Yakima Herald

Prosser 62
Wilsonville, Ore. 35

WILSONVILLE, Ore. — Ivan Merino scored five touchdowns as the Mustangs outscored Oregon's defending Class 3A state champions.

Merino scored three touchdowns rushing and totaled 151 yards on the ground, scored another touchdown on a pass reception from Kellen Moore and yet another TD on an interception return.

Moore completed 25 of 37 passes for 337 yards and four scores.

Wilsonville scored on its opening drive, but Prosser rallied for a 35-21 halftime lead.

No other details were available.

The Oregonian

Mistakes costly for Wildcats

WILSONVILLE -- It didn't take long for Cameron Smith to get the football season off to a rousing start for Wilsonville High School.

Smith, the Wildcats' all-state wide receiver/running back, scored touchdowns on 56- and 80-yard receptions the first two times he touched the ball Friday night.

Unfortunately for Wilsonville, it couldn't keep up the pace against visiting Prosser (Wash.), which used every facet of its potent offense en route to a 62-35 victory in a season opener at Randall Stadium.

Quarterback Kellen Moore and running back Ivan Merino combined to shred the Wilsonville defense. The left-handed Moore completed 25 of 37 passes for 337 yards and four touchdowns. Merino carried the ball 15 times for 151 yards and three touchdowns, had a receiving touchdown and returned an interception for another score.

That was more than Wilsonville, the 2004 OSAA Class 3A champion, could contend with on a night it had four turnovers and a punt blocked.

"They're a little bit frustrated right now," Wildcats coach George Crace said of his players. "That might be the best team we'll face all year."

Wilsonville never led after the opening minutes, but it stayed close and pulled within 34-28 on a 43-yard touchdown pass play from Spencer Crace to Zach Johnson with 3:52 left in the third quarter.

However, a blocked punt on the first play of the fourth quarter led to a short Prosser touchdown drive, and minutes later the Mustangs extended their lead to 48-28 on a 32-yard interception return by Merino.

"We made more mistakes in this game than we did in all our games last season," coach Crace said. "But (Prosser is) a great team."

Smith, a 5-foot-6 senior, finished with three touchdowns for Wilsonville, but he wasn't much of a factor after the first quarter.

On the game's second play from scrimmage, Smith caught a swing pass from Crace coming out of the backfield, broke a few tackles and raced down the right sideline for a 56-yard touchdown.

Prosser answered with 85- and 43-yard touchdown drives on its next two possessions. Moore completed scoring passes of 21 yards to Cody Bruns and 16 yards to Tylan Watkins as the Mustangs took a 14-7 lead midway through the first quarter.

Wilsonville tied the score on the first play after the kickoff when Crace lofted a long pass down the middle of the field for Smith, who caught the ball behind a diving defender on his way to an 80-yard touchdown.

The Wildcats, however, committed turnovers on their next two possessions, and Prosser capitalized on the second. Kory Whittaker fumbled the ball away on the Wilsonville 8, and Prosser took the lead for good 21-18 on a five-yard pass from Moore to Merino.

Touchdown runs of six and 38 yards by Merino helped Prosser take a 34-21 lead at halftime.