Grizzlies’ season stopped at state

Newport comes up short in quarterfinals

CHENEY – The Newport Grizzlies pulled off some big plays against Adna in the quarterfinal game of the state 2B football tournament Saturday, Nov. 22.

There was an 80-yard Kutter Driver kickoff return for a touchdown. Quarterback Brad Martin completed an 88-yard pass and run play to Aiden Kramer. Jacob Reimers broke a 50-yard touchdown run. Martin hit Driver with an 8-yard TD pass on fourth down. There was a fumble recovery on the 1-yard line by sophomore Connor McQuinn. That turned into a 15-play, 99-yard touchdown drive.

But in the end, it wasn’t enough to beat the Adna Pirates, who got the 42-32 win. While Newport never had the lead, the game was far closer than the final score indicated. The teams traded touchdowns for a tied first quarter. After Adna’s two second quarter TDs, Newport pulled to within three points with five minutes to go the fourth quarter after trailing by 14 at the half.

Adna was a big, physical and athletic team, Newport coach Mark Duxbury says.

“Their big guys up front controlled the line of scrimmage most of the game,” he says. Still, Newport stayed in the game.

“Our guys kept fighting and we found ways to score,” he says.

Adna’s first play from scrimmage following Newport’s opening kickoff was a 78-yard touchdown run.

After an exchange of punts, Newport’s Brad Martin hit Aiden Kramer with an 88-yard touchdown pass play and Damien Hamburg kicked the extra point to tie the game.

A few plays later Adna responded with a long TD pass play and extra point kick to go up 14-7.

On the ensuing kickoff, Kutter Driver made an 80-yard touchdown run. Hamburg tied the game with the PAT kick on the last play of the first quarter.

Anda put together a successful drive that resulted in a short Pirate touchdown run. With seconds left in the half, Adna scored again, on a 16-yard pass play. At halftime Adna was up 28-14.

Newport came back in the second half, with Jacob Reimers making a 50yard touchdown run on a fourth down. This time Hamburg didn’t make the extra point kick.

The next kick off was short, with Adna getting to ball on their own 49.

Adna drove down to Newport’s goal line, where McQuinn, the Newport sophomore, scooped up a forced fumble. Newport started on the 1-yard line, methodically moving down the field. With less than a minute in the quarter on a fourth and 8, Malik Kennett caught his only pass of the game, for a drive saving first down. A couple plays later Driver broke an 18-yard touchdown run. The two-point extra point run wasn’t successful and Newport was within two points early in the fourth quarter, trailing 28-26.

Adna’s running game was on display, with a good kickoff return that got them into Newport territory, then, a couple plays later, a 49-yard Adna TD run. With nine minutes left in the game, Adna was up 35-26.

Newport wasn’t through, though. The Grizzlies drove down to Adna’s 15-yard line, where on fourth and eight, Martin hit Driver with a TD pass, but again, the Grizzlies couldn’t get the two-point conversion.

Adna led 35-32 with a little over five minutes left in the game.

Newport tried an onside kick but it didn’t work and Adna got good field position again. A few plays later, the Pirates had to make a fourth and 5 from Newport’s 15-yard line; Adna made a touchdown run. With 1:15 left in the game, the Pirates went ahead 42-32.

Newport tried to get another score, ending with a desperation pass that resulted in Martin’s first interception of the season.

Adna ended up with 454 yards of offense, including 81 yards passing. Newport tallied 312 yards offensively.

Martin passed for 179 yards, completing six of 10 passes with two TDs and one interception. He completed touchdown passes to Aiden Kramer and Driver, one of three passes he completed to Driver for 54 yards. Dylan Aubrey caught two passes for 39 yards and Kennett had one reception for eight yards.

Driver rushed for 44 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown on 17 carries to go with his 80-yard kickoff return touchdown.

Reimers had the most rushing yards for Newport, with 79 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. Preston Wacenski had one carry for three yards.

Despite the loss to Adna, Newport had a remarkable season, finishing 10-1.

Duxbury was proud of what the team accomplished.

“They made a lot of history,” he said. Newport won its first league championship since 1992, had its first undefeated regular season since 1948, and became the first Newport team to ever win a WIAA home playoff game.

Newport averaged 35.7 points per game while holding opponents to 12.8 points per game. They went the entire season without a fumble and only had one interception, of a desperation pass in the final minute of the last game.

Duxbury said they accomplished this with only four seniors, which bodes well for the future. Duxbury appreciated the fans’ support.

“It was great to see so many people at our games and to hear the excitement within our community related to the team’s success,” he says.