Friday, October 20, 2017

2017 Game 8 - Sequim 29, Port Angeles 14

(Port Angeles) - A balanced Sequim offensive attack that scored touchdowns on three of its first 4 possessions and a defense that created key turnovers allowed the Wolves to go home from Civic Field with a 29-14 victory over the Port Angeles Roughriders Friday night.

With their third straight win in the Rainshadow Rumble football series, the Wolves (5-3, 3-2) clinched the third place Olympic League 2A division playoff berth and left the Roughriders (3-5, 2-3) out of the postseason picture for the sixth consecutive season.  

Sequim hosts winless Kingston Friday night at 7 and a district playoff tilt with the 2nd place team from the South Puget Sound League looms on November 3rd or 4th.

Port Angeles meets Olympic Thursday night at 7:15 on the turf at Silverdale Stadium in the season finale for both clubs.

Early miscues stymie Port Angeles

Port Angeles turnovers played a large role in Sequim jumping ahead by two touchdowns in the first quarter.

Hayden Gresli cashed in on a 15-yard run and added the 2-point conversion, as the Wolves led 8-0 with 7:43 left in the first quarter.

The Roughriders opened the door for another Sequim 6 after an inexplicable fake punt pass attempt by Athon Kathol fell incomplete at the PA 36.

Seven plays later, the Wolves extended to 16-0 after quarterback Riley Cowan plunged in from a yard away and Taig Wiker added a 2-point rush with 3:04 to go in the opening stanza.

Cowan rushed for a season-high 69 yards on 16 carries and connected on 14 of 19 passes for 136 yards and a touchdown.

Sequim ace Gavin Velarde intercepted an Easton Joslin pass at the Wolves 38 with just a second left in the first period.

Both offenses stalled before Sequim got the ball at the PA 49 with 6:07 to go before intermission.  The Wolves put together a clock-grinding series with 8 of 11 plays on the ground that completed with the Wolves ahead 22-0 after Cowan's 23-yard touchdown pass to Kyler Rollness with 1:14 left in the first half.

That's when Easton Joslin and Garrett Edwards started to team up and get Port Angeles back into the ball game.

The Riders drove 67 yards in 7 plays with Edwards dragging across the back of the end zone from right to left before taking Joslin's 7-yard scoring pass as the first half clock expired.

Erik Alvarez kicked the PAT to close the margin down to 22-7 at halftime.

Third quarter Sequim fumble keeps PA in the game

Both offenses fizzled on their first series of the second half.

The Wolves took possession at their own 19 with 8:05 left in the third quarter and started a 6-minute series that had the makings of a game-clincher until Hayden Gresli fumbled on the 12th play and PA took over at its own 21 at the 2:04 mark.

The home crowd had high hopes and those in the visitors' section started wringing their hands after Port Angeles drove 79 yards in 13 plays over 5:18.

Joslin found Jake Allen at the goal line for a 15-yard score that closed the margin to 22-14 with 8:46 remaining in the contest.

Joslin connected with Edwards twice for first downs on the drive, including a 14-yarder on 4th-and-11 that put the Riders down to the Sequim 22.

Joslin completed 14 of 28 passes for 140 yards and 2 touchdowns with 2 interceptions.

Edwards had 6 catches for 76 yards and a score.

Sequim drives for clincher

Gavin Velarde's 21-yard return of a short kickoff put Sequim into PA territory at the 44.

A key play on the Wolves series was a 13-yard pass from Cowan to Kyler Rollness that had a 15-yard PA personal foul penalty tacked onto its conclusion.

Rollness caught seven passes for 83 yards and a score.

On the sixth play, Hayden Gresli scored his second touchdown from 3 yards with 6:23 to go and Byron Rice booted the conversion for a 29-14 Sequim advantage.

Gresli rushed for a game-high 73 yards on 18 carries.

The Roughriders last gasp came three snaps later when Rollness intercepted Joslin and the Wolves took over at their own 29 with 5:19 left.

Sequim drove to the PA 1 as the clock expired.

The Wolves had a 328-186 advantage in total yards.

Sequim had 192 rushing yards on 40 carries, while Port Angeles managed just 46 yards on 14 attempts.

Game Notes

Sequim now has a 9-8 record in games played at the "new" Civic Field.  The Port Angeles stadium was reconstructed and opened in time for the Riders' home season opener in 1978, when the Wolves took a 23-8 triumph.  The "original" Civic Field was built in 1941.

The Wolves have won three straight against the Roughriders and 8 out of the last 10 matchups.

Sequim has won 10 of the 14 games played in the 21st century, outscoring PA 451-194, by an average score of 35-15.

The overall series record has PA with a 52-23-6 advantage in the 81 games played since 1928.

Friday's Olympic League Scores

Sequim 29, Port Angeles 14
Bremerton 49, Kingston 0
Archbishop Murphy 56, Olympic 21 (non-league)
North Kitsap 42, North Mason 0

Olympic - 2A Football Standings
                   Conf.  Overall
                       W L W L
North Kitsap 6 0 8 0
Bremerton 4 1 7 1
Sequim 3 2 5 3
Port Angeles 2 3 3 5
Olympic 2 3 3 5
North Mason 1 4 4 4
Kingston 0 5 0 8

Next week 

Port Angeles (3-5, 2-3) at Olympic (3-5, 2-3) Thursday 7:15 p.m.

North Mason (4-4, 1-4) at Bremerton (7-1, 4-1) Friday 7:00 p.m.

Sequim (5-3, 3-2) vs. Kingston (0-8, 0-5) Friday 7 p.m. 

(More details on the Sequim - Kingston rivalry below the statistics)

Scoring by Quarters

Seq - 16 06 00 07 -- 29
PA --  00 07 00 07 -- 14 

Scoring Summary

1st Quarter

Seq - Hayden Gresli 15 run (Gresli run) 7:43 (Seq 8-0)
(Drive: 5 plays, 58 yds, 2:04)

Seq - Riley Cowan 1 run (Taig Wiker run) 3:04 (Seq 16-0)
(Drive: 7 plays, 36 yds, 2:46)

2nd Quarter

Seq - Kyler Rollness 23 pass from Riley Cowan (Pass failed) 1:14 (Seq 22-0)
(Drive: 11 plays, 51 yds, 4:53)

PA - Garrett Edwards 7 Pass from Easton Joslin (Erik Alvarez kick) :00 (Seq 22-7)
(Drive: 7 plays, 67 yds, 1:10)

4th Quarter

PA - Jake Allen 15 pass from Easton Joslin (Alvarez kick) 8:46 (Seq 22-14)
(Drive: 13 plays, 79 yds, 5:18)

Seq - Hayden Gresli 3 run (Byron Rice kick) 6:23 (Seq 29-14)
(Drive: 6 plays, 44 yds, 2:18)

Individual Statistics

Rushing

Seq - Riley Cowan 16-69-1TD, Tyler Conn 5-52, Hayden Gresli 18-73-2TDs, Chris Puksta 1-0.  

PA -- Jarrett Burns 5-7, Jake Allen 1-9, Easton Joslin 6-32.

Passing

Seq - Riley Cowan 14-19-136-1TD-0INT (.735)

PA -- Easton Joslin 14-28-2TDs-2INTs (.500), Jarrett Burns 0-1-0, Anton Kathol 0-1-0.

Receiving

Seq - Kyler Rollness 7-88-1TD, Taig Wiker 1-12, Gavin Velarde 5-31, Hayden Gresli 1-5.

PA -- Garrett Edwards 6-76-1TD, Jarrett Burns 1-3, Jake Allen 3-16-1TD, Marcos Lopez 2-14, Anton Kathol 2-31.

Team Statistics

Rushing

Seq - 40-194-3TD

PA -- 14-46-0TD

Passing

Seq - 14-19-136-1TD-0INT (.735)

PA -- 14-30-140-2TD-2INT (.466)

Total Yards

Seq - 59-328-4TD (5.5 ypp)

PA -- 44-186-2TD (4.2 ypp)

Penalties

Seq - 8-80

PA -- 7-73 

Had Intercepted

Seq - 0

PA -- 2 

Fumbles Lost

Seq - 1

PA -- 0

Turnovers

Seq - 1 (1 FUM)

PA -- 3 (2 INT, 1 TOD)

Next week: 

Sequim (5-3, 3-2) vs. Kingston (0-8, 0-5) Friday 7 p.m. at Sequim High School 

Sequim leads the series 8-2 against Kingston, the second high school in the North Kitsap School District, established in 2007.

The Wolves enjoy a 5-1 advantage in home games against the Buccaneers, with Kingston winning a 41-28 decision in 2012.

Sequim vs. Kingston (Wolves lead series 8-2)

2007 H 33 7 W
2008 A 74 0 W
2009 H 49 6 W
2010 A 56 28 W
2011 H 27 13 W
2012 H 28 41 L
2013 A 7 52 L
2014 H 27 19 W
2015 A 13 10 W
2016 H 37 10 W

351 186
35.1 18.6

First meeting: 2007
Last meeting: 2016
Longest Sequim Win Streak: 5
2007-11
Longest Kingston Win Streak: 2
2012-13

Memorable home games in Sequim - Kingston football series

2011

A ball control, smash-mouth strategy nearly paid off for the Kingston Buccaneers Friday night until Sequim rallied with two huge fourth quarter plays, leading to a thrilling 27-13 Homecoming victory.

The Kitsap County visitors held possession for 38 of the contest's 48 minutes.

"I realize (Dan) Novick is a really good coach and that's exactly what they wanted to do in sticking with the running game," Sequim coach Erik Wiker said. "Kingston totally wanted to keep the ball out of our hands for the whole game, taking 30 seconds between plays to keep us out of our rhythm, and not give us the ball." 

Trailing 13-7, Kingston drove 83 yards in 14 plays, capped by quarterback Sam Byers' 1-yard keeper with 9:34 left in the fourth quarter.

Byers rushed 23 times for 92 yards and 2 scores. 

Attempting the go-ahead extra point, Kingston placement holder Ben McMullen lost control of the snap and was swarmed by the Wolves, keeping the score tied at 13.

The turn-of-the-tide came on the Bucs' ensuing squib kick, taken after two bounces by Sequim's Tyler Forshaw at his own 19.

The mercurial Wolves senior took the ball up the right sideline and -- with the help of 2 critical blocks -- evaded Kingston pursuit 81 yards to pay dirt, giving Sequim a 20-13 advantage with 9:19 remaining.

"He (Forshaw) is a game-changer with the long run and the pick (of Byer's at the end of the first half) and that's just stepping up and making the play -- we have lots of guys that fit that category," Coach Wiker noted. "I think (the kickoff return) was the key play that put them behind the 8-ball."

Emulating the strategy of former Seattle Seahawks coach Chuck Knox, the Buccaneers employed "Ground Chuck", pounding the ball into Sequim territory, reaching the Sequim 8-yard-line before a sack of Byers and a penalty left Kingston facing a 4th-and-goal from the Wolves 20-yard-line with 1:25 left.

Byers faced a heavy Sequim rush and his pass attempt fell incomplete near the goal line.

Sequim seized the moment on the next scrimmage play as Jack Wiker took advantage of supreme blocking and raced 80 yards up the middle for a score, putting the game out of reach at 27-13.

Wiker packed the pigskin 5 times for 108 yards.

Senior quarterback Frank Catelli, who was crowned Homecoming king at halftime, returned from a one-game suspension, completing 10-of-18 passes for 120 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Catelli now leads Olympic League signal callers with 12 TD strikes on the campaign.

Kingston tailback Nick Tabanera led all rushers with 136 yards on 25 carries.

Erik Wiker credited the Sequim defensive backs for pass coverage, plus linemen Clay Charley and Jake Hudson, along with linebacker Josh McElrath for key stops during the contest.

Wiker thought the struggle with Kingston will send a message to his squad for future games.

"I think we had lackadaisical practices this week where (the players) thought they would be meeting the Kingston of old where we win by 50," Wiker mused.  "They (Kingston) played harder and we didn't come to play a league championship game."


See-saw first half

Kingston (3-3 overall, 2-2 in Olympic League play) established their clock-dominating tactics during the first drive of the contest, moving just 30 yards, but running 10 plays and burning 6 minutes and 40 seconds off the clock, before a 4th-and-4 fake punt rush at the Sequim 46 by Nick Tabanera was stopped a yard short of the first down by the Wolves.

Sequim (6-0 overall, 4-0 in Olympic League play) took possession, driving 53 yards in 9 plays, as Frank Catelli connected with Nick Ramirez for an 8-yard scoring pass with 2:17 remaining in the first quarter, giving the hosts an initial 7-0 advantage after Jonathan Campbell's PAT.

Kingston responded, grinding out 76 yards in 13 plays, culminated with Byers' 1-yard keeper with 6:02 left in the first half, creating a 7-7 deadlock.

The Wolves moved ahead after a 7-play, 50-yard march with the Catelli-to-Ramirez duo connecting for a score for the fourth time in two games, this time from 4 yards, giving Sequim a 13-7 lead with 4:25 remaining until intermission.

Kingston threatened to tie before halftime with a drive into the Sequim red zone, but Forshaw's interception of Byers in the end zone with 25 seconds remaining, thwarted the Bucs' opportunity.

2014

(Sequim) -- The Sequim High Wolves came up with a huge defensive stop in the final minutes against Kingston, holding on for a 27-19 victory against the Buccaneers.

The Wolves (3-0 overall, 1-0 in Olympic League 2A Division play) overcame a 16-14 deficit at intermission, scoring a pair of third quarter touchdowns -- a 20-yard run by quarterback Miguel Moroles and a 5-yard Moroles pass to Ian Dennis -- in taking a 27-16 advantage.

Sequim was driving once again in the final quarter, but Kingston defensive back Alex Barrett made a leaping interception of Moroles with 11 minutes remaining at mid-field.

Kingston rallies

The Buccaneers drove deep into Wolves territory, but stalled and settled for Ryan Fick's 28-yard field goal with 7:51 left, closing to within 27-19.

Kingston (0-3 overall, 0-1 in Olympic League 2A Division play) held Sequim to three-and-out, taking over possession after a punt at the Sequim 47 with 5:18 to go.

Nine plays later, the Bucs faced a 4th-and-3 at the Wolves 15, but Garrett Rouser came up inches short after the official's measurement, turning possession over to the Wolves with 2 minutes left.

The deal was sealed for Sequim after a Kingston offside penalty on a 4th-and-4 with 33 seconds left gave the Wolves a first down.

See-Saw battle in first half

Sequim got on the board first with a 40-yard Miguel Moroles run with 10:32 left in the opening quarter for a 7-0 Wolves lead.

Kingston answered with Garrett Rouser's 1 yard run with 1:37 remaining before the first break, tying the score at 7.

Moroles put the Wolves up 14-7 with 1:35 left in the first half on a 1-yard keeper.

The pivotal moment of the first half came with 6:30 left until intermission when the Bucs blocked Adrian Espinoza's punt.

The ball rolled through the end zone for a safety, making the score 14-9 Sequim, but giving the ball back to Kingston after the free kick.

The Buccaneers drove 56 yards in 9 plays, with quarterback Jack Colleto going the final 4 yards for the TD, putting Kingston ahead 16-14 at halftime.

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