Bend High's Sam Armstrong (43) celebrates with teammates after getting an interception against South Albany in a Class 5A state quarterfinal game Friday night at Bend High.

Bend High is not known as a team that likes to pass.

“When we throw the ball,” said Bend football coach Matt Craven, “we want it to count.”

They certainly made it count in a Class 5A state quarterfinal game against No. 6 South Albany Friday night at Bend High, as quarterback Logan Malinowski was 6-for-10 passing for 167 yards and three touchdowns in a 40-0 thrashing of the RedHawks.

Half of his completions went for scores. Two of those scores were to senior wide receiver Blake Groshong, who had five receptions for 188 yards and two touchdowns, including a 97-yard touchdown catch late in the second quarter that gave the Lava Bears a 20-0 lead.

“They stacked the box,” Groshong said of the South Albany defense. “We figured out the safety wasn’t coming over so we might as well throw it up and see what happens. It seemed to work … pretty exciting.”

No. 3 Bend (10-1) will play No. 2 Wilsonville (9-2), who defeated No. 7 Silverton 39-26 in another quarterfinal, Friday at 7 p.m. in a semifinal game at Barlow High School in Gresham. Summit will play Thurston in the other Class 5A semifinal in Salem, as the two Bend-area teams appear on a collision course to play for the state championship.

The Lava Bears racked up 383 yards of total offense, to just 136 for South Albany (7-3).

The Bend High defense held a team scoreless for the seventh time this season and forced three turnovers on a cold night with intermittent snowfall.

“We knew that their offensive line would try to mug up our defensive line,” Craven said. “So it was super important that we played very physical on the defensive line and that we take away their fullback and their quarterback with their triple-option game. Our defensive linemen and linebackers just did a masterful job of that.”

Bend senior running back Malakai Nutter rushed 24 times for 115 yards and one touchdown and caught another TD. He got the scoring started with a 4-yard touchdown run early in the first quarter for a 6-0 lead.

The score remained 6-0 by the end of the first quarter, but the Bend barrage let loose in the second quarter with 21 points. Nutter scored again on a 7-yard reception midway through the second quarter for a 13-0 lead. Then Bend defensive back Sam Armstrong intercepted a pass by South Albany quarterback Kaden Younger.

Two plays later, Malinowski threw the ball over the top and down the middle. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Groshong went up and grabbed it. When he came down, there was nothing but frozen green grass in front of him on the 97-yard play.

“It was the best feeling of my life,” Groshong said. “I dreamed about this my whole life. I loved it.”

Craven said the South Albany defense was stacking the box “with as many people as humanly possible” to try to stop the Lava Bears’ vaunted Wing-T rushing attack. Their man-to-man coverage on the outside appeared helpless in stopping Groshong, who caught a 6-yard touchdown pass late in the second quarter to give Bend an insurmountable 27-0 lead.

“We were able to pass protect long enough to run some double moves out there and he did a great job of going up and getting the ball each time,” Craven said.

Jack Sorenson added a touchdown run on a reverse in the third quarter for Bend, and defensive back Sean Craven returned an interception for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Bend has reached the state semifinals for the first time since 2007, and the second time since 1966. The Lava Bears last claimed a state title in 1940. Bend has 33 seniors, most of whom have played together since middle school.

“Just the energy and the teamwork that we have together, not many teams have it,” Groshong said. “We’ve been together forever. We just love each other and we’ll fight for each other.”

“Just the energy and the teamwork that we have together, not many teams have it. We’ve been together forever. We just love each other and we’ll fight for each other.”

— Blake Groshong, Bend High senior wide receiver