The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

WAITSBURG - Waitsburg-Prescott came out of Friday night's game against Kiona-Benton with a crucial win, hanging on to beat the Bears, 38-26. After two tough losses the past two weeks, the Cardinals were happy to come away with a solid victory.

The game started off sloppily for the Cardinals, as quarterback Jacob Dunn threw three interceptions and fumbled once. Dunn turned his game around though, and Coach Jeff Bartlow gave him credit. "It was nice to see Jacob come back from looking like a sophomore to looking like a veteran in the second and third quarters," Bartlow said.

Early in the first quarter, Dunn hit Devin Acevedo for a 19-yard touchdown. On WP's next possession, Ki-Be's first pick of a Dunn pass led to a 30-yard touchdown pass, which put the Bears down 7-6. WP's defense held tough after the next two Bear interceptions, but Dunn's fumble on his own 5-yard-line was converted for the second Ki-Be score, putting the bears up 12-7 after one.

Dunn ended up throwing four touchdown passes on the game. He completed 17 out of 38 attempts for 204 yards.

Bartlow praised his defense for stepping up in the second and third quarters, holding the Bears scoreless in those frames. "I thought Jason Carter and Kobie Brown played outstanding on defense and stood out," he said. "Both played in new positions (as a result of injuries) and both stepped up. The Defensive line (Hoffman, Newman and Montgomery) also played well. We had three red zone stands in which we did not allow them to score."

Left: WP quarterback Jacob Dunn rolls out to the right on a play against Ki-Be Friday. Above: WP coach Jeff Bartlow watches the action intently.

Dunn connected with Acevedo twice more in the second quarter for TD passes of eight and nine yards. Travis Crockett also scored on a 14-yard run in that frame.

In the third quarter, Talen Larsen made a dramatic finger-tip catch on a 20-yard Dunn pass for the Cards' final touchdown. Antonio Benito added a 33-yard field goal in the fourth. Benito had another flawless kicking game, converting all five PAT attempts. Benito has not missed an extra point this season.

The Cardinals travel to Burbank to play Columbia High Friday. This is their final non-league contest before finishing up the season with three league games, against Tri-Cities Prep, DeSales and Asotin.

WP JV Loses to Ki-Be

In JV action Monday night, Waitsburg-Prescott's junior varsity football team traveled to Benton City, but lost to Kiona-Benton, 37-24.