Curtis runs free over Union

The Union Titans played like they practiced, according to Union coach Gary McGarvie.

The Curtis Vikings played Friday’s game like they wanted to prove something.

Donnell Diego rushed for 183 yards and a touchdown and Gage Ferguson ran for two touchdowns and threw for another, leading the Vikings to an impressive 42-28 victory over fifth-ranked Union at McKenzie Stadium.

“Coaches just told us to keep playing our football,” Diego said. “I know it sounds cliché but it’s true, and it worked out there for us. Muscle memory kicked in, and everything went smoothly.”

The Vikings led for most of the night, but the Titans did not go away, even taking a 28-27 lead midway through the fourth quarter.

Curtis responded with more offense. The Vikings had plenty, gaining 535 yards — including 391 on the ground — in the game.

Ferguson found Tristan Beard on a 26-yard scoring pass, and a two-point conversion made it 35-28 with 4:52 left in the game. After Union failed to convert on its next possession, the Vikings took advantage of a short field and made it a 14-point game on Ferguson’s 1-yard touchdown run with 1:22 remaining.

“We told the kids all week you have to practice to win, and you have to fight through adversity,” McGarvie said. “And we didn’t.”

McGarvie, who took over as head coach of the program last year, had been an assistant since Union opened in 2007.

“It was the worst week of practice we’ve ever had at Union,” he said.

It showed right away, too.

Curtis scored on its first two possessions — a Ferguson 5-yard touchdown run and an 80-yard burst from Timothy Joo.

The Titans responded with a 46-yard touchdown pass from Jordan Lawson to Nate Kuratli.

The Vikings regained the momentum immediately when Reggie Hayden returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards to make it 21-7.

Union’s defense figured out some things the rest of the half. The Titans stopped the Vikings on the 3-yard line, leading to the Titans going 97 yards the other way on a 10-play drive just before halftime. Adrian Andrade caught a 9-yard scoring pass from Lawson.

Union then got the ball to start the second half and went 72 yards on 11 plays to tie the game, with Rey Green scoring on a 10-yard run.

“What I liked is we did fall down and we bounced back over and over and over again,” McGarvie said.

Union fell again, though, when Diego scored on a 1-yard touchdown run, capping a 10-play, 88-yard drive.

Green gave Union the lead with 6:44 to play on a 13-yard run, one play after Jake Kim recovered a Curtis fumble.

The Curtis offense had its way against Union the rest of the night, though. The Vikings improved to 2-0 after a Week 1 victory over Kentwood.

“We trust in our coaches. We trust in our guys,” Diego said. “And we trust that all the work we did in the offseason means we aren’t going to roll over against people.”

Lawson completed 22 of 35 passes for 295 yards for the Titans. Nate Kuratli had nine receptions for 169 yards. Keithen Shepard had seven catches for 118 yards, and also completed a 44-yard pass to Kuratli.

Union (1-1) will play Mountain View next week in a Class 4A Greater St. Helens League game.

CURTIS 42, UNION 28
Curtis    21    0    6    15—42
Union    7    7    7    7—28
First quarter
C — Gage Ferguson 5 run (Robert Griffin kick)
C — Timothy Joo 80 run (Griffin kick)
U — Nate Kuratli 46 pass from Jordan Lawson (Connor Culp kick)
C — Reggie Hayden 99 kickoff return (Griffin kick)
Second quarter
U — Adrian Andrade 9 pass from Lawson (Culp kick)
Third quarter
U — Rey Green 10 run (Culp kick)
C — Donnell Diego 1 run (kick failed)
Fourth quarter
U — Green 13 run (Culp kick)
C — Tristan Beard 26 pass from Ferguson (Diego run)
C — Ferguson 1 run (Griffin kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Curtis, Ferguson 15-65, Diego 26-183, Joo 5-106, Jackson Miller 2-28, Team 1-(minus 1). Union, R.J. Quirante 6-12, Andrade 1-2, JoJo Siofele 9-39, Green 11-49, Lawson 3-(minus 4), Christian Brick 1-14.
PASSING — Curtis, Ferguson 6-10-1-144. Union, Lawson 22-35-2-295, Keithen Shepard 1-1-0-44.
RECEIVING — Curtis, Beard 3-97, Miller 1-18, Joo 1-17, Daevon Guilford 1-12. Union, Shepard 7-118, Kuratli 9-169, Kai Gamble 1-2, Siofele 1-12, Andrade 1-9, Green 3-25, Braedon Ensley 1-4.