Mount Si Wildcats football players, coaches, parents and fans spent close to 30 minutes after the final game of the 2018 season visiting with each other on the field.

Puyallup earned a 47-34 victory against Mount Si in the Class 4A state quarterfinals on Nov. 16 at Mount Si High School in Snoqulamie. Mount Si, which finished with an overall record of 10-2, displayed its no-quit attitude as the final minutes trickled off the clock on its last offensive possession of the season. With the Wildcats trailing 47-28, Mount Si senior quarterback Cale Millen hit Zachary Soliday on a touchdown pass as time expired on the final play of the game.

Mount Si Wildcats head coach Charlie Kinnune couldn’t had been prouder of his team.

“Scoring on the last play of a game we’re out of just shows what this team is about. This group will never be together again on a football field,” Kinnune said.

Millen, who had four touchdown passes in the final contest of his high school career, concurred with Kinnune’s assessment.

“We showed our heart and we fought until the very end. Scoring a touchdown on the last play was pretty cool. I’m so proud of the guys. It was a great season. I wouldn’t want to end my senior season with any other team. I love these guys,” Millen said.

Mount Si’s most prolific receiver Jonny Barrett, who hauled in a 32-yard touchdown pass from Millen in the first quarter to give Mount Si an early 14-0 lead, reflected on his team’s undeniable camaraderie minutes after his final high school football game.

“I love these guys. We’ll be friends for life. We’re better than them (Puyallup). We just didn’t play our best game,” Barrett said.

The Wildcats led the Vikings 21-19 at halftime. Unfortunately for the Wildcats, the Vikings outscored them 28-13 in the final 24 minutes of regulation to clinch a victory. Wildcats’ sophomore running back Cole Norah scored on a 5-yard touchdown run with 8:02 left in regulation, cutting Puyallup’s lead to 33-28. Mount Si receivers Colby Botten (24 yards) and Kevin Corder (5 yards) also caught touchdown passes from Millen in the loss.

Kinnune, who has coached the Mount Si football program since the 1992 season, said he won’t be saying goodbye to the Wildcats senior class anytime soon despite the loss in the Class 4A state quarterfinals.

“I love these kids. I will go watch them play basketball and watch them play in their other sports and just celebrate them. It is not a goodbye right now. I have got six more months before I have to say goodbye to them (2019 graduation),” Kinnune said.

Mount Si Wildcats senior quarterback Cale Millen (No. 10) and sophomore running back Cole Norah (No.2) celebrate after Norah scored on a 5-yard touchdown run with 8:02 left in regulation, cutting Puyallup’s lead to 33-28. Patrick Krohn/Patrick Krohn Photography