out on its next possession and punt. The Chiefs took over on their own 35 and move the ball to the Blue Devil 23 on the strength of a 40-yard pitch and catch from Simmons to Jordan Koon. A holding call on the next play, back the ball to the 33.

Two incomplete passes from Simmons to Cameron Ballard put the Chiefs in a fourth and 14 situation.

Moses Lake opted to go for a first down instead of a field goal attempt, but turned the ball over on another incomplete pass.

On their first play from scrimmage, the Blue Devils Jonah Hoe, took the handoff from Moe Handcox and bolted 55 yards down field to the Chiefs 13. Handcox scored on the next play, but Cameron Law blocked the extra point and the score was tied 6-6.

A 55-yard run by Simmons following the ensuing kickoff put the ball on the Blue Devil 12. But an interception in the end zone on the next play ended the Chiefs scoring threat.

Moses Lake forced Walla Walla to go three and out and punt. The Chiefs took over deep in their own territory, after a holding call put the ball on the 13 yard line as the quarter came to an end.

Moses Lake moved the ball to mid-field, but back-to-back penalties forced the Chiefs to punt.

Walla Walla took over on its 33 yard line and drove to the Moses Lake 38. But the Chiefs defense held and forced Walla Walla to attempt a field goal, which was wide left of the uprights.

The teams exchanged possession one more time in the second quarter, as solid bend but don't break defense on both sides limited scoring opportunities.

But, with less than two minutes before intermission, Chiefs linebacker Alex Fick intercepted a Handcox pass and returned it the Blue Devil 20.

A pass from Simmons to Koon in the end zone with a minute left fell incomplete and the Chiefs had to settle for a Sage 34-yard field goal to go up 9-6 at the half.

Moses Lake got the ball to start the third quarter and began its first drive on the 35 after the Walla Wall kickoff went out of bounds.

Moments later, Simmons threw a short pass over the middle to Koon, who broke several tackles and race 46 yards for the score. The PAT was good to put the Chiefs in front 16-6.

"Jordan is our big play guy, and they knew that, so they put their best cover guy on him," Griffith said. "But he made a couple of great moves on the run and scored. The dual-threat of he and Justin (Simmons) make it real tough on opposing defenses."

Walla Walla failed to get a first down on its next possession and punted the ball back to Moses Lake.

The Chiefs took over on their 35, but Simmons fumbled on the first play and Walla Walla recovered.

A high snap that sailed over the Blue Devils QB on the next play was recovered by the Chiefs Brooks Milbrandt at the 36. Moses Lake moved the ball to the Walla Walla 19, but turned it over on a fumble.

The Blue Devils ate up the remaining four minutes of the third quarter on an 89-yard drive that was capped off on a 5-yard run by Hoe.

Law blocked his second PAT of the game to keep the home team out front, 16-12.

"His blocks were huge," Griffith said. "Had the kicks been successful, they could've have potentially tied the game on their next score if they convert a 2-point try."

Law returned the Walla Walla kickoff to the Blue Devils 32. Simmons moved the ball to the 3-yard line on a quarterback keeper to finish out the third quarter.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Bryce Perez hit pay dirt to give the Chiefs some breathing room. The PAT was blocked, but Moses Lake had increased its lead to 22-12.

Walla Walla moved the ball to the Chiefs 39 on its next possession, but an ill-advised pass by Handcox was intercepted by Moses Lake with six minutes to go, thwarted a Blue Devils scoring opportunity.

Walla Walla would not go away quietly as the Blue Devils intercepted a Simmons pass and drove the ball to the Chiefs 12. But a fourth down pass attempt by Handcox was broken up in the end zone by Trino Rubio to end the threat.

Moses Lake took over, however Walla Walla's defense held and forced the Chiefs to punt with less than a minute left in the game.

The Blue Devils refusing to lie down, moved the ball to the Chiefs 5-yard line on a long run by Hoe as time ran out.

"This was definitely a team win," Griffith said. "The offense kept the defense off the field and allowed us to play fresh and the special teams came up big for us also with the two blocked kicks."

The win improves the Chiefs record to 1-7 in CBBN league action. Moses Lake travels to plays Richland to take on the Bombers.