CHAMPIONSHIP DREAMS END for state football semifinalists in a darkened corner of the Tacoma Dome.
It’s the same for every school.
Tearful players walk off the spongy turf field, their cleats clacking on the cement floor.
They are consoled by generations of family members. Pictures are taken and the memory, however bitter, is preserved.
Such was the case for Neah Bay on Friday, the school’s bid at a third-straight state championship broken by its rival Lummi in a 26-20 state semifinal loss.
The Red Devils’ unprecedented run of success, a 35-game winning streak — good for second all time at the eight-man ranks, had been dashed by the same score as last year’s state semifinal between the two schools.
And now Neah Bay has to look inward to see where improvement can be made.
Because for all the hurt and pain associated with this loss, the future is still glaringly bright for the Red Devils.
Neah Bay loses four seniors from this year’s team, three of them starters.
The Red Devils are likely to return every skill position player next season.
That includes Cole Svec, the engine of the team, and last season’s Class 1B Associated Press State Player of the Year.
Svec already is hearing from colleges, including Montana State from the Big Sky Conference.
Speedy receiver/defensive back Cameron Buzzell will return for his senior season.
You could almost feel the disappointment radiating off Buzzell after the loss.
“I think we were just sort of underestimating them a little bit,” Buzzell said.
“And we just sort of beat ourselves. A lot of turnovers, uncharacteristic things like trying to hand off the ball, and they got fumbles that we should have recovered, the one in the end zone, especially.
“We just beat ourselves.”
Buzzell will have the chance to atone for the defeat along with junior-to-be Rwehabura Munyagi Jr., likely the team’s most improved player on offense at quarterback and defense as a defensive back.
Kenrick Doherty Jr. will be back to pursue quarterbacks and haul down runners from his defensive end position, and to leak out and catch passes just when teams aren’t prepared on offense.
Nate and Tommy Tyler also should return, along with Michael McGee to provide pop at linebacker.
Neah Bay just ran into Lummi on the Blackhawks’ best day.
Lummi was prepared, motivated and seized the opportunity presented.
“The kids weren’t nervous before the game,” Blackhawks coach Jim Sandusky said.
“They were focused and locked-in. They told me they knew what they needed to do to win and knew what Neah Bay was going to try to do.”
Part of that preparedness, came from Sandusky and his coaching staff.
“We started preparing for this game as soon as we lost to them last year in the semifinals,” Sandusky said.
He also said streaks, such as the Red Devils’ nine-game winning streak over Lummi, including three straight semifinal victories, played little role in the run-up to Friday’s semifinal.
“They didn’t talk about that stuff at all,” Sandusky said.
“They just talked about this game and taking advantage of what we knew about them, and what we had learned about ourselves the last few weeks.”
Neah Bay coach Tony McCaulley was gracious in defeat, congratulating Lummi players and coaches and wishing them luck in the state title game.
He also was blunt in his assessment of the game.
“I think the bottom line is we were outcoached and outplayed,” McCaulley said.
“We just were. They had a good game plan, they had some keys on us. They knew when we were going to run, they knew when we were going to pass.
They got some keys off us on film from what we did last year, too. We have to self-scout a little better and clean that stuff up for these type of games.”
Lummi also knocked the Red Devils around a bit in the game.
“I have to give them all the credit in the world,” McCaulley said.
“I never thought that they would outphysical us, and they did, they really did.”
After raising three state championship trophies in three seasons it’s hard to look at anything less than another title as a disappointment.
“The kids played well all year, but this is what we play for — a chance at a championship,” McCaulley said.
“These last few games are what we are aiming for and raising that trophy is the ultimate goal.”
McCaulley thinks the loss, as hard as it is in the moment, could serve to help next year’s team.
“We have some kids that are hurting right now, but I think this will make us hungry for next year,” McCaulley said.
“And maybe we need that. Maybe we are a little spoiled. Maybe this motivates a few more guys to get into the offseason stuff.
“And as coaches too, we have to look at ourselves. We didn’t do too good a job today. Jim really outcoached us today. They were way more prepared than we were and I think that has a lot to do with it.”
The loss may even spur some additions to Neah Bay’s traditional power rushing offense.
“We are spoiled because we can do some simple stuff and get away with it,” McCaulley said.
“[Lummi] is a little more advanced, more complex than us offensively, and maybe we have to adapt to that.”
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-452-2345, ext. 5250 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
