Top 10 plays in Washington high school football, Week 12: Blocking punts, sniffing out fake punts highlight weekend

Jacobe McClelland's blocked kick and subsequent touchdown return was key in Gonzaga Prep's 4A road quarterfinal win over Kennedy Catholic

Top 10 high school football Week 12 highlights in Washington /

It is late in the WIAA playoffs, and momentum-changing plays become more vital in swinging a game verdict to a favorable outcome.

SBLive compiled 10 of the best moments from across the state in WIAA quarterfinal playoff games that took place Nov. 22-Nov. 23.

Want to submit a highlight? Tag or direct message us with your top plays on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook @SBLiveWA. Submissions are collected from each week’s slate of games through Sunday.

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SBLive’s Top 10 plays of Week 12

10. Like many folks, Archbishop Murphy's Jordan Rife knew Lynden had a knack of winning games late. But Rife made sure that didn't happen, intercepting Brant Heppner's two-point conversion pass with five minutes remaining in the Wildcats' 10-9 state quarterfinal win.

9. Backup Sumner wide receiver Nathan Carnicle stayed alert as Skyview lined up in punt formation on its first series. And when punter Toren Baker took off on a fake, Carnicle tackled him short of the first down deep in Storm territory - leading to tone-setting first score of Sumner's 41-0 win.

8. Jacobe McClelland is a block-kicks ace for Gonzaga Prep, and his play late in the first half - a punt block of Kennedy Catholic's Dante Saladino and 22-yard scoop-and-score touchdown with 13 seconds remaining gave the Bullpups a two-touchdown lead in a 34-28 state quarterfinal win.

7. Cash Short had himself quite a first quarter for Tumwater in a state quarterfinal win over Sehome, First, he picked off quarterback Nolan Wright in the middle flat and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown. He also had a 48-yard rushing score in a lopsided win.

6. Asotin quarterback Cody Ellis was on point in a Class 2B quarterfinal win over La Salle. His biggest play came in the first half when he called his own number - and dashed 62 yards off right tackles, busting through a couple of defenders for a touchdown.

5. Senior Ryken Moon, especially as of late, has become Bellevue's big-play runner. After Kennewick took the opening kickoff to the house, Moon responded on the first play from scrimmage with his 73-yard score up the middle - one of three touchdowns in the team's 42-6 victory.

4. With its blazing speed, the Camas pass game is a big play waiting to happen. And in the state quarterfinals against Arlington, quarterback Jake Davidson hit on one late in the first half by connecting with Anthony Former on a 70-yard touchdown in a win.

3. Cooper MacPherson set it up with the pressure - and Braxton Feldmann did the rest for the Chiawana defense, intercepting a Kolton Matson pass and returning it 96 yards for a touchdown on the first series of the second half in eliminating the two-time defending Class 4A champions.

2. You are not going to see a better touchdown catch in football than what Nash McLean did for Freeman against Onalaska, hauling in a 30-yard pass from Logan Schultz - one-handed against tight coverages as the Scotties went on to blank the Loggers.

1. On the final play of the first half, Chiawana took a shot from near midfield - and it paid off. Julian Martinez led Cooper MacPherson perfectly along the right sideline, and the senior made a sensational catch on a 45-yard 'Hail Mary' touchdown.

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