LAKEWOOD — Jared Taylor connected with Carson Chrisman for three scores as Lakewood beat Sequim 38-12 in the first round of the state Class 2A playoffs last Friday.
Taylor, the Cougars dual-threat senior QB, completed 10 of 15 passes for 127 yards and three touchdowns, and rushed for 101 yards and a score on seven carries.
Chrisman, a junior wide receiver, caught seven passes for 111 yards and three TDs. Their hookups went for 8, 16 and 14 yards.
The Cougars also scored on a 1-yard Taylor run, Landen Pruitt 34-yard run and a Alan Sepulveda 20-yard field goal. Pruitt had 114 yards on 10 carries.
The win was surprisingly easy as the visitors, 9-2, kept going for it on fourth down, despite being shut down by the Lakewood defense, giving the Cougs offense short fields to work with.
Walker Ward carried the ball 35 times for 155 yards for the Wolves.
As a result of the win, fifth-ranked Lakewood plays at fourth-ranked Hockinson Saturday at 4 p.m. at Battle Ground.
Hockinson has not been as unbeatable this year as it has been the past two seasons in winning consecutive state titles.
It lost to Archbishop Murphy 27-21 at home, ending a 27-game winning streak. And it just got by 13th-ranked Ellensburg, 4-6, last week at home 21-15. Hockinson is led by all-state honorable mention QB Levi Crum, who threw 50 TDs last year. He’s become more of a dual threat this year. Against Ellensburg, he ran 28 times for 130 yards and passed 13 times, connecting on 7 for 165 yards.
His favorite targets are Peyton Brammer, Liam Mallory and tight end Jeremiah Faulstick. Big Nathan Balderas, 6-4, 325 pounds, mans the line.
Their linebackers, led by Cody Wheeler, lead the defense.