Rams rally to win opener : Quarterback Mott fires three touchdown passes in win over Lightning
By Rob Ollikainen, World sports writer


Wenatchee Valley Rams receiver Jed Gossman catches a pass from quarterback Dave Mott and rambles for a 79-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter of Saturday’s game against Skagit Valley at Eastmont High School’s Wildcat Stadium. The Rams beat the Lightning 28-21 in Wenatchee Valley’s season opener. Gossman caught two touchdown passes from the 6-foot-8 Mott, who threw for 282 yards and three TDs. (World photo/Mike Bonnicksen)
EAST WENATCHEE — Like a golfer shaking off that winter rust, the Wenatchee Valley Rams opened their 2007 campaign with sporadic play and a host of errors.

But despite the ragged moments, the Rams played well enough to win 28-21 over the Skagit Valley Lightning in Saturday’s nonleague game at Wildcat Stadium.

“I’d rather win ugly (than lose),” Rams’ coach Paul Preston said. “But we did some really good things.”

The Rams prevailed by making the big plays when they needed them most. Facing a 21-20 deficit in the fourth quarter, Lance Ballew leaped into the end zone and hauled in a four-yard touchdown pass from Dave Mott. The ensuing two-point conversion, which was nearly a mirror image of the touchdown, gave the Rams a 28-21 lead with 6:04 remaining.

Moments later, Nate Gowing of Wenatchee High fame pinned Skagit Valley on its 1-yard line with a solo tackle on kickoff coverage. The Lightning would avoid disaster and march upfield before Anthony Williams came up with the play of the day.

Williams, a former member of the Yakima Shock Wave, intercepted a Brad Collins pass and returned it to the end zone. A clipping penalty during the run back negated Williams’ score, but the interception stood, which allowed the Rams to burn the clock to triple zeros.

“I’m glad we got one on the board,” Preston said.

Preston praised the Lightning, saying Skagit Valley was vastly improved from its 20-2 season-opening loss to the Valley Mustangs the week before.

Skagit Valley kept the Rams scoreless in the first quarter — noteworthy since the Rams were a fast-starting team a year ago. Tito Mercado broke the scoreless drought with goal-line plunge early in the second quarter.

Both teams squandered excellent scoring opportunities. The Rams dropped two long passes that probably should have been touchdowns. Skagit Valley, meanwhile, drove the ball to the 1-yard line in the second quarter but the Rams’ Jeremy Rainbolt recovered a fumble in the endzone.

Wenatchee Valley Rams’ Ron Fila (88) gets dragged down by a Skagit Valley player during the first quarter on Saturday at Wildcat Stadium in East Wenatchee. Fila caught two passes for 38 yards in the game. (World photo/Mike Bonnicksen)
end zone.

The Lightning tied the game late in the second quarter on a Collins bomb to Brian Carter in the southeast corner of the field. With 1:19 showing on the clock, the Rams countered with Mott’s 34-yard pass to Ron Fila and 14-yard timing throw to Jed Gossman.

The Mott-Gossman combo picked up where it left off in the second half. Mott, a 6-foot-8 former college basketball player, stayed cool with the pocket collapsing on his blind side and pitched the ball to a streaking Gossman. Gossman gathered the ball and broke free for a 79-yard score.

Mott completed 18 of 30 passes for 282 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions.

Wide receiver-kicker Chris Peterson caught three passes for 56 yards and kept Skagit Valley pinned deep in its own territory with his booming kickoffs. Conversely, the Rams had good field position throughout the game with Fila’s kick returns.

Wenatchee Valley travels to Bellingham to face the Northwest Avalanche on Saturday at 1 p.m.


Rob Ollikainen: 664-7155

ollikainen@wenworld.com

RAMS 28, LIGHTNING 21

Skagit Valley 0   7   14     0 — 21

Wenatchee    0 14     6     8 — 28

First quarter

No scoring

Second quarter

Wen — Tito Mercado 1 run (Chris Peterson kick) 10:25

Skgt — Brian Carter 40 pass from Brad Collins (Kevin Flanagan kick) 1:19

Wen — Jed Gossman 13 pass from Dave Mott (Peterson kick) 0:13

Third quarter

Wen — Gossman 79 pass from Mott (kick failed) 7:23

Skgt — Alex Van Hine 20 pass from Collins (Flanagan kick) 5:39

Skgt — Michael Hall 29 run (Flanagan kick) 2:18

Fourth quarter

Wen — Lance Ballew 4 pass from Mott (Ballew pass from Mott) 6:04

Penalties — Wen. 5-43, Skgt. 5-47.

First downs — Wen. 19, Skgt. 14.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Wen., David Mott 3 (-11), Bailey 11-33, Gowing 1-2, Frazier 4-30, Mercado 4-14. Skgt., Hall 25-96, Collins 1-5.

PASSING — Wen., Mott 18-30-282 3TD 2INT, Heyan 0-1-0 INT. Skgt., Collins 17-31-301 2TD 5INT.

RECEIVING — Wen., Zelinski 4-44, Ballew 4-36, Peterson 3-56, Gossman 2-92, Fila 2-38, Bailey 2-4. Skgt., Carter 9-173, Van Hine 4-97, Tyler Nibarger 3-33, Matthew Nixon 1-8.