RIDGEFIELD — Another year, another trip to the state quarterfinals for the King’s Knights.
King’s reached the final eight of the Class 1A state tournament for the sixth consecutive season, beating La Center 42-21 on Saturday at Ridgefield High School.
Led by quarterback Koa Wilkins, King’s bolted to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter. Wilkins accounted for two of the Knights’ three touchdowns in the period. He opened the scoring with a 9-yard run and also threw a 24-year TD pass to Ryan Fransen. Andrew Cline scored the Knights’ other first-quarter touchdown on a 1-yard run.
Wilkins finished the game 12-for-16 for 130 yards and two touchdowns. Cline rushed eight times for 64 yards and two scores. Fransen caught five passes for 63 yards and two scores.
Defensive ends Edmund Sundquist and Duncan Cull keyed a strong defensive effort that helped King’s build a 35-6 lead going into the fourth quarter. Sundquist had five tackles and returned a third-quarter fumble recovery 76 yards for a score. Cull had two sacks and also recovered a fumble.
King’s (9-2) faces the winner of Saturday night’s Cascade Christian-Hoquiam game in next week’s quarterfinals.
At Ridgefield H.S.
King’s 21 7 7 7 —42
La Center 0 6 0 15 — 21
K—Koa Wilkins 9 run (Jack Van Dyke kick)
K—Andrew Cline 1 run (Van Dyke kick)
K—Ryan Fransen 24 pass from Wilkins (Van Dyke kick)
LC—Max Hiller 11 pass from Wyatt Aguirre (kick failed)
K—Edmund Sundquist 76 fumble recovery (Van Dyke kick)
K—Fransen 13 pass from Wilkins (Van Dyke kick)
LC—Dalton Morgan 63 pass from Aguirre (Aguirre run)
K—Cline 24 run (Van Dyke kick)
LC—Hiller 51 run (Sergio Sandoval kick)
Records—King’s 9-2. La Center 6-4.
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