After losing to Forks 49-0 last season, Pe Ell-Willapa Valley had the Spartans on the ropes Friday, holding a 21-15 lead with two minutes to go.
But four-straight penalties, including a holding penalty and a Titan interception that was returned to the Spartans’ 30-yard line and called back, erased all hope.
Forks scored on a 2-yard run with 1:16 to play and the Spartans escaped by a thread for a 21-20 victory over the visiting Titans on Friday in Twilight Land.
“Pretty good for our caliber of team,” PWV coach Josh Fluke said. “The boys put their heads down and came right back. We played stellar defense. Really proud of the team. It was just a good ol’ fashioned football game.”
After a 47-yard touchdown pass by the Spartans, Titan QB Tyler Adkins evened it up with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Wil Clements on a fake field goal.
Forks again went to the air, dropping a 76-yard TD pass in the second quarter to regain the lead. Adkins came firing back, hitting Clements again, this time from 10-yards out to tie it back up at 15-15.
The Titans took the lead on Derek Fluke’s 3-yard touchdown run with 6:14 to play to make it 21-15. But the slew of penalties mentioned earlier spelled defeat for the Titans.
Blake Howard led PWV’s rushing attack with 103 yards on 31 carries. Adkins was 11 for 20 passing for 103 yards and two scores.
On the defensive side, Kolton Fluke and Howard each brought down nine ball carriers, including six solos. Garrett Keeton recorded two sacks, forced a fumble and had a fumble recovery.
Pe Ell-Willapa Valley (2-2 overall) hosts Morton-White Pass (3-1) in Pe Ell on Friday.
