UPDATED (with 8 photos) — Neah Bay plays hard but is defeated in attempt to repeat as 1B state football champions

Published 12:01 am Sunday, December 2, 2012

TACOMA — Neah Bay’s attempt to repeat as 1B state champions was unsuccessful, as they lost to Liberty Christian 34-28 at the Tacoma Dome on Saturday.

The Red Devils tied the score at 28 on a 65-yard touchdown run by Josiah Greene and two-point conversion by Cody Cummins with 2:49 left in the game.

But Liberty Christian drove down the field and scored on a 2-yard run by freshman John Lesser as time expired, giving the Patriots their first ever state football championship.

From the Tri-City Herald:

TACOMA — With the state championship on the line, the Liberty Christian football team turned to an unlikely hero.

Freshman John Lesser, a 14-year-old baby-faced running back, took a pitch from Mike Olson and plowed into the end zone as time expired Saturday, giving the Patriots a 34-28 victory over Neah Bay in the Class 1B state title game at the Tacoma Dome.

“I was just looking for the goal line. That’s all I was looking for,” Lesser said. “I saw the end zone. I saw the defender. I just put my shoulder down and tried to get in as hard as I could.

“I’ve been dreaming about scoring a game-winning anything, but in the state championship? It is just such a blessing.” Putting your undefeated season in the hands of a freshman would give most teams a serious case of the nerves, but not the Patriots (14-0).

Read more here: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/12/01/2190445/liberty-christian-triumphs-in.html#storylink=cpy