FEDERAL WAY — The Port Angeles girls flag football team got a measure of revenge against Klahowya on Saturday, but more importantly, they finished third in the state in the team’s inaugural year on the gridiron.
The Roughriders beat the Eagles 14-0 in Federal Way to collect the third-place trophy.
Port Angeles went into the third-place game after losing to Lynden 28-14 in the state 1A/2A semifinals Friday. Lynden went on to win the state championship by beating Squalicum 21-7 Saturday.
“After that Lynden game, the girls said we’re going to go back next and get that trophy,” said coach Sam Salanoa.
“That [Friday] game changed everything for the girls. They didn’t like that feeling and they were ready to move forward,” Salanoa said.
Unfortunately for Klahowya, the Eagles caught the brunt of the Riders’ ire. Klahowya beat the Riders three times this year and scored a lot of points in every game — 35-28, 25-28 and 35-21.
This time, the Riders didn’t allow a single Klahowya score.
“Our defense was great,” Salanoa said. He said Addy Fox epitomized how gritty this team was. She sustained a serious wrist injury against Lynden, in fact the wrist could be broken, but she insisted that she could play Saturday.
“She wanted to play, we taped that wrist,” Salanoa said. Fox came through twice on a pair of fourth-down plays to stop Klahowya, including one play in which she swatted a pass away with her bad hand.
“These are some tough, tough girls,” Salanoa said.
The Riders got their two touchdowns from Kennedy Rognlien and Allison Fricker with Pyper Alton as quarterback on both scoring plays.
Port Angeles finished its season with a record of 13-7. Many of the players will move on to run track or play softball in the spring with Alton, Rognlien and Fricker graduating.
Blair district champ
MONTESANO — Forks’ Jade Blair can add district champion to her outstanding wrestling resume.
Blair, who has gone 41-1 this season with 35 pins and has won seven tournament titles, took first place in the District 4 1B/2B/1A tournament in Montesano this weekend with three pins and a 16-0 technical fall in four matches.
Blair, who finished third at the Mat Classic last year, will lead a Forks contingent of girls that will join 18 Forks boys at the Mat Classic next weekend at the Tacoma Dome.
Finishing second and qualifying for the Mat Classic was Sara Sifuentes at 170 pounds. She went 2-1 at district with two pins.
Also heading to state is Kinley Rondeau at 100 pounds. She went 2-2 at 100 pounds with two pins. One of her pins came in 12 seconds.
Final state selections have not been announced, but it appears two other Forks girls are going to state, though this is unconfirmed. LaRayne Blair at 130 pounds went 3-2 to finish seventh, while Briana Salazar went 2-2 at 135 pounds to finish ninth.
The District 4 1B/2B/1A tournament was the only local district tournament held. All the other district tournaments were held last weekend with Quilcene, East Jefferson, Forks, Port Angeles and Sequim sending at least 55 wrestlers to state.
