1A Trico football: La Center 52, White Salmon 35

Ryan Kulla rushed for 248 yards on 17 carries and scored three touchdowns and La Center’s defense clamped down in the second half.

The win keeps La Center tied with Ridgefield for third place in the Class 1A Trico League. A win over Kalama next week will clinch the No. 3 seed to the district playoffs for the Wildcats. A loss likely will end La Center’s season.

White Salmon, which led 21-16 in the second quarter, rushed for 304 yards.

“That’s the most rushing yards we’ve given up all year, by far,” La Center coach John Lambert said. “But they only got 85 in the second half. We kind of clamped own, made some adjustment and played better defense in the second half.”

Kulla’s 70-yard touchdown run help put La Center up 24-21 at halftime. His third touchdown of the game and Chris Mayolo’s 1-yard run put La Center up 40-21 after three quarters. La Center averaged better than 10 yards a carry as a team.

Next up: La Center (6-2, 4-2) at Kalama; White Salmon (1-7, 1-5) vs. Stevenson

White Salmon 14 7 0 14—35

La Center 8 16 16 12—52

First quarter

WS — Taylor Feller 1 run (Gabriel Guzman kick)

LC — Gunnar Lowery 2 run (Ryan Kulla run)

WS — Connor Warner 11 run (Guzman kick)

Second quarter

LC — Kulla 30 run (Kulla run)

WS — Feller 3 run (Guzman kick)

LC — Kulla 70 run (Seth Baxter run)

Third quarter

LC — Kulla 44 run (Kulla run)

LC — Chris Mayolo 1 run (Baxter run)

Fourth quarter

LC — Zach Olivera 25 pass from Ben Baldasano (kick failed)

WS — Dylan Rabinowitz 10 pass Warner (Cortez run)

WS — Dylan Rabinowitz 10 pass from Warner (run failed).

LC — Mayolo 2 run (kick failed)

Leaders

Rushing — White Salmon — Mendoza 22-141, Feller 14-78, Warner 13-122; La Center — Kulla 17-248, Baxter 8-67, Mayolo 9-51, Lowery 8-60.

Passing — White Salmon — Warner 9-16-0-123; La Center — Ben Baldasano 1-1-0-25.

Receiving — White Salmon — D. Rabinowitz 6-71, Austin Rabinowitz 1-14, Mendoza 1-6, Jordan Barnett 1-22; La Center — Olivera 1-25.