KENNEWICK -- It was a crowning night for the Kamiakin Braves, even if it wasn't a polished performance.

Then again, good teams know an ugly win counts the same as a flawless one.

Zach Umemoto ran for 171 yards and three touchdowns, the last two slamming down like hammer blows to Hanford's upset hopes, and the Braves held off a physical Falcons squad 28-14 on Thursday night.

The win under the lights at Lampson Stadium locked up at least a piece of a second consecutive CBBN 3A title for the Braves (8-0, 6-0) and the top seed heading into the playoffs.

"It's a good feeling," said Umemoto, drenched after a 28-carry night. "We just want to go back to the state (championship) game like last year."

The Braves -- ranked fourth in the state -- took advantage of three Hanford fumbles, all of which led to touchdowns, including K Perrins' 29-yard TD catch from Jason Hutchison in the first quarter after the Falcons gave back a Kamiakin fumble.

But the most costly was the last, coming early in the fourth quarter and the Falcons (3-5, 3-3) hip deep in a game many didn't expect to be this close.

Isaac Benard had just pulled the Falcons even at 14-all on a thrilling 91-yard run. The sophomore back tore through one tackler trying to strip the ball, then found nothing but green turf in front of him.

Kamiakin came back and drove 76 yards -- 47 of that on a hookup between Jesse Houser and Hutchison -- to the Hanford 4.

Umemoto plowed down to the 1 on his first carry, but the door slammed shut on the next two, with Falcons linebacker Cody Baldowski making a big hit on third down.

The third quarter ended, and the teams changed ends. It seemed to change the fortunes for Kamiakin, with Umemoto diving over the goal line on fourth down for the go-ahead score.

"I just had to keep driving," said Umemoto, who topped 900 yards rushing on the season. "I can't let them take me down on fourth down. If we didn't score, who knows what happens."