After trailing for most of the game, Evergreen manufactured a lengthy 12-play scoring drive punctuated by Nathaniel Trevino’s third touchdown for a lead they would take into the fourth quarter.
But for each of the two leads the Plainsmen grabbed in this non-league battle, Yelm showed an ability to respond swiftly, whether it was on the ground or through the air and came away with a 25-18 win on Saturday at McKenzie Stadium.
Running back Brandon Thompson dashed for an early 75-yard touchdown run, and quarterback Dayton Mathews connected with Joey Hawks for a 39-yard strike in the fourth, and the Tornadoes never looked back from there.
After Yelm kicker Vernon Parker narrowly missed a 50-yard field goal attempt, the Plainsmen had one last chance to tie the game up late.
But with no timeouts left, the drive ultimately stalled when Payton Monda was sacked for the fifth time in the game.
The Plainsmen’s passing attack was aggressive throughout the contest.
However, they could not connect on any of the seven attempts of over 20 yards.
YELM 25, EVERGREEN 18
Yelm 7 9 0 9—25
Evergreen 6 0 12 0—18
First quarter
E — Nathaniel Trevino 58 run (Quentin Petcu kick failed)
Y — Brandon Thompson 75 run (Vernon Parker kick)
Second Quarter
Y — FG Parker 37
Y — Kaleb Lunderville 45 pass from Dayton Mathews (kick failed)
Third Quarter
E — Trevino 62 run (kick failed)
E — Trevino 7 run (kick failed)
Fourth Quarter
Y — FG Parker 28
Y — Joey Hawks 39 pass from Mathews (kick failed)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Evergreen, Trevino 11-153, Dallas Goodpaster 17-77, Tre Ratcliff 2-11, Marquis Sampson 4-9, Jonathan Spiering 1,-1, Payton Monda 6,-24.
PASSING — Evergreen, Monda 10-20-1-73.
RECEIVING — Evergreen, Dustin Nettles 5-50, Spiering 2-15, Trevino 1-4, Goodpaster 1-3, Leland Clark 1-1.
