The Mossyrock football team’s best season since making the move down to the 8-man game came to an end in upset fashion Saturday in Tenino, with the No. 4 Vikings falling to No. 5 Liberty Bell 54-20.
The Mountain Lions jumped out to a 36-0 lead at halftime before the Vikings could get anything going in the scoring column themselves.
“Hats off to them, they were better than us today,” Mossyrock coach Eric Ollikainen said. We had a hard time covering their receivers and making stops, getting off the field on third and fourth down. We’d piece a couple good plays together, but we couldn’t finish drives. That kind of spelled it in the first half, and was the story of the game.”
Meanwhile, Liberty Bell quarterback Riley Lidey went off for the Mountain Lions, finishing with six touchdown passes and a seventh score on the ground.
Senior tailback Sage Greisen, carrying one of his heavier loads of the year, racked up 140 rushing yards and a touchdown on 15 carries. He also led the Viking defense with eight tackles.
Sophomore Easton Kolb added 55 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown, and finished 4 for 10 through the air, including a 67-yard pass to senior Keegan Kolb. The elder Kolb hauled in three catches for an even 100 yards.
The Vikings are set to graduate a class of five: Greisen, Keegan Kolb, Andrew Cournelius, Brenden Cournelius, and Cooper Young. The rest are slated to return, with a taste of State play under their belts.
“I’m really happy with the direction the program’s going in,” Ollikainen said. “I’m proud of the work the seniors did to get us going in the right direction, and hopefully we keep working and we take another step next year.”