COULEE CITY — Despite coming back from down two scores in the first half, the No. 6 seed Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors weren’t able to pull off an upset of No. 3 Mossyrock Saturday, falling 46-30 in the 1B state quarterfinals.

ACH took a 30-22 lead in the third quarter, but three fourth-quarter Mossyrock touchdowns allowed the Vikings to advance to the semifinals.

“Our feeling on the game was if we play well, we’re going to have a chance to win,” ACH coach Brandon Walsh said. “That’s kind of how it played out, we had a chance. Didn’t go our way, but the kids played well.”

The Warriors were down 22-8 in the second quarter after Mossyrock’s Zackary Munoz scored on a 58-yard touchdown reception, but a Viking fumble with under three minutes left in the half allowed ACH to turn on its hurry-up offense and reach the end zone on an 11-yard catch by freshman Max Grindy, cutting the scored to 22-14 before half.

“It was a big deal because (the Vikings) were on the 20-yard line; if they would have scored they would have gone up three scores going into halftime,” Walsh said. “That totally would have changed the dynamic of the game coming out of the half.”

Walsh said that ACH’s game plan heading into Saturday’s playoff matchup was to focus on the short passing and screen game, knowing it would be challenging against a big Viking front. As the pass protection held up throughout the game, the playbook was opened up and allowed ACH to focus on the passing game; quarterback Caden Correia threw the ball 36 times, completing 21 passes for 338 yards, four touchdowns and two picks.

“We are a running team, and for us to throw it 36 times is uncharacteristic for us, but that’s what was there for us,” Walsh said. “Thankfully, we were able to execute it and that kept us in the game, for sure. Our o-line did a great job in pass protection. Pass for 338 yards and four touchdowns, that’s a really good day for us throwing the football.”

    Almira/Coulee-Hartline sophomore Caden Correia (2) threw for 338 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions in Saturday’s playoff game against Mossyrock.
  

Mossyrock got the ball to start the third quarter, but a tipped pass was intercepted by Warrior sophomore Harvest Parrish, setting up a game-tying touchdown that ended with a six-yard touchdown reception by senior Jaxon Baergen. The Warrior defense held firm on Mossyrock’s next drive, allowing the offense to score on a 60-yard catch by Parrish on their next drive and go up 30-22.

“That was great momentum for us right then in that third quarter,” Walsh said.

A long Viking drive carried into the start of the fourth quarter, scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run at the start of the final frame to tie the game at 30. After an ACH interception, Mossyrock drove down the field again to take the lead on a 5-yard touchdown run. The Warriors went four-and-out on their final drive, with the Vikings going up 46-30 in the final minutes to seal the game away on a 1-yard run.

“We just sort of stalled out on offense, couldn’t quite get the same rhythm we had earlier in the half,” Walsh said. “(Mossyrock’s) a good team, they ramped it up defensively and adjusted to some of the things we were doing."

    Almira/Coulee-Hartline junior Carter Pitts shakes off a Concrete defender Saturday. Pitts had 146 total yards in Saturday’s loss to Mossyrock.
  

While ACH’s 2023 season is over, 30 of the 33 players on its roster are eligible to return in 2024. 

“We bring back pretty much the whole group, so I want them to believe in what we’re capable of and what they’re capable of,” Walsh said. “And, I want it to sting a little bit; that it ended early for us, or earlier than we wanted, so they work hard in the off-season and we come back a better team, which I think is going to happen.”

    Almira/Coulee-Hartline senior Jaxon Baergen (10) led the Warriors in receiving Saturday, catching five passes for 95 yards and a touchdown.
  

ACH will graduate three seniors from this year’s team; seniors John Pierce, Jaxon Baergen and Everett Wood. 

“Just great kids that have given a lot to the program,” Walsh said. “It’s fun to have those kinds of kids come through, and we’re gonna miss them, obviously, but it’s the nature of the beast. They’re kids what I’ve sure enjoyed coaching.”

Ian Bivona may be reached at ibivona@columbiabasinherald.com.

Box score

ACH: 8-6-16-0 30
MSY: 8-14-0-24 46