Union passes first playoff test with flying colors, routing Enumclaw

Enumclaw came to McKenzie Stadium on Friday determined not to let the top-ranked Union Titans beat them with the run.

You’ll have to beat us through the air, the Hornets seemed to say.

The Titans’ reply? Sounds good to us.

Lincoln Victor passed for 380 yards and five touchdowns, and Darien Chase caught eight passes for 233 yards and four touchdowns as the Titans routed Enumclaw 55-37 in a Class 4A state qualifying game Friday at McKenzie Stadium.

“They stacked the box with seven players, sometimes with eight, and sent pressure,” Victor said. “We were kind of stunned they played man on us. We don’t get teams playing man on us, just with the caliber of guys we have. When they play man, it’s just another day at the office for us. We’ll take that every time. One on one, mano y mano, and I’ll take my guys over anyone in the state.”

The Titans tried to fool Enumclaw by running Chase on end-around plays on the first two plays, producing modest games.

But on Union’s fourth offensive play of the night, Victor hit Chase for 36-yard touchdown pass play.

It was a harbinger of things to come.

After Enumclaw tied the score 7-7 on a 49-yard interception return by Anthony Russell, Victor put Union back on top with an 18-yard TD run with 2:41 left in the first quarter.

Before the quarter ended Victor and Chase connected twice more for scores — one for 63 yards and another for 8 yards — and Union led 28-7.

In the quarter, Victor hit Jojo Siofele on a screen play that Siofele turned into a 67-yard touchdown. Victor ended the half with a 7-yard touchdown run, putting the Titans up 42-14 at the intermission.

Victor had 346 yards passing by halftime.

“I kind of thought they would have put another guy over the top on Darien, and make Lincoln throw to someone else,” Union coach Rory Rosenbach said. “But they never did.”

Chase said of the one-on-one coverage: “That’s probably the first time I’ve seen that in three years. I was surprise. Lincoln was on point tonight.”

Victor’s fourth TD pass to Chase — for 23 yards — made it 48-14 in the third quarter. Nile Jones’ 2-yard TD run made 55-14 and put the running clock in motion with 6:49 left in the third quarter.

Enumclaw added three largely inconsequential touchdowns from there.

Marvin Barber set the table on defense. The senior lineman forced one fumble and recovered another, both leading to Victor-to-Chase touchdown passes.

Now, Union waits for the seeding committee to tell them on Sunday what team is next on the schedule.

Not that it really matters to the Titans.

“The next game is going to be another nameless, faceless opponent,” Victor said. “If we do our job, we’ll come out victorious. This week, we’re going to focus on the little things, stick to our jobs and that’s going to handle business itself.”

UNION 55, ENUMCLAW 37

Enumclaw           7              7              7              16—37

Union    28           14           13           0—55

First quarter

U—Darien Chase 36 pass from Lincoln Victor (Christian Alcorn kick)

E—Anthony Russell 49 interception return (Fulton Gunderson kick)

U—Victor 18 run (Alex Koga kick)

U—Chase 63 pass from Victor (Alcorn kick)

U—Chase 8 pass from Victor (Koga kick)

Second quarter

E—Ethan Eilertson 16 pass from Kellen Kranc (Gunderson kick)

U—Jojo Siofele 67 pass from Victor (Alcorn kick)

U—Victor 7 run (Koga kick)

Third quarter

U—Chase 23 pass from Victor (kick blocked)

U—Nile Jones 2 run (Koga kick)

E—Eilertson 11 pass from Kranc (Gunderson kick)

Fourth quarter

E—Kameron McKee 6 run (Jacob Burns pass from Kranc)

E—Burns 2 pass from Kranc (Eilertson pass from Kranc)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING – Enumclaw: Matthew Dion 5-39, McKee 4-12, Nicholas Harberts 9-10, Kale Engebretsen 2-6, Kranc 2-1, Darrion Smith 1-3, Trevor Chase 1-8; Union: N. Jones 7-35, Siofele 3-28, Victor 6-28, Isaiah Jones 3-13, Alex Vallejo 1-9, Chase 2-6, Lamont Lane 3-10, Jake Bowen 1-(-3).

PASSING – Enumclaw: Kranc 15-31-0-193, Burns 1-1-0-45; Union: Victor 15-21-1-380.

RECEIVING – Enumclaw: Eilertson 6-78, Kaden Loop 3-68, Burns 5-59, Harberts 1-31, Jackson McCann 1-2; Union: Chase 8-233, Siofele 4-98, Alec Jackson 1-30, Alishawuan Taylor 1-13, Vallejo 1-6.