Titans outscore Lake Stevens 28-0 in the final two quarters to claim 52-20 victory

TACOMA — Oh yeah, U know it.

Yes, U did it.

And now, U owns it.

Union standouts Jojo Siofele (left) and Lincoln Victor (right) embrace after leading the Titans to a 52-20 victory over Lake Stevens in the Class 4A state high school football championship game Saturday at the Tacoma Dome. Photo by Mike Schultz

The Union Titans won their first state football championship Saturday night at the Tacoma Dome, scoring the final 38 points to pull away from Lake Stevens 52-20.

Jojo Siofele had the game of his life with four touchdowns and 292 yards from scrimmage, and Lincoln Victor, the heart and soul of this team, threw for 327 yards and five touchdowns as Union completed a 14-0 season to win the Class 4A crown.

“So surreal. I’ve been dreaming about this since I was a little kid,” Victor said.

“I’m just happy for the guys, just happy for this group,” Union coach Rory Rosenbach said. “They did everything we’ve asked them to do for three years. Now they’re on the mountain top.”

Union football players hoist the Class 4A state championship trophy after the Titans defeated Lake Stevens 52-20 Saturday at the Tacoma Dome. Photo by Mike Schultz

The Union defense shut out the Vikings in the second half, allowing the offense to do its thing.

“Senior year, and this is so great to go out on top,” said defensive lineman Reagan Kelley. “Just amazing.”

“I’m in shock. I’m in awe,” said Jackson Saylor, another senior on that defensive line.

Lake Stevens had scored three touchdowns in three possessions during one stretch of the first half.

“We struggled,” Saylor said. “We talked about it in the locker room (at halftime). We got a pep talk. I just got really fired up. It was my last game. I had to leave it all out there.”

He did. So did his teammates.

And together, they put on a performance worthy of a championship.

Union held a 24-20 lead at the half, and then it was all Union in the final two quarters.

Siofele caught a 56-yard touchdown pass from Victor to make it 31-20. The defense got the ball back, and the Titans drove the field and scored on a 10-yard pass from Victor to Siofele to go up 18 early in the fourth quarter.

Union running back Jojo Siofele (26) had 292 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns to help the Titans claim the Class 4A state championship with a 52-20 win over Lake Stevens Saturday at the Tacoma Dome. Photo by Mike Schultz

The defense got another stop, setting up another score. Alex Vallejo and the Titans faked everyone out when Victor rolled right and Vallejo sneaked out to the left. Wide open. Touchdown Titans.

Siofele finished the night in style. One, he preserved the second-half shutout by intercepting a Lake Stevens pass in the end zone for a touchback. On the next play, he broke free for an 80-yard touchdown run.

“This means everything. We’ve been talking about this for so long,” Siofele said. “I’m just so proud of my team.”

Siofele finished with 10 catches for 179 yards and three touchdowns, plus he rushed for 113 yards and a score.

“It was crazy man,” he said. “Gotta give credit to my line and my receivers for blocking for me.”

He did all that, his coach said, “on the biggest stage.”

It was by design, too.

“We told him this was going to happen tonight,” Rosenbach said. “I hope people start taking notice of what he is. He is a special, special, special talent. He’s a dude.”

Union’s Lincoln Victor (5) was all smiles Saturday after throwing for 327 yards and five touchdowns in the Titans’ 52-20 victory over Lake Stevens in the Class 4A state championship game. Photo by Mike Schultz

Another dude, Darien Chase, set the tone early for the Union offense. He had five catches for 126 yards, all in the first half, plus a touchdown. This coming after he missed most of the semifinal game with an injury.

“I’m speechless,” Chase said. “It’s really hard to put into words.”

The first half featured five lead changes when the Union defense tried to figure out the Vikings.

Lake Stevens scored first but missed the extra point. Victor found Chase on a 20-yard touchdown pass on a two-play, 71-yard drive.

The Vikings scored.

Then Nile Jones scored on a 3-yard run to make it 14-13 Union.

Less than two minutes later, another Vikings touchdown.

No problem for Union. Siofele caught a 23-yard TD pass from Victor.

Lake Stevens would be shut down the rest of the way. The Titans got into position for a 34-yard field goal by Alex Koga on the final play of the half for a 24-20 lead.

The rest was Union history in the making.

The Titans are on top of Class 4A football in the state of Washington.

Union senior Alishawuan Taylor, who moved to Vancouver when he was a sophomore.@UniontitanFB pic.twitter.com/QDzEWKPmhD

— Paul Valencia (@ValenciaCCT) December 2, 2018

State champion quarterback Lincoln Victor. @UniontitanFB pic.twitter.com/KBk2usY4sT

— Paul Valencia (@ValenciaCCT) December 2, 2018

UNION 52, LAKE STEVENS 20

Lake Stevens 13 7 0 0 — 20

Union 7 17 7 21 — 52

First quarter

LS — Dallas Landerson 15 run (kick failed)

U — Darien Chase 20 pass from Lincoln Victor (Christian Alcorn kick)

LS — Kasen Kinchen 26 pass from Tre Long (Brock Widmann kick)

Second quarter

U — Nile Jones 3 run (Alex Koga kick)

LS — Landeros 3 run (Widmann kick)

U — Jojo Siofele 23 pass from Victor (Alcorn kick)

U — Koga 34 FG

Third quarter

U — Siofele 56 pass from Victor (Alcorn kick)

Fourth quarter

U — Siofele 10 pass from Victor (Koga kick)

U — Alex Vallejo 6 pass from Victor (Alcorn kick)

U — Siofele 80 run (Koga kick)

Union statistics

RUSHING: Siofele 5-113, N. Jones 7-44, Victor 8-40, Isaiah Jones 5-31, Alishawuan Taylor 1-3.

PASSING: Victor 19-24-1-327.

RECEIVING: Siofele 10-179, Chase 5-126, Vallejo 2-12, Taylor 1-15, Victor 1-(minus 5).