Prosser vs. West Valley (Spokane)

Preview: Prosser vs. West Valley-Spokane

By Craig Craker, Tri-City Herald

PROSSER -- Here is today's Class 2A first-round preview of the Prosser Mustangs vs. West Valley (Spokane) Eagles:

* Time, date, place: 1 p.m. today, Art Fiker Stadium, Prosser.

* Head coaches: West Valley, Craig Whitney; Prosser, Benji Sonnichsen.

* Leagues: West Valley, Great Northern League; Prosser, Central Washington Athletic Conference.

* Records: West Valley, 9-2; Prosser, 8-1.

* Next opponent: Ellensburg-Deer Park winner

* Last game: West Valley 35, East Valley 7; Prosser 54, Grandview 6

* Playoff appearances: West Valley, 9; Prosser, 23.

* Last playoff appearance: West Valley, 2009 (lost championship); Prosser, 2010 (lost quarterfinals).

* Deepest advancement: West Valley, title game (1975, Sumner 11-0; 1976, West Valley 30, Hoquiam 21; 1984, Olympia 28-14; 2009, Lynden 16-6); Prosser, title game (1991, O'Dea 21-14; 1992, Prosser 26, O'Dea 0; 1993, Prosser 22, Gig Harbor 20; 1995, O'Dea 35-14; 1999, Prosser 42, Sammamish 38; 2005, Ferndale 47-12; 2007, Prosser 42, Burlington-Edison 7; 2008, Lynden 35-34 2OT)

* Previous playoff meetings: None.

* West Valley leaders: Dylan Ellsworth, senior, running back; Terrynce Duke, running back; Tyler Stavnes, junior, quarterback.

* Prosser leaders: Isaac Anderson, senior, running back; Ryan Fassler, junior, quarterback; Danny Raap, junior, wide receiver; Wyatt Baker, senior, wide receiver.

Notes: Ellsworth leads a potent rushing attack for the Eagles. He started on the 2009 team that reached the state title game, before losing to Lynden. ... Duke, Derek Lane and Stavnes all have the ability to run the ball as well. Stavnes can pass, but has been inconsistent at times this season. ... West Valley's kicking game has missed just one extra point this season. The Eagles' two losses this season were at Class 1A No. 1 Cashmere and at home to Deer Park. ... Anderson went over 1,000 yards for the third consecutive season last week and has scored 19 touchdowns on the ground. ... Fassler has really taken to the quarterback role and has thrown for a CWAC-leading 2,058 yards with 22 touchdowns and eight interceptions. ... Between Raap, Baker, Josh Lopez and Sterling Clark, the Prosser air-attack is difficult to slow and the Eagles will have their hands full. ... Prosser hasn't lost since the season opener to Kamiakin, the No. 4-ranked Class 3A team.

Raap highlights Prosser's 40-0 win

By Craig Craker, Tri-City Herald

PROSSER -- Danny Raap just wanted a chance to show he belongs on the field for defense.

The big-play wide receiver had only started two games at safety during the regular season, but he won a competition in practice this week and earned the start against Spokane-West Valley on Saturday.

And it paid off.

Raap intercepted a pass at the goal line to help turn a tight game into a rout, as the Mustangs hammered the Eagles 40-0 in a Class 2A state first round game at Art Fiker Stadium. "The coaches told me to watch the tight ends, so I was sinking back and watched the quarterbacks eyes and jumped (the route)," Raap said of his pick. "I just wanted to prove myself and it worked."

Prosser will now face Ellensburg at a site and time to be determined in the quarterfinals. On Saturday, Prosser led 14-0 after a dominating first quarter, but West Valley was in the middle of a 13-play drive and had marched down to the 8-yard line and seemed certain of pulling within a score.

Raap had different ideas, as he intercepted Tyler Stavnes' pass at the 1 in the middle of the field.

"We've been trying to protect him because he is such a great offensive player," said Prosser coach Benji Sonnichsen about Raap not playing much on defense. "But this is the playoffs and the best players are going to be on the field. He's a force. He's prepared for this and he more than showed he's a big-time player."

After the interception, the Mustangs then went to work putting the game out of reach. Quarterback Ryan Fassler threw a beautiful pass, hitting running back Isaac Anderson in stride on a seam route for a 44-yard gain.

Anderson then had three rushes to put the Mustangs inside the 5 and on a third down-and-goal play, Fassler found Raap at the 1. Raap carried a defender over the goal line for a 21-0 lead midway through the second quarter. For Fassler it was one of four touchdowns he threw, racking up 210 yards with no interceptions in his first playoff start.

"I went over to him and told him I thought he played a good game," Raap said of Fassler. "He told me he made a few mistakes and could do better. I thought he did really well."

While the offense marched up and down the field, the defense was also stellar -- completely shutting down four-year starter Dylan Ellsworth to the tune of 48 yards on 18 carries. "Everything was going our way and we just had great intensity," Anderson said. "We knew they would run hard, but once we started stopping that it kept going our way."

The Mustangs forced the 2009 state runnerups into six punts and stopped the Eagles on fourth down three times, including on a fake punt on their first possession of the second half. An ill-advised playcall inside the 20. On the next play, Prosser's Joey Hurtado scored from 19-yards out to make it 28-0.

It was one of two quick-strike drives for the Mustangs, who went 70-yards on four plays to open the game -- jumping out to a 7-0 lead just 46 seconds into the game.

Anderson rushed for 67 yards on 12 carries and had three receptions for 60 yards. Josh Lopez had two catches for 44 yards and a touchdown. Sterling Clark and Caleb Hoefer added touchdown receptions for Prosser.

Now, the Mustangs get Ellensburg in a rematch of a 32-28 game from earlier this season.

"We just made some mistakes in the second quarter," Sonnichsen said of the first game against Ellensburg. "We're going to focus on taking care of the football and we'll be just fine."

PROSSER 40, WEST VALLEY-SPOKANE 0: Ryan Fassler threw four touchdown passes, each to a different receiver, as the Mustangs (10-1) dominated.

Prosser held WV to 81 rushing yards and 198 yards of total offense. Isaac Anderson, who led the Mustangs on the ground with 67 yards on 11 carries, got the hosts’ first TD on a 14-yard run. Anderson also had three pass receptions for 60 yards.

Fassler then found Caleb Hoefer for a 4-yard score and Danny Raap for a 7-yard touchdown before Joey Hurtado posted a 19-yard touchdown run.

Fassler, who finished 15 for 24, then hit Josh Lopez with a 39-yard TD pass and Sterling Clark with a 12-yarder.

The Mustangs reached the quarterfinals a year ago before falling to East Valley of Spokane.

Prosser 40, West Valley (Spokane) 0

West Valley 0 0 0 0 -- 0

Prosser 14 7 13 6 -- 40

SCORING PLAYS

P--Isaac Anderson 13 run (Cesar Lopez kick)

P--Caleb Hoefer 4 pass from Ryan Fassler (Lopez kick)

P--Danny Raap 7 pass from Fassler (Lopez kick)

P--Joey Hurtado 19 run (Lopez kick)

P--Josh Lopez 39 pass from Fassler (kick failed)

P--Sterling Clark 12 pass from Fassler (kick failed)

STATISTICS

RUSHING--WV, Dylan Ellsworth 18-48, Jake Bandel 7-19, Terrynce Duke 5-10, Tyler Stavnes 3-4, Matt Carrell 2-4, Derek Lane 1-1, team 1-(-2). Prosser, Anderson 12-67, Diego Magana 5-35, Hurtado 4-36, Seth Glossen 2-2, Austin Bolt 1-48, Bubba Frank 1-4, Ike Anderson 1-1, Omar Orellana 1-(-1), Ryan Fassler 1-(-9).

PASSING--WV, Stavnes 11-18-1--116, Ellsworth 1-2-0--6. Prosser, Fassler 13-22-0--210, Glossen 1-1-0--8, Mason Schutt 3-5-0--10.

RECEIVING--WV, Ellsworth 3-8, Brady Bergman 2-24, Duke 2-21, Chance Roullier 2-21, Ben Shannon 1-33, Marcus Jackson 1-9, Bandel 1-6. Prosser, Anderson 3-60, Clark 3-44, Colton Burleson 3-13, Wyatt Baker 2-47, Lopez 2-44, Raap 1-7, Hoefer 1-4, Chris Pedroza 1-3, Frank 1-2.

FIRST DOWNS--WV 11, Prosser 19. FUMBLES-LOST--WV, 1-0; Prosser, 0-0. PENALTIES-YARDS--WV, 7-53; Prosser, 6-50.