4A GSHL football: Union 56, Battle Ground 3

Brandon Brody-Heim and Zak Browning ran at will, quarterback Kaben Humphrey-Butler threw two touchdown passes, and the Union Titans got to a running-clock scenario for the second consecutive league game.

The Titans scored four first-quarter touchdowns in a game featuring a 5-1 team against a 1-5 squad.

Union continued on the path in what many believe will be a Week 9 showdown with Skyview for the league championship. Skyview improved to 3-0 in league play with a win over Evergreen. Skyview has a non-league game next week, while the Titans will try to improve to 3-0 with a game against Evergreen.

Ray Burney scored the game’s first touchdown, getting behind the defense on a fourth-and-long play, and catching a 32-yard pass from Humphrey-Butler. Burney finished with five catches for 88 yards.

Browning scored the next two times he touched the ball — touchdowns runs of 20 and 9 yards. Then Brody-Heim got on the board with the longest play of the game, a 56-yard run through the Battle Ground defense.

Brody-Heim finished with 82 yards and two scores on eight carries. Browning had three scores with 79 yards on seven carries.

Gabe Rego made a sweet move to get in the end zone on his 20-yard catch and run from Humphrey-Butler for a 35-0 lead.

Battle Ground avoided the shutout when Mac Brandenburger made a 33-yard field goal in the second quarter.

Brody-Heim ended the scoring in the first half with a 1-yard run, then Browning opened the second-half scoring with an 11-yard touchdown run for a 46-point lead with 5:39 left in the third. That made it a running clock game, and the fans got to leave early.

Union’s defense remained solid. The Titans have not given up a touchdown on defense since Week 3.

Next up: Union (6-1, 2-0) at Evergreen; Battle Ground (1-6, 0-3) vs. Heritage

Battle Ground 0 3 0 0—3

Union 27 15 7 7—56

First quarter

U — Ray Burney 32 pass from Kaben Humphrey-Butler (Hudson Poissant kick)

U — Zak Browning 20 run (Poissant kick)

U — Browning 9 run (kick failed)

U — Brandon Brody-Heim 56 run (Poissant kick)

Second quarter

U — Gabe Rego 20 pass from Humphrey-Butler (Rego pass from Conner Bartmess)

BG — Mac Brandenburger 33 FG

U — Brody-Heim 1 run (Poissant kick)

Third quarter

U — Browning 11 run (Poissant kick)

Fourth quarter

U — Ryan Stanford 1 run (Poissant kick)

Leaders

Rushing — Battle Ground: Trevor Ingram 17-54; Union: Brody-Heim 8-82, Browning 7-79, Stanford 6-50.

Passing — Battle Ground: Chris Paul 5-15-1-49; Union: Humphrey-Butler 7-9-0-85, Tanner Nelson 4-7-0-83.

Receiving — Battle Ground: Ingram 4-42, Jake Blackman 1-7; Union: Burney 5-88, Tre Christensen 3-37, Rego 2-30, Browning 1-13.