DAYTON–Facing the Liberty Christian Patriots the second time this season, Dayton-Waitsburg Valley Football gave the visitors a run for their money but, hurt by penalties and stopped in the red zone, couldn't quite push a go-ahead touchdown across the goal line for a 20-14 conference loss.

DW is now 0-3 in Eastern Washington Athletic Conference play, 0-6 overall. Columbia and White Swan are both undefeated, Tri-Cities Prep is 3-1, Liberty Christian 1-2 and Mabton 1-3. DW and Kittitas, the team's Homecoming opponent this Friday at Waitsburg, are both 0-3.

"Our freshman quarterback, Monte Pettichord, did really well," Head Coach Troy Larsen commented. Pettichord completed 17 of 25 passes (68%) for 192 yards.

On the receiving end was Shawn Evans, who pulled in seven passes for 80 yards, and Colton VanBlaricom, who caught five throws for 54 yards. Sophomore wide receiver Dylan Bledsoe was good for three catches and 46 yards.

Coach Larsen's mid-season switch to 5-9, 145-lb. Pettichord calling signals and quick, 5-6, 115-lb. runningback Hudson Reser carrying the ball has paid dividends. Reser rushed for 108 yards on 22 carries against Liberty Christian. Christian Watson-Solis provided the counter-point with six carries for 14 yards and DW's first touchdown.

The fourth-quarter touchdown was made by 6-1 senior defensive lineman Tayven Seney, who ripped the ball from a Patriot ball carrier and ran eight yards for the touchdown.

Dayton-Waitsburg moved the ball down the field on their final possession but were stopped within sniffing distance of the end zone.

"They had several times when they could've hung their heads and quit but they didn't," Larsen said, noting that Seney will sit out the next game following a personal foul in the Liberty game. "We were inside the ten-yard line five times without scoring," he said.

LC 6 6 8 0-20

DW 0 0 8 6-14

Scoring:

LC - N. Morgan pass from C. Morgan 20 yd, conversion failed

LC - Lesser 6 yd TD Run, conversion failed

DW - Watson-Solis 6 yd TD Run, Pettichord to VanBlaricom 2 pt conversion

LC - Lesser pass from C. Morgan 80 yd, Lesser to N. Morgan 2 pt conversion

DW - Seney 8 yd fumble recovery for TD, conversion failed

  LC DW

First Downs: 11 12

Turnovers Int, Fumble 3 fumbles

Chronicle photo by Gary Sams

Liberty's middle linebacker Nathan Morgan makes a shirt-tail tackle of Christian Watson-Solis as Patriot teammates move in to assist.

Penalties 6-36 10-105

Punts 3-32 4-37.25

Passing 18-32-207 17-25-193

Rushing 18-109 38-156

Individual Statistics:

Rushing: LC - N. Morgan 14-88-1TD, C. Morgan 4-21; DW - Reser 22-108, Pettichord 6-26, Watson-Solis 6-14-1TD, House 2-2, Evans 2-6

Receiving: LC - Lesser 80-153-2TD's, Dysland 3-8, T. Newell 2-20, C. Newell 3-21, N. Morgan 2-5; DW - Evans 7-80, VanBlaricom 5-54, Bledsoe 3-46, Finney 1-15, Watson-Solis 1- (-2)

Passing: LC - C. Morgan 18-32-207, 2TD's, 1 Int; DW - Pettichord 17-25-193