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Wilkins, West waltz past East
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 TUCK AND RUN: Imbler’s Nick Thompson breaks away for a 54-yard run during the East-West 8-man All-Star Game Saturday at Community Stadium. Thompson finished with 46 yards on the ground. Observer photo/PAUL HARDER The Mohawk graduate showcased the talent that led to a second straight Class 1A State title. East coach Lee Lowe, of Imbler, certainly had his fill of the shifty quarterback. Wilkins beat the Panthers for the latest title six months ago. Wilkins threw two touchdown passes, and ran for 74 yards on 12 carries during a 28-2 West win. “All the kids here are great athletes,” Lowe said. “But (Wilkins) is just a notch better it seems. “We didn’t play as well as we would have liked. The kids still had a lot of fun, though.” The East grabbed an early lead on a safety with 9:15 left in the first quarter. But, from there, it was all West and Wilkins. Kameron Grahm capped off a 96-yard drive in the second quarter to put the West on top with 11:06 left before the half. “Our (offensive) line did a great job,” Wilkins said. “They opened up the holes to run through. We also had time to throw the ball. That’s a big advantage.” The East didn’t have that luxury. Holes failed to open. Plays took too long to develop. East quarterback Nick Thompson scrambled nearly ever time he dropped back. He finished completing 8-of-16 passes for 113 yards. Dufur’s Matt Hammel had the most success against the defenders of the West. He tallied 40 yards on 11 carries. But big plays were at a premium for the East. However, the West began to find its rhythm in the second quarter. Wilkins went over the top to find Dean Krull for a 43-yard touchdown pass with 46 seconds left before the half. “It’s nice having someone you know on the team,” Wilkins said. “You have a better idea of what they’re going to do.” Imbler’s Thompson set up a scoring opportunity for the East after a 54-yard run. But two plays later there was Wilkins scooping up a fumble. Momentum turned back to the East, briefly, after another fumble. Again Wilkins had his name announced over the public address system after a great play. He reeled in a pass by Thompson one-handed in the end zone to take away another scoring opportunity. “Defense is fun,” Wilkins said. “A little more than on offense. I think it’s more fun to take away a scoring opportunity. Wilkins put the final mark on his high school career with a 54-yard pass to Isaac McKinley with two seconds left in the third quarter. He finished 4-of-8 with 124 yards passing. For his efforts Wilkins earned the MVP award. “It’s a great way to finish up my high school career,” Wilkins said. “We didn’t need a lot of motivation for this game. It’s fun, but you don’t want to lose.” Any motivation took root in the series standings — tied at 9-9. While the East is now on the wrong side of the overall record, the players focused on the broader aspect of the week-long event. “It’s a great time to get together with players from other teams,” Joseph’s Ben Garnett said. “You make a lot of friendships through these games. This is a good way to end the season. “I’m going to get ready for college now. I’ll be attending the University of Idaho, and my plan is to try to walk on to the football team.” Perrydale’s Justin Storm capped the scoring with a 45-yard touchdown pass to Krull in the fourth quarter. Garnett had one carry for 18 yards. Wallowa’s Brandon Mahon caught two passes for 32 yards.
West 0 14 8 6 – 28 East 2 0 0 0 – 2 First quarter E – safety, 9:15 Second quarter W – Grahm 5 run (run failed), 11:06 W – Krull 54 pass from Wilkins (Grahm run), 0:46 Third quarter W – McKinley 43 pass from Wilkins (Ludwig run), 0:02 Fourth quarter W – Krull 45 pass from Storm (run failed), 11:48. Individual statistics RUSHING – West, Wilkins 12-74, Grahm 13-59, Krull 4-9, Storm 3-3, McKinley 2-1, Lieuallen 2-2. East, Thompson 15-46, Hammel 11-40, Christenson 5-11, Garnett 1-18. PASSING – West, Wilkins 4-8-2-124, Storm 2-3-0-52. East, Thompson 8-16-0-113. RECEIVING – West, Krull 3-122, McKinley 1-54, Grahm 2-5. East, Tibbets 3-41, Mahon 2-32, Hammel 2-32, Ashley 1-14.
Game MVP Brody Wilkins, Mohawk Offensive Player of the Game West — Kameron Grahm, Falls City East — Matt Hammel, Dufur Defensive Player of the Game West — Dustin Webb, Alsea East — Sam Garnett, Joseph Most Inspirational West — Willy Johnson, Days Creek East — Jake Noyes, Imbler
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