Union falters, then routs Bonney Lake

For a brief moment Friday, Treve’ Ensley felt like the little kid who just dropped a big piece of his own birthday cake.Luckily for Ensley and the Union Titans, there was plenty of cake to go around.

Ensley, on his 18th birthday, piled up 149 yards of offense and one touchdown as the Titans rolled to a 52-14 non-league win over Bonney Lake.

Ensley set up Union’s first touchdown with a 54-yard run, then set up Bonney Lake’s first score with a muffed punt return that the Panthers recovered on the Union 4.

“That was all my fault,” Ensley said. “I just took my eye of the ball for a moment. But I shooked that off and moved on.”

So did the Titans.

They moved on and on and on.

Ensley got Union rolling with a 49-yard reception that set up Noah Henry’s 1-yard run. Matt Reeves’ interception — one of four picks by the Union defense — set the Titans on their own way on a 97-yard drive at the end of the first quarter that ended with another Henry 1-yard TD run.

Trent Cowan picked off another Bonney Lake pass early in the second quarter. Two plays later, he grabbed a 25-yard TD pass from Henry and the rout was on.

“Our last two games — against Jesuit and Peninsula — we got off to really slow starts,” Cowan said. “So that’s what we talked about all week in practice: starting fast with the first drive and keep going from there.”

Ensley added: “We wanted to play a complete game, all four quarters.”

Well, two quarters was just about enough.

Henry completed 12 of 15 passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns by halftime as Union led 42-7. Ensley finished with three catches for 69 yards and six rushes for 80 yards. Cowan had six catches for 90 yards.

Henry didn’t attempt another pass in the second half. He didn’t need to. Alex Berfanger’s 56-yard touchdown run with 9:37 left in the third quarter put Union up 49-7 and the running clock was in play.

“This was another step forward for us,” Union coach Cale Piland said. “We’re striving to get better every week. We still have a lot things to work on as we move into league play, but I’m pleased with where we’re at right now.”

UNION 52, BONNEY LAKE 14

Bonney Lake 7 0 0 7–14

Union 21 21 10 0–52

First quarter

U — Leon Siofele (Mitch Wheelon kick)

BL — Robert Combs 4 pass from Chris Brown (Tyler John kick)

U — Nolan Henry 1 run (Wheelon kick)

U — Henry 1 run (Wheelon kick)

Second quarter

U — Trent Cowan 25 pass from Henry (Wheelon kick)

U — Treve’ Ensley 6 run (Wheelon kick)

U — Siofele 13 pass from Henry (Wheelon kick)

Third quarter

U — Alex Berfanger 56 run (Wheelon kick)

U — Cowan 37 FG

Fourth quarter

BL — Kole Candy 7 pass from Henry (John kick)

Individual statistics

RUSHING — Bonney Lake: Ethan McElderry 11-24, Baily Sulfridge 2-24, EJ Harris 5-22, Austin McKenzie 3-13, Robert Combs 1-0; Union: Ensley 6-80, Siofele 12-53, Berfanger 1-56, Caleb Browning 7-42, Henry 2-2.

PASSING — Bonney Lake: Brown 17-32-4-156. Union: Henry 12-15-0-186.

RECEIVING — Bonney Lake: Combs 8-60, Zach Zaragoza 5-50, Kaleb Zanhow 2-25, Harris 1-4, Candy 1-7. Union: Cowan 6-90, Ensley 3-69, Siofele 2-17, Micah Merfeld 1-8.