YAKIMA – The East Valley football team’s storybook season ended Saturday, but not before another unforgettable chapter was added.

Four Red Devils played key roles in the East 36-6 handling of the West at the Earl Barden All-Star Classic on their homefield, Earl Barden Stadium.

In fact, CWAC and SCAC players led the charge in all three phases of the game, which the East ran away with in the second half.

“Our kids had the energy, and they did what we asked them to do,” said East Valley coach Eric Berg, who led the East squad alongside Red Devils defensive coordinator Kenny Hails, White Swan coach Andy Bush and former Sunnyside coach Mark Marro. “It’s a testament to the character of these kids, the programs they come from, the families they come from.

“Just an amazing, amazing week.”

Berg’s son Jaxon, the CWAC Offensive Player of the Year, chose pinpoint passing  instead of the deep routes that played a part in four interceptions in the game.

He threw for 101 yards and two touchdowns – a 10-yard strike to Erik Borg of Spokane’s West Valley, and a 25-yard strike to a leaping Jacob Proctor of Rogers.

“Such an emotional experience for me,” the younger Berg said. “This has been my home for years and years and years. It’s almost surreal now that it’s over. It was really cool to be able to play with my teammates and play for my dad and have this opportunity.”

His high school teammates delivered, too.

Running back Braden Albrecht, who is headed to Eastern Oregon after back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, found the going tough on the ground, but helped out on the defensive end. He added his own offensive highlight when he scored on a 26-yard pass from Cashmere’s Rylan Hatmaker, the last 10 weaving through West defenders in the fourth quarter.

Albrecht added a backflip in the end zone to celebrate the score and the pending East victory.

East Valley defensive backs Jayden Buckalew and Dominic Verdusco helped stifle the West. Verduzco had a first half interception, and nearly added a second pick.

Buckalew, a lanky 6-foot-3 safety, delivered several big hits, and was all over the field. He also dove for a would-be interception that was about to land out of bounds, and flipped the ball back into play.

The ball wasn’t intercepted, but led Coach Berg to joke, “that might be the smartest thing you’ve done.”

Othello’s Miguel Zuniga was a terror on the defensive line, recording a couple sacks, and Royal’s Shea Stevenson, the Class 1A player of the year, scooped a fumble, returning it about 30 yards to end a West drive.

Stevenson had a would-be interception erased by a penalty, and nearly hauled in a touchdown reception in the first quarter.

Hatmaker connected with teammate Logan Spies twice for 24 yards. Their teammate Isaac Zavala, who set a state record with 11 punt return TDs, showed off his return skills and sprinter speed.

Zavala returned a second quarter kickoff 40 yards, and a second half punt about the same distance.

“I think I got a little bit excited when I saw green,” Zavala said of the kickoff return. “I heard the guy behind me, though, so I decided to protect the ball instead of doing something crazy."

The Cashmere grad also tracked down a West defender who had intercepted a pass. Stevenson’s recovery came a few plays after Zavala’s diving tackle.

With just four days of prep, the East was able to deliver a winning game plan and jell as a team.

“Just in the week we had together we created such a great bond,” Jaxon Berg said. “I love this team like brothers. We were together five days and it feels like we were together the whole year.”

Berg was named the East Offensive MVP, while Freeman’s Logan Schultz intercepted two passes and picked off a two-point attempt en route to the defensive award.

Prosser lineman Josiah West and Berg also won awards for their teamwork.

East Valley finished the 2025 season 12-1, winning its first 12 games and advancing to the Class 2A state semifinals for the first time since 2004.

The Red Devils also haven’t lost a home game since 2023, and they were bent on keeping that streak intact Saturday.

“Special, special year,” an emotional Eric Berg said. “To be out here with those four guys, and I know we got some boys in the stands cheering us on, it’s a dream.

“Really couldn’t ask for anything more.”