2A football: Aberdeen survives three-team tiebreaker to advance to playoffs

KELSO — Drew Stocker broke free on a 25-yard run on the first play of Aberdeen’s offensive possession to beat Washougal 6-0 and capture a three-team 2A Greater St. Helens League football tiebreaker Tuesday at Kelso.

Aberdeen had earlier beat Hockinson 8-0 on a Joel Dublanko 2-yard touchdown run. Aberdeen’s win ended the seasons for Washougal and Hockinson.

Aberdeen will face top-ranked Tumwater on Saturday in the 2A district playoffs.

Each team scored a win in the first round of the Kansas Plan tiebreaker.

Washougal beat Hockinson 8-7 on Bobby Jacobs’ 21-yard touchdown run and two-point conversion run. Hockinson had taken a 7-0 lead on Kendrick Johnson’s 27-yard TD pass from Jess Krahn.

But Hockinson bounced back to beat Aberdeen 7-6 on a 9-yard pass reception by Cameron Loos. Quentin Bodenhamer’s PAT kick won it for Hockinson after Aberdeen had missed its PAT kick on its possession.

Austin Floch’s 9-yard TD run was enough to carry Aberdeen to a 7-0 win over Washougal when the Panthers lost a fumble on their possession.

That forced the teams to start the tiebreaker process all over.

After Hockinson had stopped Washougal on downs, the Hawks were in position to win with a first down on the 9-yard line. But Washougal intercepted a pass in the end zone to stay alive.

After Hockinson fumbled the ball to Washougal on its next possession, Jacobs gave the Panthers a 6-0 win on a 15-yard touchdown run.

After Dublanko’s 2-yard TD run, Aberdeen stopped Hockinson on fourth-and-2 from the 7 to eliminate the Hawks from the tiebreaker.

Then the Bobcats stopped Washougal on downs on the Panthers’ possession of the final tiebreaker. Stocker ran for a touchdown on Aberdeen’s first play to seal the victory.