-Chris Gallagher-
The #5 Summit Storm entertained the #10 Bend High Lava Bears in a battle for IMC conference supremacy Friday night on the ‘westside’ of town in the Parkway Series.
Summit entered the game confident following a 59-7 thrashing of conference rival Ridgeview the previous week with their sights set on claiming the schools’ first Football League Title in 15 years.
Bend was looking to bounce back after a tough loss (45-21) on their home turf to the top ranked Liberty Falcons (8-0).
A game that was competitive in the 1st half turned into a unmitigated blowout in the 2nd half, as Summit walloped Bend 49-7.
The win earns Summit its first IMC Championship under Head Coach Joe Padilla.
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Bend won the coin toss and elected to receive. They went 3 and out, punting the ball away.
Summit would respond with a 4 play drive, finished off by a 43 yard touchdown catch by Sean Kent (SR, 5-9, 165).
It was Kent’s first of 3 touchdown grabs on the night.
https://youtu.be/QGXy1eCsdjI
After another Bend punt, Summit took over at their own 30, only to give the ball right back via an interception by Chance Buetler (JR, 5-7, 150).
Bend then drove to the Summit 7 yard line before Cole Rixe (SR, 5-5, 170) coughed up a fumble.
Summit answered with a 4 play drive, culminating in a 38 yard pass from John Bledsoe (JR, 6-3, 185) to Grant Tobias (JR, 6-2, 195).
It was the 2nd of 6 touchdown passes from Bledsoe.
https://youtu.be/egukjN_xVsE
Bend again punted on their next drive, setting Summit up at the 48 yard line.
Just two plays later, Summit gave up a fumble on a bad snap, giving Bend the ball at their 39 yard line.
The Bears capitalized with an 11 play drive, culminating in a 2 yard Rixe touchdown run. Rixe would finish the game with over 100 yards rushing.
With under 4 minutes remaining in the 1st half, Summit drove down the field and scored a touchdown on a 5 yard pass to Tobias. The Storm went into halftime with a 21-7 lead.
3 plays into the 3rd quarter, Dawson Ruhl (JR, 5-10, 160), the game’s leading rusher, broke loose on a 65 yard run for a touchdown.
Nick Rasmussen (SR, 6-3, 190) intercepted a Chase Lettenmaier (JR, 6-0, 190) pass on the next drive.
Summit would add another score on a 45 yard Kent touchdown.
Following a Bend 3 and out, Kent would again score, this time on an 8 yard catch.
Tim Meagher (SR, 6-2, 195) would score the game’s final points on an 18 yard touchdown catch.
Summit has officially locked up the IMC title and a trip to the postseason.
https://youtu.be/Z0HPfrQx8aU
The top-2 teams in the IMC have automatic sees in the 16-team Class 5A championship bracket.
Bend has to hope to finish in the top 16 for a shot at postseason.
Summit (7-1) Will travel to face the 3-5 North Salem Vikings next week in a Non-League affair to close out the regular season, while Bend (5-3) will play at Mountain View to battle the 1-7 Cougars.
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