BREMERTON — A stifling defensive effort and a power rushing game propelled Port Townsend to a 27-9 victory over Klahowya.
The win clinches at least a share of the Olympic League 1A Division title for the Redhawks.
The Redhawks (4-1, 5-2) can take home the trophy outright with a homecoming game victory against rival Chimacum this Friday at Memorial Field.
“The defense was phenomenal,” Redhawks coach Nick Snyder said of Friday night’s victory at Silverdale Stadium.
“I think we held [Klahowya’s leading rusher Konnor Langholff] to under 50 yards.” (Langholff had 35 rushing yards on 14 carries).
Port Townsend power backs Wesley Wheeler and David Sua combined for 249 yards rushing, with Wheeler carrying 24 times for 135 yards and three scores and Sua 18 for 114 yards and one TD.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Redhawks put together a 90-yard scoring drive with Wheeler plunging across from a yard out for the score.
“They loaded up the box to try and stop the run,” Snyder said.
“So we started at our 10-yard line and Jeff Seton threw a go route to Cameron Constantine 50-plus yards, and then we threw it a few more times before we gave it to Wesley and David closer to the end zone.”
Snyder said the defense got great pressure on the Eagles quarterback George Harris all game long.
“Our defensive line was outstanding, they didn’t give him any time in the pocket,” Snyder said.
He had praise for middle linebacker Keegan Khile and safety Detruis Kelsall as well.
“Keegan Khile he’s kind of always the rock in there for us defensively. And Detrius had a great interception,” Snyder said.
“It was just a great team effort. The kids knew a league championship was at stake and put together a great week of practice and it paid off for us.”
Port Townsend 27, Klahowya 9
Port Townsend 0 13 7 7— 27
Klahowya 0 3 0 6— 9
Second Quarter
PT—Wheeler 1 run (kick good)
PT—Wheeler 14 run (kick failed)
K—Trask 18 field goal
Third Quarter
PT—Wheeler 5 run (kick good)
Fourth Quarter
PT—Sua 1 run (kick good)
K— Zuber 77 pass from Harris (pass failed)
Individual Stats
Rushing— PT: Wheeler 24-135, Sua 18-114, Seton 7-46, Gomez 5-39. K: Langholff 14-35, George Harris 2-6.
Passing—PT: Seton 7-15-1, 153. K: Harris 12-26-1, 189.
Receiving—PT: Constantine 1-56, Wheeler 2-32, Mason 1-15, Sua 2-11, Wilson 1-10. K: Schnuit 7-84, Tanner Zuber 1-77, Langholff 2-27, Trask 1-10.
Neah Bay 50, Lummi 38
BELLINGHAM — The No. 1 Red Devils picked up their seventh consecutive victory against the No. 4 Blackhawks, racking up 506 yards of offense, all of them coming on the ground.
It didn’t come easy, although the Red Devils rolled out to an early 28-8 lead after touchdown runs of 30, 44 and 46 yards by Cole Svec, and a 63-yard score by Elisha Winck.
Lummi rallied to take the lead 30-28 after a rushing score from Hank Hoskins, a blocked punt for a score and a 39-yard pass from Hoskins to Trazil Lane.
But Neah Bay had answers offensively, with Svec rolling 90 yards on a third down-and-20 for another score and Chris Martinez galloping 69 yards to make it 42-30 at halftime.
Svec ended up with 16 carries for 235 yards and totaled 12 tackles on defense.
Martinez had 22 touches for 135 yards.
Hoskins pulled Lummi within 42-38 after a third-quarter score, but the fleet-footed Winck went 55 yards to seal the game with 6:39 to play, and most likely, a Northwest Football League title for the Red Devils (3-0, 7-0).
Winck finished with four carries for 113 yards and the two scores.
Neah Bay 50, Lummi 38
Neah Bay 14 28 0 8— 50
Lummi 8 22 8 0— 38
First Quarter
NB—Svec 30 run (run failed)
L—Hoskins 3 run (pass good)
NB—Svec 44 run (Martinez run)
Second Quarter
NB—Svec 46 run (Martinez run)
NB—Winck 63 run (run failed)
L—Hoskins 6 run (Hoskins run)
L— Cooper blocked punt recovery in end zone (run failed)
L—Lane 39 pass from Hoskins (Lane from Hopkins pass good)
NB—Martinez 69 run (Svec run)
NB—Svec 90 run (run failed)
Third Quarter
L—Hoskins 3 run (Lane from Hopkins pass good)
Fourth Quarter
NB—Winck 55 run (Munyagi run)
Individual Stats
Rushing— NB: Svec 16-235, Martinez 22-135, Winck 4-113, Buzzell 1-25, Munyagi 8-3, McGee 3-(-5). L: Hoskins 26-131, Cooper 10-39, Roberts 2-6.
Passing—NB: Munyagi 0-2-1, 0. L: Hoskins 14-28-0, 121.
Hoquiam 54, Forks 6
FORKS — Injuries have piled up for the Spartans all season, leaving an already short-handed Forks (1-4, 2-5) roster with just two seniors, 10 sophomores and four freshman for Friday’s loss to the Grizzlies.
“Our whole front line on offense was underclassmen,” Spartans coach Mark Feasel said.
Forks quarterback Javier Contreras was playing with a high-ankle sprain and aggravated the injury when rolled upon during the Spartans’ second series.
“He’s a gritty kid, he wanted to keep playing but we had to take him out,” Feasel said.
Fumbles hurt Forks on a wet night on the West End.
“We must have had three or four fumbles and we kept giving them short fields,” Feasal said.
“At first they were struggling to get through our defense, and our young guys should get a lot of credit for that.
“But we couldn’t get anything going on offense and kept giving them the ball, so it turned ugly in the second quarter.”
Cole Baysinger scored the lone Spartans touchdown on a 40-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Feasel said Garrison Shumack, Reece Moody and Jack Dahlgren have been cleared to play after suffering concussions in previous games.
Fullback and linebacker Miguel Morales also is expected back for Friday’s senior night against Aberdeen (1-4, 1-6) after missing two games with a separated shoulder.
“Things are looking up with those guys, but we’ll have to wait and see with Javier,” Feasel said.
Hoquiam 54, Forks 6
Hoquiam 6 34 6 8— 54
Forks 0 0 0 6— 6
Coupeville 57, Chimacum 14
CHIMACUM — The Cowboys’ (0-5, 0-7) tough season continued in a blowout loss to the Wolves (3-2, 5-2).
Coupeville racked up 528 rushing yards and 111 passing yards against Chimacum.
It doesn’t get easier for the Cowboys, who visit rival Port Townsend on Friday.
