Yakima Herald

Prosser a second-half steamroller
By SCOTT SPRUILL
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC

GORDON KING/Yakima Herald-Republic Prosser receiver Cody Bruns (7) is tripped up by Ellensburg defender Mike Macharro during Friday's CWAC contest in Ellensburg.

ELLENSBURG — If you like offense, Andreotti Field was definitely the place to be Friday night.

But if you like upsets, well, perhaps another day.

Or perhaps another year.

In game that reeled off 84 plays by halftime and 156 for the full weary-legged distance, Prosser's unbeaten and unchallenged football team was very much its top-ranked self on the road, rolling to a 77-14 victory over Ellensburg.

GORDON KING/Yakima Herald-Republic Prosser's Kody Frank, right, brings down Ellensburg's Drew Ronning during Friday's game in Ellensburg.

The Mustangs shook loose from a tight game with two touchdowns in the final four minutes of the first half, then clamped down defensively in the second half with three interceptions and a fumble recovery.

Prosser's offensive efficiency was stunning as quarterback Kellen Moore passed for 320 yards and four touchdowns and ran for
82 yards and a score, and Cody Bruns hauled in 12 passes and scored four times. But eager to prove they're not entirely an aerial show, the Mustangs also ran for 430 yards with Jarod Leighty breaking away for 154 yards and three touchdowns.

In all, Prosser piled up 765 yards and topped 60 points for the third time in four games. Despite those gaudy numbers, the Mustangs' defense had plenty to be proud, too. After giving up a pair of touchdowns to the arm of quarterback Randle Affholter in the first half, Prosser shut out the Bulldogs the rest of the way. Affholter, set the Valley record with a 495-yard performance two weeks ago, completed 20 of 45 passes for 224 yards. But only six of those completions came after the break.

"We just knew we had to have a good game in the secondary because we knew they were coming after us," said senior defensive back Kody Frank, who returned one of the three second-half interceptions for a touchdown. "We switched at halftime from man to zone and that was a much better fit. We read their routes better and got in the passing lanes.

"It was a fun game to get ready for because with two good quarterbacks like this, we knew there would be a challenge," added Frank, who also caught one of Moore's scoring passes. "It's a rivalry game and a big win." There was, despite the lopsided final score, some drama in the second quarter. Affholter capped a 13-play drive with a 3-yard scoring strike to Ben Firman, drawing the Bulldogs within 21-14 with 4:42 left in the half.

But Prosser's quick-strike offense didn't allow much time for celebrations. On the first play going the other way, Moore sailed a deep pass to Bruns on a post route and hit him perfectly in stride en route to a 60-yard score.

And Bruns wasn't headed to the lockerroom just yet. Prosser's stiffening defense forced a three-and-out and the Mustangs were quickly in the end zone again when Bruns took a sneaky snap from center and bolted 28 yards for a 35-14 advantage. The junior receiver rolled up 194 yards with his 12 catches, and Moore finished 21 of 28 for 320 yards. Moore was spot-on in the first half, hitting on 13 of 14 attempts during one stretch.

With their 23rd consecutive win in league play, the Mustangs (4-0 overall) are in firm control of the CWAC at 3-0 heading into next Friday's home game against Toppenish. Ellensburg, at 1-2 in conference and 2-2 for the season, will have to get busy winning to get back on the postseason track. The Bulldogs head to Quincy next Friday.