TUMWATER — Jesse Keith stepped into the Black Hills High School football program as a wide-eyed freshman and established himself as a varsity contributor.
Coen Reaves hadn’t put on the pads, cleats and helmet since his eighth grade season, but with younger brother Grady on the roster, he decided to give it a whirl.
For two players on opposite sides of the spectrum in terms of experience, their connection lit up Tumwater District Stadium in one of the biggest outcomes of their prep careers.
Keith and Reaves opened the scoring on a fake field goal and made back-to-back plays on the final defensive stand of the night to lift the Wolves to a 21-16 triumph over Aberdeen on Friday night to clinch a spot in the Class 2A Round of 32.
“We went from nothing to something. It is amazing,” Reaves said.
Thanks to Hudson’s Bay clipping Columbia River by a touchdown, the Kansas Tiebreaker will not take place since Black Hills beat both Hudson’s Bay and the other GSHL third place team, Mark Morris, during the regular season.
From an 0-2 start to four straight wins – including one forfeit – to getting blown out by their two Evergreen Conference foes, the Wolves (5-4, 1-2 EvCo) never lost sight of the end goal.
Both Keith and Reaves felt the first half versus North Kitsap was the moment they knew they’d be a playoff team.
“(Leading) at halftime, we were ready to go to the playoffs at that point,” Keith said. “If we could be up against them, we could beat almost anybody else.”
Seemingly on cruise control with a 21-3 cushion in the second half, Black Hills found out quickly how things can turn on a dime.
Aberdeen (4-5, 0-3) scored its first touchdown of the day with 1 minute, 5 seconds left in the third and on the next drive forced a punt. Keith, who launched a 50-plus yard punt earlier, shanked it and only went 20 yards.
The Bobcats capitalized on the better field position and needed just eight plays to make it a one-possession game.
“I was a little frustrated and I think the pressure might have gotten to me at that point,” Keith said.
Black Hills couldn’t stop the nosebleed.
A high squib kickoff was recovered by Aberdeen with under six minutes to go in regulation. It worked its way inside the Wolves 10-yard line. And without stout EDGE rusher Caden Murphy, who limped to the sidelines towards the end of the drive, all the momentum was on the Bobcats side.
Yet Tom Spray was as cool as a cucumber.
“It is time to bow our backs,” Black Hills’ head coach said. “The guys bought in, they played hard and they stayed within our scheme. We were confident we would stop them. This was the most significant, do-or-die (drive).
“And we stood tall.”
Reaves came off the edge to sack Aberdeen quarterback Mason Hill for a loss of 10 on third down and Keith stepped in front of the fourth down pass and broke it up for the turnover on downs.
Keith ran back to his sideline in euphoria, then iced the game on his penultimate carry with under two minutes to go. He ended the evening with 63 rushing yards, 11 receiving yards and 20 passing yards.
“It was a sigh of relief,” Keith said. “We got to do our jobs. We got to bend, but not break.”
Reaves was still in disbelief afterwards.
“I can’t even explain the feeling,” he stated. “It was awesome. I knew our defense would put the pressure (on) in this game.”
Those two ended the game and they also jumpstarted it.
Black Hills faced a 4th-and-15 from the Aberdeen 20-yard line and brought out the field goal unit. Spray called “fire” late, a call only he and Keith know. And the Bobcat sideline kept yelling “WATCH FOR THE FAKE.”
Oh, they watched all right.
Keith found Reaves – who lost his shoe in the midst of the catch – for a 20-yard TD to cap the 14-play opening drive. Keith stated Reaves was the third read on the play.
“We executed it for the first time,” Keith said.
“I ran out and got open, I saw Jesse look at me and I’m like ‘oh yeah, it’s time,’” Reaves added.
Spray admitted it’s been in the back pocket all year and they did rep it in practice more times than not this week. It worked to perfection to gain an early lead.
“I didn’t know that I would use it,” Spray said. “I felt they were going to sell out to block it and we’d have a shot.”
Black Hills dominated the line of scrimmage in the opening half to the tune of a 40-24 margin in plays. It gained a lot of yards after first contact and kept the chains moving all night with 17 first downs.
Keith scored from 9 yards out in the second and quarterback James Ross IV dashed 38 yards, after the Wolves recovered a fumble on the second half kickoff, for six. Ross, Jacob Tinsley and Marshall Orona each had over 45 yards on the ground.
“Being fast, physical and nasty,” Spray said. “That is what I preach. We had a chip on our shoulders. They turned it up and we were ready to hit tonight.”
Murphy and Orona had several tackles for loss and sacks while Owen Aslakson came away with an interception. Tyray Anderson Wright made a pair of open field tackles as well for the Wolves.
Black Hills will find out its Round of 32 opponent on Sunday. It has accomplished the primary goal and now, it has got house money to play with.
“We’ve been waiting for this playoff appearance and after those two league losses, it didn't discourage us at all,” Keith said. “We have nothing to lose and everything to gain.”
