Evergreen outlasts Kelso 42-35 for key 3A GSHL win

In recent years, the decisive football games in the Class 3A Greater St. Helens League have been dramatic and unpredictable.

It’s too early to say Evergreen’s 42-35 win over Kelso will decide the league championship. But should the Plainsmen eventually win their first title since 2007, Friday’s victory at McKenzie Stadium will have a lot to do with it.

Not that it was easy.

It wasn’t over when Evergreen took a 28-7 lead into halftime. Fourteen unanswered points from Kelso thanks to a pick six and a recovered onside kick saw to that.

It wasn’t over when Evergreen’s defense preserved a 35-21 lead with 3:17 left by holding Kelso on fourth and goal. Aden Mintonye soon returned a punt to the 5-yard line one play before his touchdown run kept the Hilanders alive.

And it wasn’t over even after James Bethune broke off his third touchdown run of the game, a 56-yarder to give Evergreen a 42-28 lead with 2:08 to go.

Kainoa Fili returned the ensuing kickoff to the 5-yard line setting up a touchdown run by Kelso quarterback Tucker Amrine. The Hilanders then recovered the onside kick.

It was only over when Jakai Clardy intercepted Amrine’s desperation heave from beyond midfield on the game’s final play.

“It seems like the games that have league-title implications are always like this,” Evergreen coach Christian Swain. “It doesn’t matter who’s playing in them. I guess it’s to be expected, even though I almost had a heart attack.”

Evergreen’s passing attack early in Friday’s league opener showed why the Plainsmen are a popular pick to win the 3A GSHL after finishing tied for second the past two years.

Jayden Baum threw three first-half touchdowns, including a 71-yarder to Terrance Saryon. The junior standout receiver caught six passes for 131 yards, including a 4-yarder for his second TD late in the second quarter.

Then, Bethune entered the spotlight. The senior’s second carry of the game saw him break loose for a 99-yard touchdown inside the final minute of the first half.

“I used my vision and as soon as the holes would open, bam, right through,” Bethune said.

That was the first big play in a huge game for Bethune, who finished with 211 yards on 13 carries. Swain said it made sense for the running back to carry a heavier workload in the second half.

“They were starting to get tired, so we knew we would have a chance to run the ball later in the game,” Swain said. “He came in and was itching to get the ball.”

Evergreen (4-1) has crafted its identity around a defense that entered Friday allowing less than 13 points per game, including two shutouts. In the first half, Evergreen allowed just 125 yards and saw Tru Feldman return an interception to the 11-yard line to set up a touchdown.

“It’s just relying on each other as brothers,” Feldman said. “That’s what we build our defense and our whole team around. It’s love.”

Kelso (3-2) snatched second-half momentum through two interceptions and the steady running of Mintonye. The senior, who entered Friday with an area-best 835 rushing yards, finished with 131 yards on 35 carries.

But when the pressure rose as the game dwindled, Evergreen kept its nerve. And while four games remain in the league-title chase, the Plainsmen showed the composure of a champion.

“We talk about adversity all the time,” Swain said. “Gosh, I think they handled it better than me a couple of times tonight. I was getting frustrated there at the end. But they kept going out there scrapping and fighting.”

EVERGREEN 42, KELSO 35

Kelso 0 7 14 14—35

Evergreen 7 21 0 14—42

First quarter

E – Darren Schmitt 9 pass from Jayden Baum (Kevin Jimenez kick)

Second quarter

E – Terrance Saryon 71 pass from Baum (Jimenez kick)

E – Saryon 4 pass from Baum (Jimenez kick)

K – Kyle McReary 41 pass from Tucker Amrine (Tate Meade kick)

E – James Bethune 99 run (Jimenez kick)

Third quarter

K – Triton Hagdahl-Daniel 40 interception return (Meade kick)

K – Aden Mintonye 10 run (Meade kick)

Fourth quarter

E – Bethune 16 run (Jimenez kick)

K – Mintonye 6 run (Meade kick)

E – Bethune 56 run (Jimenez kick)

K – Amrine 1 run (Meade kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING – Kelso: Aden Mintonye 37-131, Tucker Amrine 6-16, Bryar Iddings 1-(minus 2). Evergreen: James Bethune 13-211, Terrance Saryon 2-17.

PASSING – Kelso: Tucker Amrine 15-29-2-160. Evergreen: Jayden Baum 1-17-2-183.

RECEIVING – Kelso: Triton Hagdahl-Daniel 4-58, Kyle McReary 4-50, Bryar Iddings 3-19, Alex Dieter 1-11, Bryce Collins 1-10, Aden Mintonye 1-7, Carter Huntley 1-5. Evergreen: Terrance Saryon 6-131, Darren Schmitt 3-34, London Walker 2-18.