The Evergreen Plainsmen are returning to the football playoffs for the first time since 2007, surviving a three-team tiebreaker Monday night with dominating performances against Hudson’s Bay and Prairie.
Evergreen scored on all four of its possessions in the two contests and shut out their opponents to earn the No. 3 seed from the Class 3A Greater St. Helens League. The Plainsmen will travel to Kennewick take on Kamiakin in the state preliminary round. That game is tentatively scheduled for 4 p.m. Saturday.
“It’s crazy. It’s weird to think about it,” Evergreen quarterback Payton Monda said of the Plainsmen being in the playoffs. “I think it’s good for us, though.”
“It’s a big accomplishment,” running back Jevauhn Hampton said.
Hampton scored on a 5-yard touchdown run to give the Plainsmen the lead over Hudson’s Bay in the first tiebreaker. Then he scored on the first play of the second tiebreaker, this time sprinting to a 40-yard touchdown.
“It was like heaven,” Hampton said. “Thanks to the line, for real.”
Evergreen topped Hudson’s Bay 13-0 then beat Prairie 10-0.
The three teams tied for third place in the six-team 3A GSHL, forcing a playoff for the league’s final berth to the Week 10 playoffs.
In the first tiebreaker, Evergreen needed nine plays to go 40 yards for Hampton’s score.
The Eagles only had one play on offense. Evergreen’s Sheaven Rhodes stripped the Bay ball carrier then recovered the fumble, giving Evergreen the ball back with that 7-0 lead.
Two plays later, Monda found Dustin Nettle for a 39-yard touchdown pass for a 13-0 win.
The tiebreakers were played under a modified overtime plan. Instead of starting at the 25-yard line, the teams started at the 40. And both teams were supposed to get two possessions. Of course, Bay’s second possession never happened because Evergreen led by more than eight points. Game over.
Some 20 minutes later, Evergreen used a similar formula. Score. Stop opponent. Score again. Celebrate.
Hampton broke free for his long TD run on the first play against Prairie.
“They lined up exactly how we thought they’d line up,” Evergreen coach Terry Hyde said. “Out of that formation, the kids blocked it well. Jevauhn has great quickness. He gets to full speed in three steps. He’s hard to catch. We blocked well, and he just ran away from everybody.”
The Falcons drove inside the 10-yard line on its first possession before stalling. They lined up for a field goal. Instead, the holder took off running, but the Evergreen defense was ready and pounced.
Evergreen, with a 7-0 lead, knew it just had to score on its second possession to win.
Seven plays later, the Plainsmen did just than on Killian Burris’ 30-yard field goal, setting up an Evergreen celebration.
“I was so happy when he made it,” Monda said. “We got it done.”
It certainly was not the smoothest road to the playoffs. Evergreen is, after all, 2-7. But the two league wins were enough to tie for third place.
Hyde noted that this team was competitive in a number of losses. It was all about finishing. Monday, the Plainsmen got another chance to finish.
“We just talked about focus and effort,” Hyde said. “They came out and did a great job.”
EVERGREEN 13, HUDSON’S BAY 0
Evergreen 7 6–13
Hudson’s Bay 0 x–0
Eve — Jevauhn Hampton 5 run (Killian Burris kick)
Eve — Dustin Nettles 39 pass from Payton Monda (No attempt, game over)
EVERGREEN 10, PRAIRIE 0
Evergreen 7 3–10
Prairie 0 x–0
Eve — Jevauhn Hampton 40 run (Killian Burris kick)
Eve — Burris 30 FG
