1B Football | ACH responds in rematch win over Odessa, 38-14

TACOMA — Revenge is sweet, but when it's for a state championship, it's that much better.

"I've dreamed my whole life of winning a state championship," said Almira-Coulee-Hartline quarterback Josh Goodwin. "It's so sweet. Especially to beat our archrivals."

Almira-Coulee-Hartline, which got clobbered by Odessa in the middle of the season, did a 180 in the 1B Championship at the Tacoma Dome on Friday.

The Warriors (13-1) broke open a tight game in the fourth quarter and went on for a 38-14 win over the Tigers (12-1) after previously falling 56-6.

It's ACH's first state title since 1990, a team on which ninth-year coach Brandon Walsh played center and defensive tackle.

"It's probably a little more satisfying [as a coach] after all the years of mediocre football," said Walsh of winning a title as a player and coach.

In a game ruled much by defense, Goodwin shined. The 5-foot-9, 165-pound senior rushed 16 times for 109 yards and two touchdowns. He was 6-of-13 passing for 67 yards and a TD.

"He played great," said Walsh of his quarterback. "He's a great leader. He works hard."

ACH led 8-0 at halftime, a remarkably low score for a B-8 game. Odessa had plenty of opportunities to tie the score, but was stopped on downs inside the Warriors 5-yard line early in the second. And, as time was running out in the half, Odessa QB Ryan King found Bryce Todd on a 21-yard strike, but he was pushed out of bounds at the 1 as time expired.

"We didn't convert once we got inside," said Odessa coach Bruce Todd.

In all, Odessa was stopped three times inside the ACH 5.

Even though ACH led the entire game, a few instances made it seem like Odessa was going to catch the Warriors.

After Goodwin found running back Nate West on a 5-yard TD pass midway through the third quarter, ACH led 16-0.

But on the ensuing kickoff, junior Bryce Todd gave Odessa a spark. He returned the kickoff 86 yards for a TD and after the successful two-point conversion, the Tigers trailed 16-8.

ACH responded when Goodwin scrambled 32 yards for a score, giving the Warriors a 24-8 lead with about 10 minutes to play in the game.

Again, the Tigers responded immediately. On the first play from scrimmage, Odessa ran a hook-and-lateral that saw Travis Todd catch a 10-yard pass from QB Ryan King and then toss it to a trailing Jacob Schmidt, who scored on the 64-yard play.

The Tigers missed the conversion, but cut the lead to 24-14.

But ACH was able to pull away late, when Jordan Hughes — who had eight TDs in a semifinal win over Lummi — rushed from 1 yard to extend it to 30-14. Hughes, a senior, ran 16 times for 109 yards and the one score.

On Odessa's next drive, King was intercepted by West, who returned it 27 yards for a score.

"It's the best effort we put together all season on defense," said Walsh. "That's really the difference."

ACH — West 5 pass from Goodwin (Goodwin run)

Odessa — Bryce Todd 86 kickoff return (Jacob Schmidt run)

ACH — Goodwin 32 run (Jordan Hughes pass from Goodwin)

Odessa — Jacob Schmidt 64 pass from Ryan King (run failed)

ACH — Hughes 1 run (pass failed)

ACH — West 27 interception return (Zack Pryor pass from Goodwin)

Passing — Odessa, Ryan King 12-18-2-236-1, Aaron Bruya 1-1-0-28-0. ACH, Josh Goodwin 6-13-0-67-1.

Receiving — Odessa, Travis Todd 5-80, Aaron Bruya 2-40, Bryce Todd 2-34, Jacob Schmidt 4-110. ACH, Ryan Gregson 1-6, Jordan Hughes 3-48, Nate West 2-13.