Mountain Goats fall to Cashmere in Bronze Shoe rivalry

CASHMERE — The Chelan Mountain Goats' early lead dissolved into a 61-7 loss against fifth-ranked Cashmere on Thursday night, as the Bronze Shoe trophy remained with the Bulldogs for the tenth consecutive year.

Chelan showed early promise when quarterback Oliver Reed connected on a 40-yard touchdown pass with 5:29 left in the first quarter, giving the Mountain Goats a 7-0 lead after Iden Magallon's successful extra point. The touchdown marked what would be Chelan's only score of the night, as Cashmere's defense took control of the game.

The Mountain Goats' defense initially held strong, forcing Cashmere to punt on their first two possessions. However, two second-quarter interceptions by Cashmere's Tom McDevitt shifted the momentum, leading to a series of Bulldog scores.

Chelan's ground game struggled to find rhythm against Cashmere's defensive front, managing just 23 yards on 22 carries. The passing attack showed occasional sparks but couldn't replicate the early success, as the team finished with 110 total yards of offense.

The Mountain Goats battled through four quarters but struggled to contain Cashmere's balanced attack. The Bulldogs' quarterback Rylan Hatmaker found success through the air with five touchdown passes, while their rushing attack utilized multiple ball carriers to maintain pressure.

Despite forcing Cashmere to punt on their opening drives, Chelan's defense spent considerable time on the field as the game progressed. The Mountain Goats turned the ball over on downs four times and were forced to punt multiple times throughout the contest.

The game marked another challenging chapter in the historic Bronze Shoe rivalry for Chelan, who will look to regroup as the season continues. The Mountain Goats' early touchdown demonstrated their potential to compete, but sustaining that level of play against the state's fifth-ranked team proved difficult.

Chelan returns home for their next game against Cascade, seeking to build on the positive moments from their opening drive and early defensive stands.