REDMOND Redmond made a running team pass the ball.

South Albany watched a passing team do just that.

Panthers quarterback Josh Wagenblast wasn’t at his best, but when Redmond needed a big play, their big-play quarterback delivered.

Wagenblast connected with Tyler York for a 69-yard touchdown with 3:17 left in the game as the Panthers stopped a South Albany comeback bid and beat the Rebels 33-14 Friday night in the opening round of the Class 4A state football playoffs.

”It was an awesome game,” said Wagenblast, who completed 20 of 37 attempts for 287 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. ”Those guys were big and physical. Our offense kind of stalled and our defense kind of picked it up.”

The victory advances the Panthers to the second round for the first time since 1994.

Redmond (8-2 overall), co-champions of the Intermountain Conference but the No. 1 seed to state after a tiebreaking coin flip, will face Gresham (6-4), the No. 3 team from the Mount Hood Conference, either next Friday night or Saturday afternoon.

”It was a game where we did the right things to win,” said Redmond coach Robby Robinson. ”I’m proud of the kids. They have worked really hard to go 8-2 after the 1-8 season (last year).”

South Albany (6-4), the No. 3 team out of the Valley League, was forced to pass early by a Redmond defense that put eight and sometimes nine players up front.

”The better team won tonight,” said South Albany coach Mike Bussard. ”We liked what we were doing defensively, but we just weren’t converting on offense. In games like this, you either make plays or you don’t make plays, and (Redmond) has some playmakers.”

The Rebels rarely blitzed, respecting Wagenblast’s ability to pick up open receivers under pressure, Bussard said.

That strategy seemed to pay off as South Albany rallied from a 21-7 deficit, closing to within 21-14 on Charles Ogden’s four-yard run and Matt Boase’s subsequent point-after kick with 3:35 left in the third.

”They’re pretty good,” said Ogden of the Panthers. ”They played like the No. 1 seed.”

The Rebels held Redmond’s offense in check on the Panthers’ next three possessions, and with 6:38 to play, South Albany began what appeared to be a game-tying drive.

But Redmond’s Tyler York sniffed out a reverse that resulted in a seven-yard loss, leaving the Rebels facing fourth-and -five and forcing a punt.

Once the Panthers got their hands on the ball, it didn’t take long for them to put the game out of reach.

On the first play, Wagenblast hit York with a pass across the middle, and the senior running back took off to the end zone for a 69-yard score that seemingly broke the Rebels’ backs.

”We knew we had our backs on the ropes,” said York, who finished with 10 receptions for 187 yards and three touchdowns. ”But there’s a lot of heart on this team.”

After the Panthers kicked off, the Rebels lost the ball on downs. Redmond backup quarterback Dan Larkin then capped a 26-yard Panthers drive with a three-yard run with 10 seconds remaining.

Bruce Warden led the Redmond ground attack, rushing for 112 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries.

The Panthers used a fast start to take early control.

Redmond capitalized on a bad snap on South Albany’s opening possession. The snap to punter Bryan Stone was short, forcing Stone to pick the ball up off the ground and run. he was tackled for an eight-yard loss, setting the Panthers up at the Rebels’ 35-yard line. Three plays later, Warden ran up the middle 14 yards for a touchdown that gave the Panthers a lead they never relinquished.

Redmond went ahead 14-0 when Wagenblast and York hooked up for the first of their three touchdowns 1:22 into the second quarter, this a 10-yard strike.

South scored on its next possession, a drive aided by a 15-yard pass interference penalty on the Panthers. Stone’s eight-yard pass to Brandon Johnson pulled the Rebels to within 14-7 7:24 before halftime.

But the Panthers answered, capping a nine-play, 70-yard drive with Wagenblast’s 11-yard pass to York just 2:02 later. The drive was highlighted by a fake punt on fourth-and-three from the South 45, with the upback Wagenblast taking the snap and delivering a seven-yard pass to Sam Huston for the first down.