Prairie gets lift from fullback to beat Fort Vancouver

After getting picked off on consecutive possessions in the third quarter, Prairie’s offense was in need of a pick-me-up.

Carson Slagle proved more than ready to provide the Falcons a lift.

The sophomore backup fullback ran for 115 second-half yards and a pair of touchdowns as Prairie pulled away for a 36-7 Class 3A Greater St. Helens League victory over Fort Vancouver at Kiggins Bowl.

Slagle didn’t even see the field until the 3-minute mark of the second quarter, and it took an injury to senior Kyle Schulson for Slagle to make his mark.

“I was definitely waiting for my chance,” said Slagle, who finished with 130 yards on just eight carries. “After (Schulson) hurt his leg, I knew it was my time.”

Kyron Lowe-Ash’s 80-yard interception return for a touchdown jolted the Fort fans to life, drawing the Trappers (1-3, 0-1) to within 15-7 with 5:08 left in the third.

After Tyler Feeney’s 64-yard kickoff return put Prairie in business at the Fort 22, Lowe-Ash again stepped in front of a Kevin Aguirre pass and returned the pick 43 yards into Falcons territory.

“I just read that when their back would go into half-motion, that they would throw a short pass to the opposite side,” Lowe-Ash said. “It felt good to finally get some points on the board.”

But as it had all game, Prairie’s defense stiffened and forced a Fort punt. That’s when the Falcons (1-3, 1-1) turned to Slagle.

On first down from their 30, Slagle burst for a 57-yard carry before getting dragged down. The next play, no one brought Slagle down as he sprinted 13 yards for the score.

“I was happy to see him rumble down the field,” said Prairie coach Kevin Baker. “We’d just had the two interceptions, and he turned things around for us when we needed it to be turned around.”

After another Fort punt, Slagle ripped off a 32-yard run on Prairie’s first play, setting up a 12-yard TD run by Alec Gawley with 5:09 to play.

Slagle then finished off his night with his second touchdown, another 13-yard run off left tackle on which he was untouched.

“I’ve got to thank the offensive line,” Slagle said. “They were just killing it.”

The Falcons overcame 14 penalties for 147 yards and three turnovers to win for the seventh straight time against the Trappers, holding the hosts to just 126 yards of total offense.

“The defense definitely kept us in the game,” Baker said. “That was ugly, but I’d rather take an ugly win than a beautiful loss.”

PRAIRIE 36, FORT VANCOUVER 7

Prairie 8 7 6 15—36

Fort Vancouver 0 0 7 0—  7

First Quarter

P — Jaelen Stephen 10 run (Kody Keyt run)

Second Quarter

P — Kevin Aguirre 27 run (Kevin Sullivan kick)

Third Quarter

FV — Kyron Lowe-Ash 80 interception return (Kai Campbell kick)

P — Carson Slagle 13 run (pass failed)

Fourth Quarter

P — Alec Gawley 12 run (Keyt run)

P — Slagle 13 run (Sullivan kick)

Individual statistics

RUSHING — Prairie: Aguirre 12-36, Slagle 8-130, Kyle Schulson 4-8, Gawley 3-20, Abraham Ayala 2-1, Tyler Feeney 2-(minus 7), Stephen 2-10, Henry Le 1-1, team 3-(minus 2). FV: Cesar Bonilla 9-26, Cody Loyer-Hiebert 7-20, Mitchel Cooper 6-29, Erik Coppinger 6-(minus 15), Thomas Shields 4-9, T.J. Willingham 4-10, team 2-(minus 1).

PASSING — Prairie: Aguirre 4-12-2-45. FV, Coppinger 5-18-0-48.

RECEIVING — Prairie: Feeney 2-26, Keyt 1-13, Nick Holmes-Bobst 1-6. FV: Lowe-Ash 3-30, Shields 1-16, Cooper 1-2.