Left to right: La Center seniors Hayden Williamson, Colten Dolezal, Jack Hiller and Jack Leslie walk hand-in-hand to the coin flip prior to kickoff in their 1A state semifinals game against Meridian at Civic Stadium in Bellingham last Saturday.
Photo by Sue Fox
La Center senior running back Tanner Dreyer hauls in a touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter.
A historic run for La Center High School came to an end last Saturday evening at Civic Stadium in Bellingham as the Wildcats fell to the Trojans of Meridian 34-14 in the 1A state football playoffs.
This is the first time La Center has been to back-to-back semifinals games in program history, and the 23 players chiefly responsible for both runs are set to graduate this spring.
“It’s difficult when you realize a lot those guys won’t put shoulder pads on in a game again — that’s really difficult for those guys,” Head Coach John Lambert said. “They’re so wonderful to each other, to the younger players, and setting an example of what our expectations are through their behavior and their attitude and how they carry themselves.”
The Wildcats came into the game a man down. Star wide receiver and free safety senior Evan Honore suffered two broken ribs in their quarterfinal win a week earlier and could not play.
His absence affected the team in a number of ways, especially against one of the top quarterbacks in the state, Meridian senior Simon Burkett, who will be playing at Eastern Washington University next fall.
Lambert called him the Earl Thomas of their team, referring to the hard-hitting free safety for the Seattle Seahawks, and said it was impossible to quantify the impact of losing him — not just his play making, but his emotional leadership as well.
La Center marched 75 yards down field on the first drive of the game slow and steady, just like they did all year. They burned half the quarter employing a plethora of running and throwing plays, capping it off with a 4-yard touchdown run by junior running back Wyatt Dodson to go up 7-0 after the extra point.
La Center came up with a stop on Meridian’s first possession, but senior quarterback Hayden Williamson was intercepted on the next possession, and Burkett went to work. He threw a 56-yard touchdown pass to even the score at seven after the extra point.
Meridian forced another turnover early in the second quarter, this time a fumble, and scored on a running play soon after to go up 14-7.
Before half, Burkett ran the ball in 11 yards to put the Trojans up 20-7.
Neither team scored in third quarter, but the 6-foot-3 Burkett caught fire in the fourth, throwing for two touchdowns — 34 yards and 75 yards — to put the Trojans up 34-7.
Toward the end of the fourth quarter, Williamson found senior running back Tanner Dryer for a 24-yard touchdown, which put the final score at 34-14.
“I thought our kids played with tremendous effort and heart and never quit,” Lambert said, noting that it was difficult to come back against a team that good after a few costly turnovers in the first half led to scores.
“I’m going to miss the group,” he said. “They set an incredible example of toughness and grit and heart and work ethic and sportsmanship and leadership. I think the younger players saw that and will hopefully resemble that same behavior.”
