A handful of key plays and a big night defensively helped the Pella High football team to overcome a difficult night on offense against Washington and ultimately pull off a 16-10 overtime win Friday night.

Trailing 10-3 midway through the fourth quarter, the Little Dutch caught a break when a high punt snap allowed them to take over possession inside the ten yard line and led to Bryce Bortscheller’s game-tying touchdown reception two plays later. Undeterred, Washington gave themselves a chance to win the game late, but a 38-yard field goal went wide left and sent the game to overtime.

The Demons had the first crack at the end zone, but a procedure penalty and a swarming Pella defense backed them up for another long field goal attempt, which again missed to the left. Pella took over possession with the chance to win the game, and after a two-yard run up the middle by quarterback Josh De Waard, Chris Brogden took the handoff on a left to right sweep and slashed his way toward the goal line; reaching the end zone with the help of several teammates.

It was Brogden’s third carry of the night and gave him a net of ten yards rushing – which was the highest total on the team. In all, Pella High was able to muster just 69 net yards of offense. The win evens Pella’s record to 1-1 entering one final non-district game next week, when the Little Dutch travel to Grinnell.