Titans Hold Off Rainier’s Passing Attack in 39-28 Win

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PE ELL — After a turnover-filled first half for both sides, Pe Ell-Willapa Valley outscored Rainier 22-6 in the second half to complete a 39-28 comeback win at home Friday in Pe Ell.

With Rainier tossing three picks and Titans coughing up two in the first half, both squads took interceptions to the house. Rainier DB Ian Sprouffske nabbed the first one with a 45-yard return for a TD in the first quarter, then PWV’s Joseph Krafczyk going 35 yards for the score on his pick in the second quarter that helped the Titans regain momentum after falling behind 16-8.

And it was the Titans who came out of the locker room ready to roll, outscoring the Mountaineers 22-6 in the final two quarters to secure their third league victory of the season.

The Titans’ run game, which totalled 178 yards to Rainier’s 50, used sweeps, outside veers and then returned to punching it up the gut to keep the Mountaineer’s defense off balance.

“We took care of the ball in the second half,” PWV coach Josh Fluke said. “Our line started blocking a lot better, even when Rainier stacked 10 in the box.”

PWV tailback Blake Howard led the Titans with 17 carries for 84 yards, while Garrett Keeton booted a 32-yard field goal, his second field goal in consecutive games.

“Blake had a hell of a game, with Derek (Fluke) behind him,” Fluke said. 

The Titans secondary weathered the Mountaineers’ pass-first offense as Sprouffske aired it out to go 21 for 40 passing with 297 yards, three touchdowns and three INTs. 

Trevor Anderson caught six of those for 63 yards and a score, Hunter Howell has three catches for 70 yards and a TD and Kyle Peterson had one 15-yard TD reception.

“They had a lot of completions. We bent but didn’t break,” Fluke said.

Fluke praised Krafczyk and Tyler Adkins for knocking down passes in the secondary, and Kolton Fluke for his tackling prowess at middle linebacker.

PWV (4-3, 3-2 league) travels to Ilwaco on Friday. Rainier (0-4, 0-4 league) hosts Raymond-South Bend on Friday.