Storm cruise past defending champion Union in key 4A GSHL football game
VANCOUVER — There was one play left in the game Friday night, and Skyview quarterback Yaro Duvalko looked up at the scoreboard.
Another senior, Mason Wheeler, came up to him.
“He said, ‘We really did this,’” Duvalko said.
Yes they did.
The Skyview Storm roughed up defending state champion Union 30-3 at McKenzie Stadium.
“We’re back,” Duvalko said. “Skyview is back. The Storm has struck.”
Jalynnee McGee had 179 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns, Duvalko threw for 260 yards and a score, and the Skyview defense kept the Titans out of the end zone.
“Great coaching this week,” Skyview safety Cooper Barnum said. “Our scheme was perfect for it. Our D-line did a great job, and our linebackers were playing fast.”
With that, the Storm (5-1, 2-0) have put themselves in a position to face Camas in two weeks for the top of the Class 4A Greater St. Helens League.
This was the first of three games that will likely determine the league champion between Skyview, Union, and Camas.
This first one was all Skyview.
“I knew we would get this game back in the offseason,” Duvalko said. “I’ve been looking forward to playing this game.”
He said he has a lot of friends at Union (3-3, 0-1). They’ve been trash talking each other, he acknowledged. Now, Duvalko and his teammates get some bragging rights.
“They have great athletes,” Duvalko said. “We just out-game-planned them and out-executed them.”
Barnum agreed.
“I had the feeling coming in that we were the better team,” Barnum said. “We just had to prove it. We’re one of the best teams in the state, if not the best defense in the state. We want to prove it every Friday night.”
McGee carried the ball 29 times for 122 yards and two scores, plus he caught five passes for 57 yards, extending drives with first downs all evening.
“Honestly, my foot started hurting,” he said of an injury that has been nagging him since the offseason. “I was just pushing through it. I knew it was a big game. I had to work.”
Union got on the board first. A flea-flicker pass from CJ Jordan to Tobias Merriweather on the first play from scrimmage gave the Titans a first down on the Skyview 9-yard line. Perhaps setting the tone for the rest of the game, the Titans ran the ball three times for a total of zero yards against that Storm defense.
Sonny Pitts nailed a short field goal for the Titans, but the Skyview defense had done its job.
“That was just great,” Skyview coach Steve Kizer said of that stop. “I thought our defense played really, really well.”
Union only crossed the 50-yard line in one other possession the rest of the game.
Skyview took the lead for good less than two minutes after the field goal. Barnum, a receiver, took a lateral, and then threw a 45-yard bomb to Gavin Baskette for a 7-3 Storm lead.
McGee scored on a 2-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter and found the end zone on a 1-yard plunge with 1:05 left in the half for a 20-3 lead.
The two teams exchanged turnovers to open the second half. Skyview took advantage, a 5-yard touchdown pass from Duvalko to Ahmani Williams for a 27-3 lead.
Freshman kicker Kaiden Garrison finished the scoring with a 26-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter.
The rest of the game was a Skyview celebration.
“A little revenge from Lincoln Victor the past couple of years,” Barnum said, referring to the former Titan who led Union to wins over Skyview the past two years but is now at the University of Hawaii. “Props to him. He’s a great player. But, man, this is awesome, getting a big win like this.”
“It means a lot,” McGee added. “We were all waiting for this game. Everybody played hard. The scout team did amazing. They gave us a good look in practice.”
McGee, too, was confident prior to kickoff. Just had a feeling the defense was ready, which just gave the offense more confidence.
“I knew coming into this game, our defense was solid. No one is scared to hit. They were all ready for this game,” he said.
A non-league game awaits Skyview in Week 7, then a home game against undefeated Camas in Week 8.
“They are on our list,” Duvalko said.
SKYVIEW 30, UNION 3
Skyview 7 13 7 3—30
Union 3 0 0 0—3
First quarter
U — Sonny Pitts 26 FG
S — Gavin Baskette 45 pass from Cooper Barnum (Sliman Farran kick)
Second quarter
S — Jalynnee McGee 2 run (Farran kick)
S — McGee 1 run (kick blocked)
Third quarter
S — Ahmani Williams 5 pass from Yaro Duvalko (Farran kick)
Fourth quarter
S — Kaiden Garrison 26 FG
Individual statistics
RUSHING: Skyview — McGee 29-122, Farran 5-17, Jaydin Knapp 1-4, Duvalko 2- (minus 13), Team 1- (minus 17). Union — Isaiah Jones 5-12, C.J. Jordan 12-49, Vinh Luong 2- (minus 1), Team 2- (minus 25).
PASSING: Skyview — Duvalko 20-33-0-260, Barnum 1-1-0-45. Union — C.J. Jordan 8-23-2-104.
RECEIVING: Skyview — Barnum 6-95, Baskette 1-45, Mason Wheeler 4-55, McGee 5-57, Saunders Buck 1-6, Micah Baylous 3-42, Williams 1-5. Union — Tobias Merriweather 3-72, Jake Bowen 1-(minus 4), Justin Chin 2-9, Jones 1-20, Jaydon Jones 1-7.
Camas 52, Sumner 0
Kelso 47, Evergreen 27
Hudson’s Bay 27, Fort Vancouver 13
Hockinson 49, Mark Morris 3
Ridgefield 62, R.A. Long 0
Washougal 47, Columbia River 6
Montesano 45, Woodland 6
Castle Rock 41, King’s Way Christian 33
La Center 49, Stevenson 0
