BATTLE GROUND — The Columbia River Chieftains will be playing for a league championship next week after rallying twice to beat Prairie on Thursday at District Stadium.
Blake Duhamel caught an 8-yard touchdown pass from Garrett McKee, and the Columbia River defense got two late fourth-quarter stops as the Chieftains topped the Falcons 25-21 in a Class 3A Greater St. Helens League football game.
River (4-4, 2-0 GSHL) will take on Kelso in the final week of the regular season. The winner will be the league champion, while the loser will take the final berth to the state qualifying playoffs.
Prairie’s attempt to get in the playoff mix ended Thursday after the Falcons (3-5, 1-2) led for most of the game.
Columbia River took its first lead of the game on the first play of the fourth quarter when Dakota Mason recovered teammate Travon Santiago’s fumble in the end zone to make it 18-14.
Prairie quickly responded, with Carson Slagle scoring on a short run after a 57-yard run by Tyler Feeney put the Falcons in the red zone.
Then it was River’s turn. The Chieftains converted two fourth-down plays on a 14-play, 70-yard drive. McKee threw a perfect pass to Duhamel for what turned into the game-winner with 5:16 to play.
The River defense would get two stops the rest of the way. First, the Cheiftains recovered a Prairie fumble with 3:22 left in the game.
Prairie was back in busines, though, when Lukas Daniel intercepted a River pass with 1:53 to play.
The Falcons would not capitalize, though. On a fourth-and-9 play, Prairie’s pass came up inches short. The chains came out, the ball was short of the mark, and the Chieftains celebrated.
Prairie quarterback Kevin Aguirre scored first on a 3-yard run in the first quarter, with a two-point conversion making it 8-0.
McKee, also River’s kicker, was true on two second-quarter field goal to make it 8-6 at the half.
The Falcons struck first in the second half, going up 14-6 on Aguirre’s 8-yard touchdown run.
It took less than two minutes for River to respond, with Alex McGarry taking a pass from McKee, breaking a tackle and getting free for a 31-yard score. The missed conversion left it 14-12.
Isaiah James would then recover a Prairie fumble, setting up the Chieftains to take the lead for the first time.
McKee finished 21 of 37 for 242 yards and two touchdowns. McGarry led the River receivers with nine catches and 124 yards. Santiago rushed for 132 yards on 19 carries.
Aguirre led Prairie on the ground with 89 yards. Slagle added 82 yards.
COLUMBIA RIVER 25, PRAIRIE 21
C. River 0 6 6 13—25
Prairie 8 0 6 7—21
First quarter
Pra — Kevin Aguirre 3 run (Jaelen Stephen pass from Kody Keyt)
Second quarter
CR — Garrett McKee 22 FG
CR — McKee 19 FG
Third quarter
Pra — Aguirre 8 run (run failed)
CR — Alex McGarry 31 pass from McKee (pass failed)
Fourth quarter
CR — Dakota Mason recovers offensive fumble in end zone (pass fails)
Pra — Carson Slagle 3 run (Kevin Sullivan kick)
CR — Blake Duhamel 8 pass from McKee (McKee kick)
Individual statistics
RUSHING — Columbia River, Hunter Pearson 7-21, McKee 7-9, Travon Santiago 19-132, Ryder Waite 1-6, Team 3-(minus 11). Prairie, Carson Slagle 17-82, Aguirre 15-89, Lukas Daniel 3-38, Alec Gawley 1-0, Kyle Schulson 2-19, Jacob Maddux 2-2, Tyler Feeney 2-65.
PASSING — Columbia River, McKee 21-37-1-242. Prairie, Aguirre 6-10-0-45.
RECEIVING — Columbia River, Alex McGarry 9-124, Blake Duhamel 2-16, Isaiah James 2-33, Santiago 1-(minus 6), Dakota Mason 6-71, Koben Jamison 1-4. Prairie, Gawley 2-22, Stephen 1-(minus 3), Caleb Smith 1-6, Feeney 1-12, Kody Keyt 1-8.
