The last time Lake Washington High School defeated Juanita was in 2006. The Kangs came into the game against their cross-town rival with high hopes of ending that streak and starting a new one of their own. But the Kangs will have to wait one more year thanks to 17 unanswered third-quarter points.
The Rebels extended their streak against the Kangs on Friday, securing a 38-28 victory in the battle for Kirkland bragging rights.
Lake Washington was prepared to defend its home turf from the start, scoring the games first points on a 93-yard touchdown pass from Adam Long to DJ Mann, which ignited the Kang crowd. A two-point conversion from Jake Wikel gave Lake Washington an early 8-0 lead.
Rebel Tavin Montgomery led his team back with a scoring drive, eventually finding AJ Peacocke for a 30-yard touchdown pass, bringing Juanita back to within one point, 8-7.
Lake Washington retook the lead on a Dylan Bacher 18-yard touchdown run with less than a minute left in the first quarter. A failed two-point conversion attempt left the door open for Juanita to tie the game before the second quarter, and regaining some momentum. Salvon Ahmed’s five-yard touchdown on the final play of the quarter, along with the extra point, tied the game at 14-14.
The second quarter was a test of wills between the two defenses. The only score came on the legs of Bacher from two-yards out, giving Lake Washington the 21-14 lead heading into halftime.
The third quarter was all Juanita and led to the downfall of the Kangs. A 27-yard field goal from Jackson Clemensen, along with two scores from Diego Moctezuma, a 14-yard run and a four-yard run both for touchdowns, gave the visiting team the biggest lead of the game at 31-21.
Bacher continued to run past and through the Juanita defense late into the fourth quarter, scoring on a 22-yard run, to pull the Rebels back within three points.
But Lake Washington would put the game away just 12 seconds later, as Montgomery ran 51 yards for the final touchdown of the game.
The win gives Juanita a 2-1 record, as they head into a 7 p.m. showdown with Mercer Island on Friday in Kirkland. Lake Washington falls to 1-2, as it prepares for a 7 p.m. game on Friday in Renton against Liberty.
