Under the Friday night lights at David Nielsen Stadium, two of the state’s top 1A football programs collided in a showdown that lived up to every ounce of the hype. The defending state champion Royal Knights, winners of eight of the last nine state titles and riding a 39-game winning streak, narrowly escaped with a 21-15 overtime victory over the visiting Cashmere Bulldogs in a game that had all the makings of an instant classic.

With Royal ranked No. 1 in the state and Cashmere close behind at No. 2, the matchup not only served as a potential preview of the state championship game but also solidified these two teams as the cream of the crop in both the SCAC and statewide.

From the opening kickoff, it was clear the Bulldogs came ready to challenge the dynasty.

Dominant First Half for Cashmere

After a scoreless first quarter, Cashmere struck first early in the second. Going to their “heavy” formation, junior Braylon Rubio took over at quarterback and handed off to sophomore Jacoby Tait, who barreled into the end zone to give the Bulldogs a 6-0 lead. Rubio then powered in the two-point conversion himself to put Cashmere ahead 8-0 — a lead they would take into the half.

Royal Answers Back, Bulldogs Respond

Royal finally cracked the scoreboard with just over a minute left in the third quarter. Quarterback Grant Wardenaar punched in a 1-yard QB sneak — marking the first points allowed all season by a stingy Cashmere defense that had posted 18 consecutive scoreless quarters. Wardenaar then connected with Dax Jenks for the two-point conversion, tying the game at 8-8.

But Cashmere wasted no time responding. The Bulldogs marched 80 yards down the field before senior quarterback Rylan Hatmaker hit fellow senior Isaac Zavala for a 25-yard touchdown down the seam. With the extra point, Cashmere reclaimed the lead, 15-8, with 9:37 remaining.

Royal responded swiftly, as Wardenaar found Anderson Brown for a 9-yard touchdown pass. After the PAT, the game was knotted at 15-15 with 6:49 left.

Overtime Heartbreak

Neither team could break the deadlock in the final minutes of regulation, sending the game to overtime. Cashmere had the first possession but came up empty after a 40-yard field goal attempt just missed.

Royal seized the moment. On their possession, Wardenaar hit Jenks for a 13-yard touchdown to seal the win and extend the Knights’ incredible win streak to 40 games.

Defense Shines Despite Loss

Despite the heartbreaking result, the Bulldogs showed why they belong among the state’s elite. Their defense was outstanding, bottling up Royal’s explosive offense for most of the night and holding them to just 77 rushing yards.

Junior defensive end Grey Jacobson turned in a monster performance with 4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and a fumble recovery. Inside, Prin Fox, Jacoby Tait, and Joseph Acton clogged the lanes and were instrumental in slowing down Royal’s ground game.

In the secondary, Cashmere neutralized Royal’s biggest weapon, Shea Stevenson. The all-state wide receiver, who exploded for 150 yards and 4 touchdowns a week ago against Zillah, was held to just 2 catches for 52 yards.

Offensive Leaders

Hatmaker was sharp under center, completing 20 of 30 passes for 216 yards with a touchdown and one interception. Zavala led the receiving corps with 7 catches for 59 yards and a score. Senior Tom McDevitt added 4 receptions for a team-high 95 yards, while Logan Spies (5 catches, 32 yards) and David Odenrider (3 catches, 28 yards) also contributed.

On the ground, Cashmere outgained Royal 91-77. Tait carried 13 times for 33 tough yards, while Hatmaker added 35 yards on 7 carries.

Looking Ahead

A year after suffering two lopsided defeats to Royal when Cashmere finished 10-2 and reached the state semifinals, the Bulldogs have now proved that they’ve closed the gap — and then some. Friday night’s effort showed that Cashmere is not only a title contender, but a legitimate threat to end Royal’s reign.

The Bulldogs (4-1) will look to bounce back next Friday when they host the Zillah Leopards (also 4-1) in their Homecoming game — a matchup with major SCAC and state implications.