Aberdeen advanced to a regional crossover game with a 14-6 victory over Shelton in a three-way Kansas tiebreaker on Monday in Centralia.

Aberdeen opened the 2A Evergreen Conference tiebreaker against Shelton, whom it defeated 16-14 on Friday to force the tiebreaker.

Shelton put Aberdeen in a do-or-die situation when the Highclimbers scored on the first play of the first possession.

Aberdeen stuffed the two-point conversion attempt to keep the deficit at 6-0, meaning the Bobcats had to score to keep its season alive, and could win it with an extra-point.

On Aberdeen’s first possession, Bobcats running back Trey Anderson scored on a 21-yard sweep to tie the playoff at 6-6.

ERIC TRENT | THE CHRONICLE Aberdeen running back Trey Anderson (21) carries the football in a Kansas tiebreaker against Shelton on Monday in Centralia. Anderson scored a touchdown to help Aberdeen earn a spot in a regional play-in game with a 14-6 victory over the Highclimbers.

With a spot in a play-in game on the line, Aberdeen’s two-point attempt was stuffed, forcing the tiebreaker into a second possession for each team.

Aberdeen’s next possession started with a screen pass from quarterback Kale Goings to running back Jakob Bowers for an 18-yard gain, keeping with Bobcats head coach Todd Bridge’s philosophy on playing in Kansas tiebreakers.

“Keep ahead of the chains on offense, and keep them behind the chains on defense,” he said.

After a 3-yard run and a play for no gain, Aberdeen faced a third-and-goal from the 4-yard line.

Leading rushing Jeremy Sawyer took the ball around the right edge to score on a 4-yard sweep. The junior running back followed with a two-point conversion to put the Bobcats up 14-6.

The Aberdeen defense proved its coach’s philosophy sound, as the Bobcats pushed Shelton behind the chains on the Highclimbers’ second possession.

Aberdeen stuffed a Shelton first-down run, allowing just a single yard after a thunderous hit by Anderson stopped the play dead in its tracks.

On second down, the Aberdeen defense snuffed out another running play as nose guard Josh Henry’s tackle forced a third-and-8 situation for the Highclimbers.

A direct-snap, wildcat-formation play to Shelton’s Jayden Fuller was read by Sawyer, who came flying in to hold Shelton to no gain, putting Aberdeen one defensive stop away from securing a spot in the postseason.

On fourth-and-8, Shelton quarterback Mason Goos’ pass to the end zone was dropped for an incompletion, giving Aberdeen the 14-6 win and causing a celebration on the Aberdeen sideline.

“The kids all knew it was over,” Bridge said. “They knew they had won and they erupted.”

Rochester then defeated Shelton 8-6, eliminating the Highclimbers from postseason play.

Due to Aberdeen’s loss earlier in the season to Rochester, the Warriors will be the league’s No. 3 seed with the Bobcats No. 4 entering the crossover round.

Aberdeen (6-3 overall) will take on the state’s second-ranked team in Ridgefield at 4 p.m. on Saturday in a regional play-in game at Ridgefield High School.

After the victory, Bridge commended his seniors — who went through a one-win freshman season and a limited scheduled due to COVID in their junior year — and his coaching staff in earning the program’s sixth win of the season, the most for an Aberdeen football team in 25 years.

“For these guys to have the resiliency to keep striving, keep pushing forward and keep believing in the coaching staff … it’s a heck of an accomplishment for them,” he said. “I give a lot of accolades to not only to our players but to our coaches. We were quite likely over-prepared tonight, which if you listen to anything Vince Lombardi ever said, there is no such thing.”

Toledo 28, Pe Ell-Willapa Valley 14

The season came to an end for the Pe Ell-Willapa Valley Titans with a 28-14 loss in a play-in game against Toledo on Monday in Tumwater.

Playing for a spot against Friday Harbor in a regional play-in game on Saturday, PWV (6-4) and Toledo (8-2) were tied 7-7 at the end of the first half as the Titans scored on a Tyler Adkins 8-yard pass to Joseph Krafczyk just a 1:31 before halftime.

Toledo’s Justin Filla put the Riverhawks up 14-7 on a 50-yard run halfway through the third quarter.

PWV responded when Adkins found Derek Fluke for a 21-yard touchdown pass. Kicker Garrett Keeton’s extra point tied the game at 14-14 heading to the fourth quarter.

Toledo scored early in the fourth when Wyatt Nef punched in a 1-yard run.

The Riverhawks the recovered an onside kick and went up 28-14 on a 57-yard pass from Nef to Filla.

PWV managed just 47 yards rushing on 23 carries while Toledo rushed for 334 yards that included three different 100-yard rushers on the evening.

But Adkins kept the Titans in the game with what coaches called “good-decision making” and “brilliant play.” The Titans senior quarterback passed for 171 yards on 10-of-17 passing, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Adkins’ main targets were Derek Fluke, who had four receptions for 84 yards and a score, and Blake Howard, who had four grabs for 68 yards.

PWV’s defense was led by multiple double-digit tacklers on Monday. Safety Tyson Portmann had 15 tackles with Derek Fluke (10 tackles, INT) and Kaden Ritzman (10 tackles) also recording 10 or more stops.

The Titans were without one of their main weapons on Monday as starting running back/linebacker Wil Clements left the game in the first quarter with a knee injury and did not return.

For a team that featured just five seniors, PWV head coach Josh Fluke was proud of how his young team improved and competed this season.

“We got better every game,” he said. “I’m just proud of how the boys played this year.”

PWV 0 7 7 0 — 14

Toledo 0 7 7 14 — 28

GIRLS PREP SOCCER

Onalaska 4, Ocosta 1

Onalaska got the jump on Ocosta early to hand the Wildcats a 4-1 loss in the first round of the 2B District 4 playoffs on Monday in Onalaska.

Ocosta (9-7 overall) fell behind early after Onalaska (11-3) scored two goals in the first 10 minutes of the game.

Two more Loggers goals in the final 10 minutes of the half put the Wildcats down 4-0 at the break.

Ocosta found some life in the second half with six of its seven shots on target, including a Meghan Denny goal off a cross from Miki Ness for a goal in the 71st minute.

Wildcats keeper Mia Saunders made nine saves in the game.

“We had a great year, especially since we have only one senior and played with only 13 players all season,” Wildcats head coach Mike King said. “Saunders showed great improvement throughout the year as did so many of our young players.”

Ocosta 0 1 — 1

Onalaska 4 0 — 4