Class B-8 football: Lacrosse-Washtucna doubles fun vs. Jubilee

TACOMA — How do you make two towns happy in one football game?

Easy. Win with a combined team.

And that's what defending Class B-8 champion Lacrosse-Washtucna did last night in rolling past Jubilee Christian, 60-20.

The towns of Lacrosse and Washtucna are 24 miles apart in Eastern Washington off Highway 26 on the way to Pullman. Now each town can keep a state-title trophy from the past two seasons.

Not only were two towns happy, both teams left the field at the Tacoma Dome with a sense of accomplishment.

Jubilee Christian, a Christian youth ranch and school in rural Walla Walla county, was a surprise finalist and a sentimental underdog.

The school of 51 boys, many of them with troubled pasts, was coached into the championship game by former Detroit Lions draft choice Allyn Griffin.

Fifth-ranked Jubilee Christian (10-2) had been steamrolled 46-0 by No. 2 Lacrosse-Washtucna in September in a game that ended four plays into the second half because of the 45-point "mercy rule" in eight-man football.

Yesterday's game was different. The Warriors went the distance and showed they belonged in the title contest.

"This is the best experience of my life," said Jubilee senior running back Marcus Parks. "I can go back home and say I played in a state-championship game."

One of the state's most interesting schools had a mixed-bag rooting section of about 250 consisting of local fans from Walla Walla County and the Tri-Cities, affiliated church supporters from throughout the Northwest and parents. Players on the team come from eight states.

The school's mission is religious and character-building, and Griffin said his team "had church at halftime."

The bigger and deeper team prevailed, winning the third overall title since the schools combined for football.

The No. 1 college prospect in the game had a different role for Lacrosse-Washtucna (12-0) this year. Ryan Dorman, a 6-foot-3, 192-pounder, was an all-state quarterback last season but was switched to tight end this year. Coach Jeff Nelson said Dorman "wanted to hit more" and the move made sense because of the improvement of junior quarterback Justin McKenzie.

Yesterday, Dorman caught five passes for 115 yards and three touchdowns, all from McKenzie. Dorman, whose family grows wheat and raises beef cattle, is being recruited by small colleges. Like most top small-school athletes, he rarely left the field yesterday, playing defensive end and safety and satisfying his zest for contact.

Neither Dorman nor McKenzie was involved in the wildest play of the game, when L-W scored on a 43-yard trick pass play late in the first quarter. Running back Josh Chastain took a pitchout, headed around left end, then handed off to tight end Matt Martin on a reverse. Martin took a few steps, then stopped and threw a strike to Adam Whitman, who was 5 yards behind the nearest defender.

Sophomore running back Kevin Dainty — who hardly befits his name — rushed for 207 yards on 23 carries for the winners. Dainty scored one touchdown.

Lacrosse-Washtucna scored three of its four first-half touchdowns on a total of nine plays in building a 32-6 lead. Jubilee cut the lead to 32-20 with 2:06 in the third quarter on a 1-yard plunge by Orlando Thomas. L-W restored its dominance with a 50-yard touchdown pass from McKenzie to Dorman, and its fifth straight two-point conversion made it 40-20.

The Tigercats kept rolling.

When the game was over, it was hard to say which coach seemed prouder.

Jubilee Christian's Griffin said what he will remember is "what the game means to these guys and what they were able to accomplish."

L-W — Kevin Dainty 11 run (Ryan Dorman pass from Justin McKenzie)

JC — Orlando Thomas 4 run (run failed)

L-W — Adam Whitman 11 run (Whitman run)

L-W — Whitman 43 pass from Matt Martin (Josh Chastain run)

L-W — Craig Koller 13 run (Chastain run)

JC — Marcus Parks 1 run (Thomas run)

JC — Thomas 1 run (run failed)

L-W — Dorman 50 pass from McKenzie (McKenzie run)

L-W — Dorman 10 pass from McKenzie (pass failed)

L-W — McKenzie 1 run (Dainty run)

L-W — Dorman 13 pass from McKenzie (run failed)

Rushing — Jubilee Christian, Marcus Parks 11-21, Orlando Thomas 14-88, Derrick Moore 7-(17), Danny Mize 2-5, Tyler Hofer 2-1, Carlos Chaves 1-1. Lacrosse-Washtucna, Kevin Dainty 23-207, Adam Whitman 5-26, Justin McKenzie 3-9, Josh Chastain 3-10, Craig Koller 2-19, Tyler Martin 2-2, Ed Michel 1-(1).

Passing — Jubilee Christian, Moore 4-11-77-2, Chavez 0-1-0-0. Lacrosse-Washtucna, McKenzie 5-8-115-0, Matt Martin 3-4-78-0.

Receiving — Jubilee Christian, Chavez 1-5, Thomas 1-15, Parks 2-57. Lacrosse-Washtucna, Ryan Dorman 5-113, Whitman 2-67, Chastain 1-13.