It can be hard to translate regular season success to the playoffs, but the Kamiakin Braves had no problem doing just that on Friday. In a tight game that could have gone either way, they made off with a 36-35 victory over Emerald Ridge. The win was familiar territory for Kamiakin who now have seven in a row.
Camden Schmidt had an outrageously good game as he rushed for 177 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 7.7 yards per carry. Mason Grigg also deserves a mention for his punt return touchdown.
Kamiakin's defensive line stepped up as well, laying out the QB four times. The heavy lifting was done by Dom Powell and Zaevion Gladney who racked up four sacks between them.
Several Jaguars players turned in solid performances, despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Tony Harste, who picked up 243 receiving yards. Another player making a difference was Jake Schakel, who threw for 363 yards and two touchdowns while picking up 10.7 yards per attempt.
Kamiakin's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 9-2. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 45.8 points per game. As for Emerald Ridge, their loss ended a three-game streak of away wins and brought them to 8-3.
Kamiakin will take on Mount Si at TBD on Saturday. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are ranked near one another in Washington (Mount Si is ranked 14th, while Kamiakin is ranked 15th). Emerald Ridge does not have any more games scheduled as of now.
