Saturday’s Class 4A semifinal football game broke down to a matchup between Gonzaga Prep’s powerful running game out of an option-style offense, versus Oak Harbor’s wing-T game plan that has featured both a nearly unstoppable aerial assault as well as a punishing ground attack this season.

For the first 15 minutes it was the Bullpups rushing that held the upper hand but after that, quarterback Marshall Lobbestael and his gallery of receivers got the Oak Harbor passing game shifted into high gear.

Gonzaga Prep (11-2), entered the game as the number-one ranked Class 4A team, and held a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter. But Oak Harbor battled back and a 13-yard TD reception by Tony Thulin cut the lead to 10-7 at halftime.

Then, with 10:23 remaining in the game, a wide-open Jeff Lamont hauled in an 8-yard scoring strike to put Oak Harbor ahead 14-10 and that was the ballgame.

With the victory, Oak Harbor (12-1) will be going against Bothell for the state championship Saturday night in the Tacoma Dome.

Bothell (12-1) was a 28-14 winner over Edmonds-Woodway on Saturday.

“We’re going to the final game,

the state championship, with a shot at winning the whole thing,” an elated coach Dave Ward said after the game. “It’s quite a thrill and I’m real proud of the kids and the way they have believed in themselves and played hard all the way to the end.”

Gonzaga Prep quarterback Max Manix showed why he was named the Spokane League player of the year, directing the Bullpups’ offense on a 13-play, 53-yard drive for a touchdown after the opening kickoff.

The senior ran the final 3-yards for the touchdown and Mat Barker’s kick made the score 7-0.

Oak Harbor went three plays and out on its first possession and was forced to punt, putting the Bullpups’ offensive unit right back on the field.

Once again Gonzaga Prep’s ground game went to work but this time, the Wildcats made a stand and Barker kicked a 29-yard field goal with 9:40 remaining in the second period to push the lead to 10-0.

After that the game belonged to the Wildcats and who could have imagined 10 points was all the high-powered Bullpups’ offense would be able to score.

“Once we got used to their offense and the guys realized they had to get their man, we were all right,” Ward said. “I’d really like to compliment our defensive coaches, Jay Turner, Tom Mueller and Kellen Ward. They got our kids ready to play a good football team in a good game. Stopping that offense is tough and I was real pleased with them.”

With 4:53 remaining before halftime, Lobbestael connected with Thulin for the Wildcats’ first touchdown.

“Tony did a great job getting behind the linebackers and found an open space in the defense,” Lobbestael said. “He put his hands up and I was lucky to see him at a good time and we connected. He made a great finger-tip catch.”

The score remained 10-7 until the fourth quarter and Oak Harbor’s defensive unit shut the Bullpups’ running game down.

“We stepped up when it counted,” senior tackle Will Hunter said. “We got off to a rough start and we got popped in the nose. We realized we had to step it up and we did.”

The drive for the winning score began late in the third quarter when Oak Harbor took possession of the ball at the Bullpups’ 48-yard line after a punt.

Lobbestael opened the drive hitting Lamont with a pass good for 22-yards and a first down and two plays later, hooked up with Rodrick Rumble for eight yards to make it third down and two at the Bullpups’ 19-yard line.

On the final play of the third quarter, Chris Valencia ran for four yards and a first down at Gonzaga Prep’s 15-yard line.

After an incompleted pass followed by a pass to Brendon Kays good for only two yards, the Wildcats were faced with a third-and-eight situation at the 13-yard line.

Rumble got five yards on an end sweep, bringing up fourth down at the 8-yard line and setting up Lamont’s winning catch.

“He ran a great route, got good separation from his man and he just reached out,” Lobbestael said. “I tried to throw it away from the defender a little bit and Jeff made a great catch on it, pulled it in and held on.”

“I’m at a loss for words right now,” Lamont said after the game. “This is the most amazing thing I’ve ever had happen in my whole life. All I can say is we’re going on to state!”

Gonzaga Prep took over at their own 40-yard line after the kickoff and began a drive that reached Oak Harbor’s 18-yard line before Bryan Karwacki was stopped short on a fourth-and-three situation with 5:35 left giving the Wildcats possession.

Oak Harbor held the ball for 11 plays, running time off the clock and forcing the Bullpups to spend time outs.

One of the key plays in the drive was a 4-yard shovel pass to Thulin that gave the Wildcats a first down at Gonzaga Prep’s 47-yard line with 2:37 remaining.

Thulin fumbled on the play, but senior center Edmundo Corrales fell on the loose ball.

“I fumbled again, I came up and did that,” Thulin said. “Luckily my boy Mundo, he got it up for me. I just wanted to make sure and hold on to the ball and wrap it up and try and get another TD so we could run the clock. Everything came out right and we won.”

With 35 seconds left, Oak Harbor punted the ball and the Bullpups had one final chance taking over at their own 9-yard line.

“We decided our defense can finish this game for us so let’s punt the ball and make them go 80 or 90 yards,” Ward said.

Gonzaga Prep gained 31 yards on a trick hook-and-ladder play moving the ball to the 40-yard line, but now there was just 8 seconds remaining.

On the final play, Karwacki tried to pitch the ball after catching a Manix pass, but fumbled and Hunter fell on the ball to end the game and begin the celebration.

Lobbestael was 19-for-24 in passing good for 209 yards and a pair of TDs to up his season total to 32.

Valencia carried the ball 15 times for 55 yards and Thulin caught five passes for 78 yards. Rumble had four catches for 52 and Lamont caught six balls for 51.

Manix led Gonzaga Prep with 23 carries good for 101 yards.

Oak Harbor and Bothell square off for the 4A championship in the WIAA/Dairy Farmers of Washington Gridiron Classic in the Tacoma Dome Saturday night.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. It will be Oak Harbor’s first appearance in the state football finals.