Billygoats blank Columbia, fight for state 1B berth

PATEROS – Under the brilliance of a November full moon, the Billygoats varsity football team stalked the visiting Columbia-Hunters Lions in a 44-0 shutout performance last Friday, Nov. 3, and a shot at a state playoff berth.
Pateros took a two-touchdown lead into the second quarter where the Billygoats added another 18 points to take them to a 30-0 halftime lead. Pateros tacked on two more TDs in the third quarter to carry them through a scoreless fourth quarter and the win.
Senior Jeremy Piechalski led the Pateros charge with 10 of 14 completed passes for 159 yards and four touchdowns.
Junior Dan Rossmann added two TDs with 97 yards rushing on 21 carries, said coach Marcus Stennes. “Andrew Gonzalez did the majority of the receiving with four receptions for 73 yards and one TD.”
Kobe Thixton led Pateros on the defensive side with 11 tackles.
The win over the Lions elevated Pateros into the state 1B’s top 16 teams who now compete for eight state slots in the State WIAA Football Tournament in the Tacoma Dome starting on Nov. 17.
The Billygoats next face Sunnyside Christian, ranked No. 1 in the 1B District 9 Southeast, at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 10 in Sunnyside, for one of those eight state quarterfinal openings.