The Seton Catholic Cougars challenged themselves to take another step forward after the program’s unprecedented run to the Class 1A state football semifinals last year. The Cougars have answered that challenge at every turn, and now find themselves breaking new ground again. In Seton Catholic’s return to the state semifinal stage on Saturday, the No. 2 seed Cougars powered their way to a wire-to-wire 35-14 win over No. 6 Montesano at McKenzie Stadium. A team seemingly on a collision course for Seattle’s Husky Stadium all season lived up to its sky-high expectations — internally and externally — by reaching the 1A state championship to be played Friday in Seattle at 3 p.m. against No. 1 Royal, the same team that ended Seton’s run last year in the state semis.

Seton players were still trying to comprehend their latest accomplishment after Saturday’s game ended. “It’s so unreal,” senior linebacker Aeven Napoleon said. “It hasn’t hit me yet, but, let’s go! We knew we were going to do it. … Let’s win it all.” “Three years ago we were 3-7. I never thought I would be in this position as a team (and) personally,” senior running back/linebacker Jacob Williams said. “It’s incredible. I can’t believe it myself — it’s so surreal.” Seton Catholic (12-0) never relinquished its 14-0 halftime lead following second-quarter rushing touchdowns from Joe Callerame and Williams.

Montesano (9-4) threatened in the third quarter when forcing a three-and-out against the Cougars led to the Bulldogs’ first scoring drive of the game — a Zachary Timmons 11-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Tyson Perry — to pull within 14-7 with five minutes left in the quarter. Though the Cougars’ next drive ended in a fourth-down run getting stuffed by the Bulldogs, they had a response for every consequential Montesano play to come. First, Williams stepped in front of a Perry pass on Montesano’s next drive and returned the interception for a 28-yard touchdown. In the fourth quarter, Seton Catholic answered a Montesano touchdown drive with a pinpoint 43-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Kolten Gesser to receiver Ryker Ruelas.

Then, Williams’ second interception led to a 12-yard touchdown run from the senior running back to go ahead 35-14. The play effectively slamming the door shut on a Montesano comeback and led offensive coordinator Jason Gesser to remark in the team’s post-game huddle that Williams played the game of his life. It was also a standout effort from Seton Catholic’s defense led by coordinator Mark Greenleaf by holding Montesano under 300 yards, forcing three interceptions (two from Williams, one from Xavier Crank) and getting tackles for loss from Napoleon, Roman Tabile and Dylan Hamilton. The key to the Cougars’ success, according to players? “I would say communication,” Crank said. “Every time they motion it’s really confusing, but we talked and we really stopped it, just because of (our) communication.” “Communication and just being physical,” Napoleon added. “We were way more physical and we were fast. Our speed kills.”

Seton Catholic (12-0) has now sprinted all the way to the state championship game, and the reward is a rematch with defending state champion Royal, which handled Cashmere 44-7 in the other state semifinal game Saturday. The Cougars are relishing their latest challenge and the chance to be together for one more week. “It’s exciting to see all the work that these young men have put in to prepare themselves for this season,” Seton Catholic coach Dan Chase said. “That goes across the last 365 days ever since the last time that we played in the semifinals. They had it in their minds and they worked hard in the offseason. “Even further than that, just how much they’ve given to the sport of football and playing for their teammates. That’s really what it looks like — you watch them on the field, they’re playing for each other, they’re not playing for themselves. That’s why it’s really exciting for these young men to go (to the state championship).”

SETON CATHOLIC 35, MONTESANO 14 Monte 0 0 7 7—14 Seton 0 14 7 14—35 Second quarter SC — Joe Callerame 2 run (Dalton Woods kick) SC — Jacob Williams 1 run (Woods kick) Third quarter M — Zachary Timmons 11 pass from Tyson Perry (Cristofer Tobar kick) SC — Williams 28 interception return (Woods kick) Fourth quarter M — Marcus Hale Hale-Espana 46 pass from Perry (Tobar kick) SC — Ryker Ruelas 43 pass from Kolten Gesser (Woods kick) SC — Williams 12 run (Woods kick) INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING — Montesano: Zachary Timmons 10-60, Tyson Perry 7-45. Terek Gunter 4-14, Marcus Hale Hale-Espana 2-14, Toren Crites 3-(-2). Seton Catholic: Jacob Williams 24-165, Joe Callerame 9-55, Ryker Ruelas 3-19. PASSING — Montesano: Tyson Perry 15-29-3-153. Seton Catholic: Kolten Gesser 14-19-0-185. RECEIVING — Montesano: Toren Crites 8-52, Mason Rasmussen 4-35, Marcus Hale Hale-Espana 2-55, Zachary Timmons 1-11. Seton Catholic: Ryker Ruelas 2-69, Xavier Crank 5-64, Joe Callerame 4-36, Teddy Wieczorek 2-15, Jacob Williams 1-1.