Kian Khodamoradi’s 19-yard field goal with 2:46 left sealed Bellevue’s 20-10 win over Marysville-Pilchuck Friday night in a Class 3A state semifinal game at The Tacoma Dome, stretching the Wolverines’ win streak to a state-record 67 games.
Bellevue (11-0) will play the winner of the Eastside-Catholic-Mount Spokane game next week for the state title and will try for the school’s seventh straight in football.
Sam Richmond scored on a 2-yard run, a touchdown that proved to be the game-winner, at the 8:04 mark for the Wolverines. It was Richmond’s second TD of the game and it broke a 10-all tie.
Erik Lind connected with Drew Hatch for a 14-yard touchdown for Marysville-Pilchuck with 3 minutes left in the third quarter, the only touchdown of the game for the Tomahawks.
Just before the half, Khodamoradi nailed a 28-yard field goal as Bellevue took a 10-3 lead.
Pilchuck’s offense went for it on fourth down with 1:41 left before the half, but Killian Page was stuffed for no gain at Pilchuck’s 35-yard line, turning the ball over on downs. Bellevue then marched down into field goal position.
The Tomahawks didn’t manage a first down until the 11:42 mark of the second quarter. Austin Joyner broke free for a 13-yard run to gain it. MP put that drive together and culminated it with a 24-yard field goal from Sebastian Navarro, getting to 7-3 with 4:56 to play in the half.
Bellevue got into the end zone twice, but the first by Isaiah Gilchrest was called back because of an illegal block. Richmond, who had 42 yards in the first half, scored on the first play of the second quarter on a 1-yard run.
Joyner had 11 carries for 48 yards for Pilchuck and Page has 22 yards on nine carries in the first half. Top-ranked Bellevue moved the ball at will for most of the first half, rushing for 100 yards.
The Wolverines have also thrown the ball, with QB Justus Rogers completing 2 of 8 passes for 46 yards.