An early big play set the tone, and the Fort Vancouver Trappers celebrated their homecoming football game with their first win of the football season.
Fort Vancouver (1-3) led throughout but had to hold on in the fourth quarter for the 28-24 win over Benson of Portland on Friday at Kiggins Bowl. Each team scored four touchdowns. Kyron Lowe-Ashe kicked four extra points, while Benson failed on four two-point conversion attempts.
T.J. Willingham ran for 138 yards and a touchdown to lead the Fort offense.
Benson (1-3) pulled within four points with 4:08 left, covering 76 yards on three pass plays between quarterback Tyler Phillips and Kevin Nguyen. The Techmen got the ball back, but Fort’s Johnny Green made an interception at midfield to seal the victory.
The contest between two programs attempting to build new success — Benson did not play a varsity schedule in 2015 — took 3 1/2 hours to play as injuries and penalties extended the game.
Fort scored on its second offensive play when Erik Coppinger connected with Lowe-Ash for a 73-yard touchdown. Lowe-Ashe outjumped a defensive back at the 50 and sprinted to the end zone.
Fort took advantage of good field position for a pair of second-quarter touchdowns, both on 5-yard runs by Cody Loyer-Hiebert. His first score capped a 21-yard drive after a short Benson punt.
His second touchdown capped a 46-yard drive after Benson attempted an onside kickoff.
An injury to Benson’s David Wallberg resulted in a delay of nearly a half hour in the second quarter. The teams kneeled together for part of the delay.
The apparent leg injury happened at the end of an 11-yard run by Benson’s Marquise Campbell. After the delay, Campbell carried for 25 yards, followed by a 14-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Phillips to Xavier Jones.
FORT VANCOUVER 28, BENSON 24
Benson 0 6 6 12–24
Fort 7 14 7 0–28
First quarter
FV — Kyron Lowe-Ash 73 pass from Erik Coppinger (Lowe-Ash kick)
Second quarter
FV — Cody Loyer Hiebert 5 run (Lowe-Ash kick).
Ben — Xavier Jones 14 pass from Tyler Phillips (pass failed)
FV — Loyer-Hiebert 5 run (Lowe-Ash kick)
Third quarter
Ben — Phillips 1 run (pass failed)
FV — T.J. Willingham 4 run (Lowe-Ashe kick)
Fourth quarter
Ben — Kevin Nguyen 17 pass from Phillips (pass failed)
Ben — Nguyen 7 pass from Phillips (pass failed)
Individual statistics
RUSHING — Fort: TJ Willingham 24-138, Rickie Williams 2-5, Erik Coppinger 2-(minus-16), Cruz Holliman 4-8, Bobby Shephard 3-6, Loyer-Hiebert 3-10.
PASSING — Fort: Coppinger 8-16-1-178.
RECEIVING — Fort: Lowe-Ash 4-87, Williams 1-61, Willingham 2-15, Miracle Alford-Lewis 1-15.
