WENATCHEE — Chelan and Omak played one for the ages Saturday afternoon, with the Goats edging the Pioneers 27-22 to advance to the state Class 1A semifinals.

Each team came up with big plays at key times, and each head coach made some gutsy calls to put their team in position to win, but in the end it was Chelan freshman Michael Amsel Jr. who swung the game in Chelan’s favor.

Amsel Jr. threw for 255 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score. He did throw a pair of interceptions — his first two of the playoffs — but also made two potentially game-saving interceptions to halt Omak drives in the fourth quarter.

“It was one of those games where whoever throws the last punch is going to win, and unfortunately we didn’t get that last punch,” said Omak coach Nick Sackman.

But the Pioneers did land some haymakers before it was all over. First they recovered an onside kick after cutting Chelan’s lead to 21-14. Then they scored on the ensuing possession and, after a Chelan offsides penalty as the Pioneers lined up for the PAT, Sackman elected to go for a two-point conversion and the lead rather than kicking the PAT for the tie.

“As soon as they got that penalty, (the decision) was automatic,” Sackman said. “I’m pretty offensive-minded, so the more points I can get and the faster I can get them, the better.”

Rylan Springer ran in the conversion to make it 22-21, and suddenly the Goats had gone from 14 up to one down without ever getting possession of the football.

But the Goats counterpunched with their defense and eventually got the ball back with just enough time for Amsel Jr. to deliver the knockout blow.

Amsel Jr. threw an interception on Chelan’s next possession, giving Omak the lead and the ball for the first time in the game with 10:22 left in the fourth quarter, but the Goats defense held and forced the game’s first punt, at 7:37 of the fourth.

With less than six minutes left, the Goats faced fourth-and-2 from their own 30. Chelan coach Darren Talley called for a pass, and rather than just trying to move the chains, Amsel Jr. heaved it deep to Aaron McQuaid down the right sideline for a 34-yard gain.

“I never tell him what to do,” Chelan coach Darren Talley said. “I never try to get too angry at the decisions (players make), because I want them to react. But it was scary.”

McQuaid wasn’t surprised to see the ball coming his way.

“He counts on me sometimes, and I have full confidence in him to make those throws,” the senior receiver said.

Amsel Jr. threw his second interception three plays later, giving the ball back to Omak with 4:12 to play.

“That’s the neatest thing,” Talley said. “He’s young, and he could have hung his head, but he’s a headsy kid.”

Chelan burned its final time out with 1:54 left and Omak facing a third-and-10 from the Chelan 48. Pioneers quarterback Brenden Aguilar threw over the middle looking for first-down yardage, but instead the ball was picked off by Amsel Jr., who returned it to the Omak 41.

On the next play Amsel Jr. lobbed a deep pass to Robin Weathersby, hitting the junior running back in stride on his way to the end zone, putting the Goats back in front.

Omak moved quickly into Chelan territory and had a first-and-10 from the Chelan 20 with less than 40 seconds left, but Aguilar’s throw was intercepted by Amsel Jr. at the goalline.

“That’s a good Omak team,” Talley said. “There was no backing down to the very last play of the game.”

The Goats — who beat Cashmere and Royal in back-to-back weeks to reach the state quarterfinals — advance to meet another perennial state power, Connell, in the state semifinals.

That game will be played Friday or Saturday, most likely in Moses Lake, though plans were not finalized at press time.