WOODLAND — La Center avenged two previous defeats to Mount Baker and at the same time earned a trip to the Class 1A high school state football playoffs with a 25-13 victory over the Mountaineers Saturday at Woodland High School.
The Wildcats will advance to the state semifinals where they will meet Connell in a game that is scheduled to be played at 4 p.m. Sat., Nov. 26 at McKenzie Stadium in Vancouver.
La Center, ranked sixth in the latest Class 1A Associated Press state poll, improved to 11-1 on the season. The Wildcats defeated Port Townsend 28-7 in the first round of the Class 1A playoffs last week.
Mount Baker eliminated the Wildcats from the quarterfinals of the state playoffs in both the 2012 and 2013 seasons. Both teams have been in the state playoffs in five of the past six seasons. Mount Baker finished second in 2013 and reached the semifinals in 2012. In each of the last two seasons, Mount Baker was eliminated in the quarterfinals.
La Center has been led this season by quarterback Jeremy Scott, who was recently named the Trico League’s Most Valuable Player. Wildcats’ running back Jeffrey Mayolo was the Trico League’s Co-offensive Player of the Year and teammate Jake Wise, a defensive lineman, was named the Trico League’s Defensive Player of the Year.
La Center coach John Lambert was the Trico League’s Coach of the Year this season.
Mayolo, Wise and Jack Hiller (offensive line) were each named to the Trico League’s first team offense this season. Wise, Hiller, Colton Dolezal (linebacker), Brett Judd (linebacker) and Evan Honore (defensive back) were named to the league’s first team defense.
