TUMWATER – W. F. West quarterback Ben Ternan threw two touchdown passes and rushed for two more as the Bearcats put a stop to Blaine’s bid for a lengthy playoff run with a 38-20 opening round WIAA 2A state football tournament win Saturday night.
Ternan and the Bearcats wasted no time putting the Borderites on their heels, as Ternan found sophomore wide receiver Mitch Gueller open in the right corner of the end zone for a touchdown, giving the Bearcats a quick 7-0 lead at the 10:49 mark of the first quarter.
It was clear from the start that the undefeated Black Hills League Champion Bearcats from Chehalis would be a difficult matchup for the scrappy Borderites all afternoon. Minutes after their first score, W. F. West found themselves with great field position and increased their lead to 14-0 as Ternan scored on a six-yard run.
Blaine responded with a seven-play, 75-yard drive, highlighted by a 60-yard run by Northwest Conference rushing leader Caleb Statham to close the gap to seven points, giving Blaine fans some hope, albeit short lived.
Ternan found Gueller open again in the closing moments of the first quarter, giving the Bearcats a 21-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.
At halftime, the Borderites trailed only 21-14 after tight end Al Bohnson went airborne in the end zone on a touchdown pass from quarterback Jordan McCarty.
The Bearcats sealed the deal quickly with 14 third quarter points and a 21-point lead. Ternan and his talented wide receivers Eric Forgione and Mitch Gueller were too much for the Borderites on this cold afternoon in Tumwater.
Caleb Statham rushed 21 times for 143 yards and two touchdowns for Blaine in his final game as a Borderite.
Ternan was 12-of-21 through the air for two touchdowns and rushed 11 times for 97 yards, including a dazzling 47-yard scamper in the third.
You can listen to the replay featuring the play by play call from Jay Alexander and Dale Sharp below:
You can also download your own copy of the game below by “right clicking” the link and selecting “Save Link As:”
2A State Playoffs - Blaine vs W.F. West - Download File (131)
