Prosser handles Selah 33-13

By Ben Reynolds, Herald staff writer

  PROSSER -- Prosser showed the importance of depth on the sidelines Friday night. Oh, and what a nice luxury it is to have Kirby Moore on its roster. The top-ranked Mustangs wore down seventh-ranked Selah in the second half and pulled away for a 33-13 victory on Homecoming night at Art Fiker Stadium to all but lock up their third straight CWAC title.

The only two hurdles in Prosser's way to the league title and the No. 1 seed in the 2A state playoffs is Ephrata (1-7, 1-6) and Grandview (3-5, 2-5), needing to win just one of those two games.

Moore, one of the state's best players who has already committed to Boise State, accounted for all five Prosser touchdowns -- four receiving and one on a punt return. "We did a lot of good things tonight, and we did a lot of bad things tonight, too," Moore said.

One of those good things was on the defensive side of the ball where Prosser held Selah, which has not beaten the Mustangs since 1990, to just 178 total yards.

Vikings quarterback Justin Windsor was pressured all night and struggled to find any sort of rhythm, completing just 5-of-24 passes for 106 yards and three interceptions. Selah (7-1, 6-1) had just one drive of more than covered more than 60 yards, that coming in the first quarter on their only scoring drive.

Even without long, clocking-eating drives, the Vikings crept inside the Prosser redzone four other times, but came up short. Two of those drives ended with interceptions -- both by Anthony Flores, one was a missed field goal and the other was turnover on downs.

"We got a little nervous," said Flores. "But we stepped up."The other positive for Prosser was their interchangeable parts on both sides of the ball. After its running game stalled in the first half, rushing for just 34 yards on 12 carries, Dylan Bolt wore out the right side of the Vikings' defensive line in the second half, finishing with 22 carries for 105 yards.

"They have some really good players," said Prosser coach Tom Moore. "I think it just came down to us having more depth."The not-so-good things for the Mustangs were pretty minor in their 35th consecutive regular season victory.

The defending state champs turned the ball over two times and committed eight penalties for 68 yards.Both turnovers were interceptions thrown by Jordan Durbin, his second and third of the season. He had thrown just one in the first seven games of the season to go with 35 touchdowns.

Now back to Kirby Moore. Already the state's record holder for touchdown receptions, the 6-foot-3, 210-pound standout ran his total to 21 for the season with his four more Friday night.

He also added 17 receptions and 205 yards to surpass the 1,000-yard mark for the season (1,078). Moore also showed his not just a receiver, rushing for two times for 17 yards. But it was his 81-yard punt return early in the first quarter that gave the Mustangs some wiggle room with a 14-0 lead less than five minutes in the game.

"Hopefully this will give us a push toward the playoffs," Moore said.

* Ben Reynolds: 582-1509; breynolds@tricityherald.com

Selah 7 0 0 6 -- 13

Prosser 14 6 6 7 -- 33

SCORING PLAYS

P--Kirby Moore 25 pass from Jordan Durbin (Miguel Munoz kick)

P--Moore 81 punt return (Munoz kick)

S--Sheldon Lommers 2 run (Ricky Escalera kick)

P--Moore 6 pass from Durbin (kick failed)

P--Moore 12 pass from Durbin (run failed)

P--Moore 16 pass from Durbin (Munoz kick)

S--Skyler Trissel 89 kickoff return (kick failed)

STATISTICS

RUSHING--S, Justin Windsor 10-22, Travis Luke 10-19, Tyler Weedein 4-22, Lommers 3-9. P, Dylan Bolt 22-105, Durbin 4-(minus 6), Dominic Garza 3-10, Moore 2-17, Miguel Godinez 1-5, Jordan Heintz 1-4

PASSING--S, Windsor 5-24-3-106. P, Durbin 24-41-2-258, Kyle Schuetze 0-1-0-0

RECEIVING--S, Porter 2-74, Quincy Davis 1-20, Skyler Trissel 1-9, Escalera 1-3. P, Moore 17-205, Garza 3-19, Anthony Flores 2-28, Cory Christen 2-6.

FIRST DOWNS--S 6, P 22. FUMBLES-LOST--S 2-0, P 2-0. PENALTIES-YARDS--S 7-66, P 8-68.