Kelso erases 24-point deficit to beat Gig Harbor 45-34 in 3A playoff

Conner Noah rushed for 203 yards and two touchdowns as Kelso rallied from a 24-point deficit to beat Gig Harbor 45-34 in a 3A state qualifying playoff Saturday in Kelso.

Gig Harbor jumped out to a 27-3 lead in the second quarter and led 34-10 with 3:17 left in the second quarter.

Kelso then scored five unanswered touchdowns, starting with Tucker Amrine’s 15-yard touchdown pass to Zeke Smith right before halftime.

Amrine’s third touchdown pass, a 25-yard completion to Judah Calixte put Kelso ahead 38-34 with 7:11 left in the game.

Calixte’s 48-yard touchdown run with 4:56 left helped seal the win.

Calixte rushed for 110 yards as Kelso rushed for 327 yards as a team.

KELSO 45, GIG HARBOR 34

Gig Harbor 14 20 0 0—34
Kelso 3 14 14 14—45

First quarter

GH — Gavin Nash 30 pass from Will Landram (Boone Leverett kick)

GH — Benji Parks 66 interception return (Leverett kick)

K — Tate Meade 25 FG

Second quarter

GH — Blaze Herbert 6 run (kick failed)

GH — Blaze Herbert 1 run (Leverett kick)

K — Conner Noah 14 run (Meade kick)

GH — Benjamin Stevens 40 pass from Landram (Leverett kick)

K — Zeke Smith 15 pass from Tucker Amrine (Meade kick)

Third quarter

K — Noah 59 run (kick failed)

K — Zeke Smith 78 from Amrine (Hoover pass from Amrine)

Fourth quarter

K — Judah Calixte 25 pass from Amrine (Meade kick)

K — Calixte 48 run (Meade run)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Gig Harbor: Will Landram 5-55, Blaze Herbert 10-22. Kelso: Conner Noah 20-203, Judah Calixte 11-110, Tucker Amrine 5-19.

PASSING — Gig Harbor: Landram 20-28-3-333. Kelso: Amrine 5-17-1-138.

RECEIVING — Gig Harbor: Gavin Nash 5-138, Benjamin Stevens 5-93, Carson Griffin 5-52, Christian Parrish 2-28, Drake Matthies 3-22. Kelso: Zeke Smith 2-93, Judah Calixte 1-25, Bannick Allen 1-12, Naiser Lukas 1-8.