Royal
Cashmere
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cashmere | 0 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 20 |
| Royal | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
SEATTLE, WA (Husky Stadium) - Cashmere and Royal collided in a 1A State Final for the ages, a back-and-forth battle that kept fans roaring until the very last second and a 2-point conversion attempt.
The Royal Knights struck first, punching in the only score of the opening quarter to take a 7-0 lead. Cashmere answered with a touchdown of its own, but Royal quickly countered with another, sending the Knights into halftime holding a 14-6 advantage.
The second half erupted into a scoring showcase. With Royal up 21-14 late in the fourth, Cashmere mounted one final drive with under a minute to play. Quarterback Rylan Hatmaker delivered in the clutch, powering into the end zone for a rushing touchdown that brought the Bulldogs within a single point at 21-20 - with just 18 seconds left.
Then came the moment that will be talked about for years. Rather than kick the extra point and push the game toward overtime, Cashmere’s head coach rolled the dice, opting for a bold two-point conversion to win it all and put an end to the Knights’ streak. Hatmaker took the snap, lofted a pass to the corner…
…but it sailed just beyond the fingertips of his receiver. And that was all she wrote.
Hatmaker finished the night with 278 total yards and two combined touchdowns in a valiant effort for Cashmere. On the victorious side, Royal quarterback Grant Wardenaar shined with 146 yards and two touchdowns, while RB Dax Jenks turned in a monster performance—143 rushing yards on 12 carries and a touchdown, plus 101 yards and another score on two receptions.
A classic championship duel and a fearless finish worthy of the title stage.
