The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

RICHLAND—A shorthanded Dayton-Waitsburg football team traveled to Richland to play Liberty Christian on Friday, and took the loss, 30-12.

DW was without its starting quarterback, Brayden Miller, who was suspended for one game after a flagrant penalty the previous week. Coach Troy Larsen moved regular wide receiver Chris Andrews to the backfield and went with a run-oriented offense.

“With my starting QB and backup QB out, DW went with the wildcat offense with Chris Andrews running the offense,” Larsen said. “Chris, Damian Johnson and Jarrod Williams did great at the running back spots, running for 252 yards and keeping the game close. Our offensive line played with a ton of heart and with no substitutions showed me a lot by playing a whole game and not letting up.”

DW kept the game close well into the third quarter. In the first, Johnson broke free for a 38-yard touchdown run to make the score 8-6. In the third, defensive back Adam Puckett intercepted an LC pass and returned it 40 yards for a TD, narrowing the score to 16-12.

DW had many missed opportunities however.

“We were again inside the five-yard line four times and came away with no points,” Larsen said. “If we can start converting those red zone possessions we will start winning football games.

“On defense we gave up some big pass plays that ultimately was the game,” he added. “We have struggled with coverage the last couple of years and have been working hard to get the right players in the defensive back field.”

For the game, Johnson carried the ball 24 times for 125 yards. Andrews had 25 carries for 114 yards. Andrews and backup quarterback Sean Evans each completed one pass.

“I am so proud of my team and the way we attacked the game Friday night,” Larsen said. “The players stayed positive the whole game and it was the hardest fought football game we have had in the last two years. We head to Kittitas Friday, and I can’t wait to see how we play against them.”

Dayton-Waitsurg 6  0  6  0   - 12

Liberty Christian 8  8  6  8  - 30

LC - Kanode 53 yard pass from Morgan (Hayden pass from Morgan)

DW - Johnson 38 yard run (run failed)

LC - Kanode 38 yard pass from Morgan ( Hayden pass from Morgan)

DW - Puckett 40 yard interception for TD ( run failed)

LC - Hayden 74 yard pass from Morgan ( pass failed)

LC - C. Morgan 1 yard pass from Morgan ( Long pass from Morgan)

DW / LC

First Downs - 10, 14

Rushing/Yards - 58-252, 19-94

Passing Yards - 5, 291

Passes (att-comp-int) - 9-1-2, 34-16-2

Punts - 3-31, 8-18

Fumbles/lost - 2/2, 0/0

Penalties - 6-71, 9-89

Individual Statistics

RUSHING - DW: Johnson 24-125-1, Andrews 25-114,  Williams 8-13, Evans 1-0, Nichols 1-(-5); LC: Tucker 12-60, Morgan 4-19, C. Morgan 1-15

PASSING - DW: Andrews 1-0-0, Evans 1-8-2, 5 yds; LC: Morgan 16-34-2, 4 TD’s 291 yards

RECEIVING - DW: Andrews 1-5; LC: Kanode 4-91-2, Tucker 1-14, Flowers 1-5, Morgan 2-15-1, Dysland 1-5, Hayden 8-174-1