SEQUIM — The Sequim football team gave 5-1 Olympic everything it could handle Friday night with the ball on the 1-yard line in the final two minutes for a game-tightening score, but the Trojans successfully had a goal-line stand to seal a 35-21 win over the Wolves.
The Trojans weren’t able to stop Sequim’s Aiden Gockerell all game but stuffed him at the goal line when it counted at the very end. Gockerell ripped off several big runs all game long and finished with over 150 yards rushing.
If the Wolves could have pulled out the game, it not only would have been Sequim’s third straight win, it would put the Wolves in a three-way tie for second in the Olympic 2A League with Olympic and Bremerton. Olympic came in to the game with a 4-1 record and 3-0 in Olympic 2A League play, but the Wolves stayed right with the Trojans most of the game. A costly interception hurt Sequim and a couple of big passing plays from Olympic quarterback Dylan Boschee-Perry were the difference.
Olympic got up quickly 7-0 in the first quarter. Gockerell scored on a 15-yard run early in the second quarter to knot the game at 7-7.
The Trojans responded with 40 yards through the air on a pair of plays and scored on a 10-yard run to make it 14-7.
The teams traded a pair of TDs within 20 seconds in the third quarter. Olympic scored on a 50-yard slant pass from Boschee-Perry to make it 21-7. But, the Wolves Sam Fitzgerald took the ensuing kickoff 80 yards down the right sideline for a score to put the Wolves right back in the game at 21-14.
Gockerell nearly had a 55-yard touchdown run, but he got tripped up by a touchdown-saving ankle tackle at the 29-yard line after slicing through the Trojans’ defense for 27, still putting the Wolves in good position. That tackle might have made all the difference because shortly afterward Sequim lost the ball on an interception.
Olympic took advantage, scoring quickly on a 40-yard strike by Boschee-Perry to make it 28-14.
On the following drive, it was almost all Gockerell. He tore off a 20-yard run, followed by a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty. He followed up with runs of 14, 8 and 12 yards to put the Wolves inside the 5-yard line. Quarterback Lars Wiker capped off the drive with a 1-yard plunge to make it 28-21.
On the ensuing kick, Olympic returned it to the 40, but the Wolves got a huge break on a holding penalty, pinning the Trojans down inside their own 10. Olympic responded with a long, grinding 90-yard drive that chewed up a ton of the fourth-quarter clock, ending with a touchdown to make it 35-21.
Sequim responded with its own drive that was again almost all Gockerell. He had runs of 15, 12 and 10 yards to get the Wolves in the first-and-goal with enough time on the clock to make it a game. Olympic came up with its goal-line stand to end the threat, however.
The Wolves (2-2, 2-4) are at North Mason (0-4, 0-6) next week.
Neah Bay 70, Darrington 8
DARRINGTON — Darrington had high hopes, coming off a huge come-from-behind win over Lummi the week before and entering Friday night’s game with a 5-0 record.
Neah Bay, ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the state in different polls, quickly dashed those hopes, showing the Loggers they are not quite among the state’s elite 1B teams yet.
Coach Kane Bachelor thought the final score was misleading as Darrington played well at the beginning of the game.
“They kind of popped us in the mouth to begin with. We had to check in and react and we were able to,” Bachelor said.
Neah Bay went on the road in smoky conditions in Darrington and beat a 5-0 team 70-8, gaining 547 yards from scrimmage.
The Red Devils had 403 yards on the ground with Jodell Wimberley running for 179 yards on 16 carries and Julian Carrick gaining 105 yards on nine carries. Chris Hottowe added a 64-yard run and Tyler Swan gained 40 yards on seven carries.
Carrick scored four rushing touchdowns while Wimberley had two.
Carrick accounted for six touchdowns total. He also passed for 144 yards and two TDs. He even added an interception on defense.
Makyah Chambers had an 85-yard catch and run for a touchdown, while Adan Ellis had two catches for 54 yards and a touchdown.
On defense, Wimberly led the team with eight tackles, while Andre Greene, Charles Halttunen, Swan and Hottowe each had seven. Bachleor said Greene especially stood out as six of his tackles were for losses.
Bachelor said the game was important for the Red Devils because the kids want to host some playoff games this fall in Forks or Port Angeles. And they can do that if they are one of the top-ranked teams. Last year, they had to make a long trip to Moses Lake in eastern Washington for a postseason game.
“These kids are done with traveling. They want to continue to play well,” he said.
Toward that end, Neah Bay will get to host their next three games. The Red Devils (3-0, 5-0) next hosts Concrete (0-1, 0-4) at 5 p.m. Friday.
