Kennewick holds off Kamiakin in Washington high school football rivalry: 3 takeaways
KENNEWICK, Wash. - Always a marquee rivalry game, Kennewick and Kamiakin were playing for the top spot Friday night in the Mid-Columbia Conference.
And the Lions' defense held tough in the second half with a game-ending interception by senior Dane McClure to give Kennewick the 20-14 victory at Lampson Stadium.
For the top two defensive teams in the league, it took just two plays for the Lions to draw blood. Junior running back Alex Roberts took it 69 yards. Roberts followed that up with another touchdown on the ground in the first quarter. Roberts had over 100 yards rushing in the first half.
“I think our linemen really stepped it up this game and held their blocks,” Roberts said.
Kamiakin cut the deficit when Makram Altahir — the MCC leader in scoring, all purpose yards, and rushing yards — punched it in for the 1-yard score to make it 14-7 at the end of the first quarter.
Ambrose Driver found David Wacenske in the second quarter on a 6-yard touchdown to extend Kennewick' s lead to 20-7.
From there, the Lions called on their defense with three interceptions from Roberts, Damian Cervantes, and McClure despite Altahir adding another score in the fourth quarter on a 23-yard reception from Trent Woodhouse.
“We need to learn how to finish a game,” Lions coach Randy Affholter said. “We’ve done some good things early this season but we need to learn to keep our momentum going and not shut down over the course of the game.”
Here are three takeaways from the game:
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KENNEWICK PASSED THE TEST
The Lions have one of the toughest upcoming schedules in the MCC - Chiawana and Richland await the next two weeks - but it was tough to tell their level of talent based on who they had played up until Friday.
Kamiakin presented that challenged - and they rose to the occasion (at least in the first half).
Makram Altahir, the league's leader in all-purpose yards, rushing yards and tied for points scored, did score two touchdowns in the game. But his production was cut because of how effective Kennewick's defensive line was,
On offense, Kennewick activated the run game, early and often, with Alex Roberts tallying two touchdowns in the first quarter. The offensive line - which can hang with any in the state - was creating the gaps that allowed running backs to have good production.
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NEITHER TEAM FINISHED WELL
While Kennewick came hot out of the gate, the Lions were shut out in the second half - and survived by converting just enough first downs and forcing a few Kamiakin turnovers.
On the other side, Kamiakin has been in position to turn both of its losses to wins in the second half this season. In this case, Woodhouse's interception with more than a minute remaining in the game slammed the door on any chance of a comeback.
Same thing in the Braves' 15-14 loss to Moses Lake - the team had turnovers in its final two possessions.
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LIONS HAVE MAKING OF DYNAMIC SQAUD
Even though the Lions seemingly produce high-quality linemen year after year, they haven't held the same skill-position growl since Myles Mayovsky graduated in 2022.
Kennewick has turned to the Air Raid attack - and have a lethal passing combination in quarterback Ambrose Driver and wide receiver David Wacenske
Roberts and Canaan Hays' impact on the ground game provide a nice complement. This could prove to be a well-balanced offense if they can keep up this high tempo for a full 48 minutes.
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