LA CENTER–A little bit of Montesano magic was needed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat as the Bulldogs pulled off a 20-19 comeback victory over La Center on Friday at La Center High School.
Monte (1-0 overall) did not play its best football to start the game, trailing 12-0 through the first three quarters of the game before mounting an improbable fourth-quarter comeback.
“I was impressed with La Center’s physicality. They controlled the line of scrimmage for most of the game,” said Bulldogs head coach Terry Jensen, whose team struggled offensively with less than 15 plays and two turnovers in the first half.
PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Montesano’s Isac Hawkins (9) makes a tackle during a 20-19 win over La Center on Friday in La Center.
But an interception by linebacker Kole Kjesbu late in the third quarter gave the Bulldogs some much-needed momentum.
Monte’s offense converted on fourth down and scored when receiver Mason Fry caught a 4-yard pass from senior quarterback Tyson Perry, cutting the deficit to 12-7.
La Center responded with a scoring drive capped by a Brady Brandenburg 15-yard touchdown run to go up 19-7 with 8-11 left to play.
Monte then drove 65 yards and scored on a 1-yard run by running back Zach Timmons. Backup kicker Terek Gunter’s point after made it a 19-14 game at the 6:30 mark.
The Bulldogs defense forced a punt on the Wildcats’ ensuing possession, and the Monte offense cashed in.
Facing a third-and-10 at their own 45-yard line, Perry let loose a deep pass to Gunter, who caught the ball in the endzone for a touchdown, giving Monte its first lead of the game at 20-19.
“Tyson struggled a bit first three quarters, but when we needed a big play, he made a big play for us,” Jensen said of Perry, who checked off his primary receiver and went through his progressions before finding Gunter. “It kind of showed a bit of his maturity over the last three years to do that and find him with a great throw, then Gunter made a great catch.”
PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Montesano quarterback Tyson Perry (7) throws a touchdown pass during the fourth quarter of a 20-19 win over La Center on Friday in La Center.
La Center took the final drive of the game down to the Montesano 22-yard line, well within the range of all-state kicker Nate Rembisz to attempt a game-winning field goal, but a costly personal-foul call against the Wildcats pushed the ball back to the 37.
With nine seconds left in the game, La Center lined up to attempt a 54-yard field goal, which was still within range of the heavy-footed Rembisz.
Montesano senior Mason Fry made certain the Wildcats’ last-ditch attempt failed. The 6-foot-3 defensive lineman slipped through the guard-tackle gap and leaped in the air. Rembisz’s kick deflected off Fry’s outstretched wrist before Montesano defender Carter Conklin-Smith dove on the ball to end the play and lock up the Bulldogs’ rousing 20-19 victory.
“We knew he could make that field goal,” Jensen said of the final play. “We had not gone over field-goal block until right before the game and (Monte assistant) coach (Todd) Hoiness went over that and told Mason, ‘Hey, you’re going to knife through,’ and that’s kind of what he did. … You hear the thud and just hoping your guys know the rules because it’s still a live ball on a field goal.”
PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Montesano defensive lineman Mason Fry celebrates a blocked field goal attempt to secure a 20-19 win over La Center on Friday in La Center.
Jensen said his team mentality played a major part in the victory.
“They didn’t get down on themselves and didn’t get down on each other, that was a big key,” he said. “It’s just proof that if you keep believing, good things can happen. … I think the realiziation is that they know that maybe we escaped a little bit and we all know we need to get better.”
Montesano hosts Ridgefield in a home opener at 7 p.m. on Friday at Jack Rottle Field.
Montesano 0 0 0 20 – 20
La Center 0 12 0 7 – 19
Scoring
First quarter
None
Second quarter
La Center – Brandenburg 15 run (kick fail), 6:33
LC – Randall 5 pass from Rembisz (kick fail), 0:09
Third quarter
None
Fourth quarter
Montesano – Fry 4 pass from Perry (Gunter kick), 11:07
LC – Brandenburg 18 run (Rembisz kick), 8:11
M – Timmons 1 run (Gunter kick), 6:30
M – Gunter 39 pass from Perry (kick fail), 3:41
Passing: Montesano – Perry 9-20-1-168. LC – Rembisz 4-9-1-18; Johnson 1-1-0-23.
Rushing: M – Timmons 15-77; Perry 6-7; Crites 2-6; Gunter 2-6; Smith 1-1. LC – Brandenburg 7-116; Rembisz 20-70; Whited 3-9; Emerson 2-7; Linstroth 1-2; Suhajda 1-1.
Receiving: M – Gunter 2-85; Crites 4-47; Kjesbu 2-32; Fry 1-4. LC – Randall 2-8; Scott 1-23; Britt 1-10.
PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Montesano’s Terek Gunter (17) hauls in a touchdown catch during the fourth quarter of a 20-19 win over La Center on Friday at La Center High School.
