Saturday, October 7, 2017

2017 Football Game 6 - Sequim 38, North Mason 19

(Belfair) - Senior Gavin Velarde caught three touchdown passes in the first half and gave Sequim some breathing room with a 44-yard pass interception return for a score in the final quarter as the Wolves beat the North Mason Bulldogs 38-19 Friday night at Phil Pugh Stadium.

Sequim improved to 3-3 overall and 1-2 in Olympic League 2A play, while North Mason fell to 3-3 overall and 1-3 in league encounters.

It was a night of big plays for the Wolves, as Sequim led 23-0 just 28 seconds into the second quarter after Velarde and quarterback Riley Cowan connected for scores from 38, 28 and 65 yards.

Velarde had 5 catches for 148 yards and rushed 5 times for 36 yards.

North Mason didn't panic and countered with an 8-play, 90-yard march, capped by a 3-yard Reese Smelcer run with 7:29 left in the first half, making it 23-7 after the PAT by Gary Thomas.

A short punt set up the Bulldogs at the Sequim 20 and score was chopped to 23-13 after a 4-yard touchdown run by Dylan Tupelo with 5:46 left until halftime.

Tupolo, a 6'1, 245 pound junior, carried 16 times for 122 hashes, the game-high rusher.

Things looked promising for the rain-soaked Belfair Homecoming crowd after Cole Varick intercepted a long Cowan aerial with 3:50 before intermission.

Down by 10, the Bulldogs took over at their own 17, hoping for consecutive scoring drives with the promise of receiving the second half kickoff.

However, a pivotal play happened three snaps later when Sequim junior Kyler Rollness intercepted a Shawn Ward pass, giving the Wolves possession at the Bulldogs 46 with 2:55 left until intermission.

Sequim covered the distance in 6 plays, with a 33-yard Cowan pass to Jarrett Allen giving the Wolves first-and-goal at the North Mason 3.

Cowan plunged into the end zone with 9 seconds left and Sequim went to the locker room ahead 30-13.

Cowan completed 10 of his 24 passes for 204 yards and 3 touchdowns with 1 interception.

Downpour in scoreless third quarter

The Bulldogs cashed in after a grinding 15-play, 98-yard series that culminated with a 34-yard touchdown pass from Ward to 6'1 Austin Knight.

The Sequim advantage was back down to 11 at 30-19 with 10:25 left in regulation.

The Wolves drove to a first down at the North Mason 20, but stalled and ended up turning the ball over on downs back at the 24 after a rushing loss and three straight incompletions.

The Bulldogs had just 5:55 left to overcome the 11-point deficit and the Wolves defense knew a pass was imminent.

Three plays later, Ward's throw to a slot receiver on the right hashmark was jumped by Velarde and the speedster returned it 44 yards down the sidelines untouched for the backbreaker. 

Velarde caught the two-point pass from Wiker and it was 38-19 Sequim with 5:27 to go.

It was Velarde's fourth career Pick-6.

The Bulldogs outgained the Wolves 356-290.

Bulldogs mistakes lead to early Sequim scores

Sequim's initial score was set up by a muffed punt by North Mason's Eric Jones that was recovered by freshman Taig Wiker at the North Mason 38.

Velarde lined up in the slot on the left and ran a vertical route up the left hashmark, taking junior quarterback Riley Cowan's rainbow spiral over his inside shoulder at the 5 and scoring untouched just 63 seconds into the game.

North Mason jumped offside on the PAT attempt, prompting Coach Erik Wiker to send out his two-point conversion team. The coach's son, Taig, ran for the deuce and a 8-0 advantage.

A 3-and-out possession for the Bulldogs, marred by a 18-yard loss after a high direct snap to the quarterback, left Sequim on the doorstep of another Cowan-Velarde express touchdown.

From the North Mason 28, Velarde centered a right-side Trips set and blew past two Bulldogs on a skinny post pattern, taking the Cowan aerial five yards deep in the end zone for a 15-0 Sequim advantage with 9:19 left in the opening stanza.

The third Cowan to Velarde touchdown was a perfectly executed jailbreak or tunnel screen from left to right for 65 yards with 11:32 left in the second period. 

The Wolves host the Olympic Trojans for the annual Sequim Homecoming celebration Friday, while the Bulldogs travel to Forks to play the Spartans in a non-leaguer. 

(More on the Olympic - Sequim series after the statistics)


Game Notes 

Velarde's 3 TD catches equaled his school-record tying effort in last year's 49-9 victory over Port Angeles.


  • Velarde shares the record with 5 Wolves: Joey Hall, who also accomplished the feat in the first half in a 49-20 win at North Mason in 2010; Ryan Rutherford (2004, in a 36-29 win over Port Townsend); Scott Schindler (1992, in a 24-20 victory over Franklin Pierce); Jeremy Copeland (1989, in a 37-6 win over Port Townsend) and J.D. Angiuli (1978, in a 40-27 decision over Liberty).



  • The Phil Pugh Stadium surface was replaced with a shiny new Field Turf this year, part of the improvements made possible by the North Mason community passing a bond issue that allowed for the construction of a new high school and renovations to the old facility for use as a middle school.


Olympic League - 2A Standings

                    Conf.   Overall
                      W L W L
North Kitsap 4 0 6 0
Bremerton 2 1 5 1
Port Angeles 2 1 3 3
Olympic 2 2 3 3
Sequim 2 3 3
North Mason 1 3 3 3
Kingston 0 3 0 6

Olympic League scores

Sequim 38, North Mason 19
North Kitsap 36, Bremerton 7
Renton 38, Port Angeles 7
Olympic 40, Kingston 12

Scoring by Quarters

Seq - 15 15 00 08 -- 38
NM -- 00 13 00 06 -- 19

Scoring Summary

1st Quarter

Seq - Gavin Velarde 38 pass from Riley Cowan (Taig Wiker run) 10:57 

Seq - Gavin Velarde 28 pass from Riley Cowan (Byron Rice kick) 9:19

2nd Quarter

Seq - Gavin Velarde 65 pass from Riley Cowan (Kyler Rollness from Velarde) 11:32

N.M.- Reese Smelcer 3 run (Gary Thomas kick) 7:29

N.M.- Dylan Tupelo 4 run (run failed) 5:46

Seq - Riley Cowan 1 run (Rice kick) :01 

4th Quarter

N.M.- Austin Knight 45 pass from Shawn Ward (kick failed) 10:25

Seq - Gavin Velarde 44 yard pass interception return (Velarde from Taig Wiker pass) 5:27

Individual Statistics

Rushing

Seq - Hayden Gresli 8-45, Gavin Velarde 5-36, Riley Cowan 7-13-1TD, Chris Puksta 1-(-10), Tyler Conn 1-2.

NM -- Dylan Tupelo 16-122-1TD, Tyler Thomas 12-41, Ryan Nogues 4-36, Reese Smelcer 6-17-1TD, Mario Nanez 1-7, Shawn Ward 11-(-5).

Passing

Seq - Riley Cowan 10-24-204-3TD-1INT

NM -- Shawn Ward 11-19-138-1TD 2INT

Receiving

Seq - Gavin Velarde 5-148-3TD, Hayden Gresli 2-4, Kyler Rollness 1-10, Taig Wiker 1-9, Jarrett Allen 1-33.

NM -- Dylan Tupelo 4-45, Austin Knight 1-34-1TD, Cole Varick 1-18, Tyler Thomas 2-24, Eric Jones 2-16, Ryan Nogues 1-1.

Team Statistics

Rushing

Seq - 22-86-1TD

NM -- 50-218-2TD

Passing

Seq - 10-24-204-3TD-1INT

NM -- 11-19-138-1TD 2INT

Total Yards

Seq - 46-290-4TD

NM -- 69-356-3TD

Penalties

Seq - 7-50

NM -- 6-50

Had Intercepted

Seq - 1

NM -- 2 (1 returned for TD)

Fumbles Lost

Seq - 0 

NM -- 0

Turnovers

Seq - 2 (1INT, 1TOD)

NM -- 3 (2INT, 1TOD)


Next week:  Olympic Trojans  (Homecoming)

Olympic beat Kingston Friday 40-12 and is 3-3 overall,
2-2 in league play.

Olympic leads series against Sequim 15-4

Olympic is 8-2 against the Wolves in Sequim

Last home victory against Olympic - 63-8 in 2010.

1979

Coach Barry Wheeler's 1979 team defeated Olympic 22-0 on the Sequim gridiron, snapping a four-game losing streak with the Homecoming victory.

Sequim scored twice in the second quarter and added another tally in the final period.

The Wolves rushed 33 times for 124 net yards and held Olympic to just 57 yards on 25 carries.

Sequim scored on the third play of the second quarter to cap a five-play, 60-yard drive.

A 14-yard pass from quarterback Mike Sherry to end John Irwin and a second strike of 15 yards to Scott Browning, keyed the march.

Junior fullback Dave Roberts blasted into the end zone from the 3 and Sequim led 7-0 after Dale McBride's PAT.

Three snaps later, the Wolves increased the lead to 14-0 after a pick-6 by defensive back Rick Cooper, who intercepted a Tom Blinkinsop aerial on the Olympic 27.

Cooper started back right and suddenly veered quickly to the left, getting a key block from Browning to score untouched.

The Wolves final TD in the fourth quarter was set up when Sherry blocked a quick-kick attempt at the Olympic 30.

Mark Irwin popped inside for 20 yards.  Four plays later, Sherry hit Jeff Shea over the middle for the score.

The Wolves surged to 22-0 on a two-point conversion pass from David Angiuli to Browning.


1980-1990 

The Trojans won 11 consecutive matchups with the Wolves between 1980 and 1990.

2010

The series resumed after 20 years in 2010, when Coach Erik Wiker's squad destroyed Olympic 63-8 at home. 

Isaac Yamamoto rushed for 168 yards on 17 carries and scored 4 touchdowns as the Wolves celebrated a 63-8 Homecoming victory over the Trojans.

Quarterback Drew Rickerson completed 18 of 27 passes for 230 yards and 2 TD's for the 6-1 Wolves, who kept pace with Port Angeles at 5-0 in Olympic League action.

Sequim led 13-0 after the first quarter on Yamamoto scoring runs of 1 and 31 yards.

After Olympic turned the ball over on downs at the Sequim 3, the Wolves engineered an 11-play, 97-yard 
touchdown drive capped by Rickerson's 1-yard keeper, increasing the lead to 20-0.

Rickerson completed 7 of 9 passes on the march, two completions each to Joey Hall, Frank Catelli and 
Tyler Forshaw.

Olympic got its only touchdown of the game on a 37-yard sprint by running back Shawn Brown with 
5:20 before intermission to cut it to 20-8.

Sequim blew the contest open with three additional second-quarter scores, another 2-yard Yamamoto run, 
a 15-yard fumble return by Kahn Mills and a 35-yard Rickerson pass to Joey Hall.

The Wolves took a 42-8 lead to the halftime locker room.

Hall caught 7 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown.

The game clock ran non-stop for the final 16 minutes, 22 seconds after Yamamoto's final TD from 8 yards 
with 4:22 left in the third quarter, courtesy of the mercy rule.

The Wolves' Jack Wiker reached pay dirt from 10 yards with 10:51 to go for the final points at 63-8.

Sequim also won the following season against Olympic, 35-8 at Silverdale Stadium.

2012-2015 

Olympic took four straight between 2012 and 2015 before the Wolves rebounded for a 48-26 thrashing of the Trojans in Silverdale last season.

2016

Last season, Gavin Velarde scored 5 touchdowns and Riley Cowan threw two touchdown passes as Sequim took control of second place in the Olympic League 2A standings with a 48-26 victory over the Trojans at Silverdale Stadium.

The Trojans trailed Sequim 26-14 late in the first half, but Olympic drove to the Wolves 15 with 8 seconds remaining, looking to seize momentum before the half and receive the second half kickoff.

Olympic quarterback Evan Quitevis threw into the right flat, looking for Devin Burleigh on a hitch pattern that was jumped by Velarde at his own 3.

Velarde, with a full head of steam from his safety position, streaked up the visitor's sideline 97 yards untouched, giving Sequim a 34-14 halftime advantage.

Olympic received the second half kickoff and methodically drove 80 yards in 11 plays. 

Evan Quitevis found Kolby Johnson for a 6-yard TD pass and the Olympic chopped the lead to 34-20 with 6:30 left in the third period.

Any Trojan momentum was deflated on the ensuing kickoff as Velarde received at his own 20, finding a seam up the right hash, streaking 80 yards to the touchdown and Sequim was back up 41-20.

After holding the Trojans to 3-and-out, the Wolves chewed up 69 yards in 8 plays, Velarde going the final four hashes to make up 48-20 with 11:52 to go.

Evan Quitevis got the last Olympic touchdown with 5:55 left on a 20-yard run around right end and a nifty cutback into the end zone, for the final margin of 48-26.

Two early Sequim TD strikes

Cowan's TD passes came early, a 13-yarder in the back of the end zone to Payton Glasser and a 50-yard rocket to Kyler Rollness, pushing the Wolves ahead 13-0 after one period.

An Olympic punt deflected off the back of a Trojan lineman, giving Sequim possession at the Oly 6.

Velarde got the first of his 3 rushing scores on the next play and the Wolves were ahead 20-0 with 10:02 left in the first half.

The Trojans answered with an 8-play, 55-yard march that took 4:01, Malcolm Dewalt scoring on a counter down the left sidelines, that closed the margin to 20-7 with 5:40 left until halftime.

The Wolves passing attack clicked on the next drive with a 24-yard leaping catch by Glasser to the Olympic 36 and 35-yard snag by Rollness to the Trojans 1.

Velarde hit pay dirt after next snap, putting the Wolves up 26-7 with 3:09 left in the second quarter.

Olympic climbed back into the contest with a 36-yard TD catch and run by Darelle White that narrowed the score to 26-14 with 1:44 to go until intermission.

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