Washington high school football: Royal rumbles past Zillah, 3 takeaways (9/15/2023)
ZILLAH, Wash. – Royal junior Lance Allred continued his seamless transition to quarterback Friday night, running for two touchdowns and tossing a scoring pass to lead the second-ranked Knights to a 48-7 victory against No. 8 Zillah in a key early-season SCAC matchup.
Allred, who a season ago was catching the game-winning pass from his brother, Dylan, to help Royal to its third consecutive Class 1A state championship, entered the game leading the SCAC East in rushing and added to his total with 53 yards on 13 carries and scored on jaunts of 7 and 9 yards
He added scoring strike of 35 yards to Bennett Brown.
Allred entered the game with the most touchdowns scored with four, and his six touchdown passes also leads the SCAC East.
Here are three takeaways from the game:
SLOW GOING EARLY … BEFORE THE FLOODGATES OPEN
Despite putting up a season-high in points, the Knights needed more than a quarter to get their potent offense going after a scoreless first quarter went briskly.
Allred connected on just one of his first six passes.
“Missing a few plays, missing a few receivers,” said Knights coach Wiley Allred, who has guided Royal to six of the last seven 1A crowns. “Yeah, it took us a while. Tonight was the first time I had seen him like that, missing a few guys.”
While the Knights’ offense was still finding its footing, the defense never let the Leopards find rhythm.
Royal had three interceptions in the first half and turned two of them into two touchdown drives. The Knights also forced a turnover on downs and found the end zone on the ensuing drive en route to a 20-0 halftime lead.
“It really was the defensive effort that spurred it,” Allred said.
RIVALRY – AND MUTUAL RESPECT – RENEWED
Friday night was the fifth time in the last decade the Knights and Leopards have met on the football field with Royal winning the last four.
Nearly 10 years ago, Zillah handed Royal a double dose of unfamiliarity – a regular-season loss and one that was lopsided. The Leopards throttled a young Knights squad 45-14 in a contest that became chippy late.
Royal, though, flipped the script just six weeks later and ousted Zillah 17-7 in a regional contest.
Leopards coach Ryan Watson before kickoff acknowledged that the well-coached Knights are the measuring stick for all 1A programs in the state.
Likewise, Allred said the matchup pushes the Knights.
“They’re always tough,” Wiley Allred said. “It’s always a good physical game.”
CHANCE FOR REDEMPTION
Royal travels to Lynden Christian next Friday to play the fifth-ranked Lyncs, who will try to improve to 2-1 Saturday when they host Bellevue Christian.
Lynden Christian won at Royal last season, providing the lone blemish on what would’ve been the fourth straight unbeaten season for the Knights, including a 5-0 mark in the COVID-shortened 2020 season.
Last year’s loss was the first regular-season loss – and second overall – since the 2014 season.
“(We’re going to) try to get back at them for last year,” Lance Allred said. “I think we have a better team this year so as long as we can start strong and put it together it will be a good game,”
