PREP FOOTBALL: K-M drops OT thriller to AR, 30-29

They showed off their team speed and perseverance.

But it wasn’t quite enough for the Kent-Meridian football team on Friday night as the Royals dropped an overtime thriller to Auburn Riverside 30-29 at Auburn Memorial Stadium in the South Puget Sound League North Division opener for both teams.

Trailing 29-22 in overtime, Auburn Riverside’s Connor Bjornstad cut the deficit to 29-28 with an 8-yard touchdown run. Rather than tie the game with an extra point, Auburn Riverside went for — and converted — the winning 2-point conversion on a rush from running back Cameron Grad.

“It sucks (to lose), but we were so much better than we were last year,” said K-M coach Trevor Roberts. “It shows that we still have growth to do. But it shows that we’ve done some growing up, too. They left it on the field. I don’t think anybody held back. I think we’re still going to have a great season.”

The Royals (0-1) trailed 14-0 in the first quarter only to storm back to take a 16-14 lead at halftime thanks to a 65-yard scoring run by running back B.J. Arceneaux, an 81-yard touchdown run by quarterback David Jones and a 25-yard field goal from Eddie Zhao. Arceneaux added an 84-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, and a 15-yarder in overtime to give K-M a momentary 29-22 lead.

Arceneaux, one of K-M’s standout track athletes, finished with 208 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries. Jones added 225 yards and the one score on 25 carries.

Auburn Riverside 30, Kent-Meridian 29, OT

K-M 7 9 6 0 7 — 29

AR 14 0 8 0 8 — 30

FIRST QUARTER

AR: Ryan Adams 24 pass from John Hakala (Josh Cline kick)

AR: Cameron Grad 14 pass from Hakala (Cline kick)

K-M: B.J. Arceneaux 65 run (Eddie Zhao kick)

SECOND QUARTER

K-M: David Jones 81 run (kick failed)

K-M: Zhao 25 FG

THIRD QUARTER

K-M: K-M: Arceneaux 84 run (kick blocked)

AR: Connor Bjornstad 19 run (Hakala rush)

OVERTIME

K-M: Arceneaux 15 run (Zhao kick)

AR: Bjornstad 8 run (Cameron Grad rush)