Story Photos
 Issaquah's Adam Dondoyano fumbles as he is hit by Skyline's Gino Simone after catching a pass during the fourth quarter. John Froschauer / AP
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Skyline holds off Issaquah for 4A title
Saturday, December 6, 2008 10:24 AM PST
By The Associated Press
Printable version
E-mail this articleTACOMA — Jake Heaps threw for 163 yards and three touchdowns as Skyline defeated Issaquah 20-15 Friday night in the Class 4A Washington state prep football championship game.
Heaps led Skyline on a go-ahead drive with just over three minutes to play that culminated in a 5-yard touchdown pass to Jake Knecht.
Ryan Somers then intercepted a Joey Bradley pass on Issaquah's next drive and held off a last-ditch effort by Issaquah to win its second consecutive state championship.
Issaquah's quarterback Bradley was 20-of-36 for 240 yards with two interceptions.
Skyline has won a Class 4A championship, back in 2005, but it has spent most of its 12 years as a Class 3A school, and won 3A titles in 2000 and '07. Last season, it came back from a 28-7 deficit to beat O'Dea 42-35 in the 3A title game.
Skyline's Heaps connected with William Chandler for a 5-yard touchdown pass to put his school on the board first.
Issaquah had only three points to show for four drives that pushed inside the Skyline 30-yard line in the first half. Two holding penalties and a sack of Bradley helped stall those drives and a delay of game penalty on 4th and 1 from the Skyline 4-yard line forced Issaquah to settle for a 26-yard field goal by Gavin Schumaker.
Soon after that, Heaps connected with Knecht for a 45-yard touchdown pass up the middle of the field to give Skyline a 14-3 cushion.
Taylor Wyman intercepted Heaps and returned the ball 30 yards down to the Skyline 23-yard line with two seconds left in the half, but Schumaker's field goal attempt sailed wide left.
Issaquah put together an eight-play, 79-yard drive on its first possession of the second half, ending with a 1-yard touchdown run by Grant Gellatly. Issaquah failed on a two-point conversion attempt.
Gellatly finished as the game's leading rusher with 84 yards on 23 carries and two touchdowns.
Issaquah capped another 17-play, 82-yard drive with another 1-yard touchdown by Gellatly to claim its first lead of the game, 15-14, after another failed two-point conversion attempt.
Skyline answered right back. Heaps connected with Kasen Williams for 39 yards on 3rd and 12 to get down to the Issaquah 3-yard line. Heaps then found Knecht with the 5-yard touchdown pass to put Skyline back on top 20-15 after a missed two-point conversion of its own.
Knecht and Williams each had four receptions to lead Skyline with 75 and 59 yards, respectively.
Ross Zuhl led Issaquah with seven receptions for 80 yards.
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