The Fighting Irish of O’Dea started their playoff game against Mt. Spokane with a swarming defense, but it was their star defensive lineman, Jalen Dixon, who helped close out the show with a dominant fourth quarter performance in their WIAA 3A quarterfinal playoff win over the Wildcats.
The Irish held a 10-3 lead in the fourth quarter, when the Wildcats, who were in the process of building confidence and momentum, took possession, after a short kickoff, at their own 39-yard line. But it was Dixon who set the tone for the rest of the game. Dixon, the Metro League’s defensive lineman of the year, gobbled-up a bubble screen for a one-yard loss. On the next play, he stuffed out a Wildcat run for no gain, and then followed up with a sack that forced Mt. Spokane to punt after a three and out.
While O’Dea’s offense struggled to move the chains, their defense inspired by the play of Dixon, continued to make things tough on Mt. Spokane forcing them into another three and out.
On the next Mt. Spokane possession, Dixon was a beast, tackling a Wildcat running back for no gain on second down, and then Mt. Spokane’s Connor Marril fumbled the ball while running in Dixon’s direction on third down. Mt. Spokane recovered the ball for a three-yard loss but again was forced to punt.
Looking to close out the game with a long, game-winning drive, O’Dea took possession of the ball with under five minutes to play, but fumbled the ball away to the Wildcats at the O’Dea 33 yard line.
The Wildcats’ Marril rushed for 13 yards to the O’Dea 20 yard line, and the Irish were penalized for hitting him out of bounds to give the Wildcats a first down at the O’Dea 10 yard line. Mt. Spokane workhouse, Kannon Katzer, picked up five yards on first down, and three yards on second down to give the Wildcats a third and goal at the 2 yard line. However, O’Dea’s other big lineman, Owen Prentice (6’4”, 270), blew up Mt. Spokane’s third down play for a 4-yard loss. On fourth down, Mt. Spokane had a holding penalty that backed them up to the 12 yard line. On fourth and 12, Marril threw a pass to receiver Jake Griffiths in the back of the endzone, but the pass fell through Griffiths hands giving O’Dea the ball at the 12, and ultimately a hard-fought playoff victory.
O’Dea’s defense held Mt. Spokane to just 108 total yards on the day. The Wildcats’ Kannon Katzer had 28 carries for 81 yards. O’Dea’s K’son Mika led all rushers with 16 carries for 117 yards, while quarterback Milton Hopkins, Jr. had 11 carries for 46 yards and one touchdown to lead the Irish.
With the win, O’Dea (11-0) advances to the semifinal round of the WIAA 3A playoffs to faceoff with Kennewick (11-1) next week.
Pictorial Highlights of O’Dea vs Mt. Spokane
Photos by Adam Myers
