SEQUIM — North Kitsap running back Cole Rabedeaux has some slick one-on-one moves.
And not just on the basketball court, where he is an All-Olympic League point guard.
The hard-charging running back ran through numerous arm tackles as the Vikings controlled Sequim in a 27-10 win at Sequim on Friday.
Rabedeaux ran for 151 yards on 10 carries, scoring rushing touchdowns of 33 and 54 yards in the second half.
“[He’s] a big, thick athlete that runs really hard,” Wolves coach Erik Wiker said of the 6-foot-2, 190-pound Rabedeaux.
“We had him a number of times, and he just broke through. He was hitting holes and getting past those arm tackles.
“The tackling was the worst we’ve done in a long time.”
Rabedeaux also caught two balls for 70 yards, including a 36-yard middle screen he took to the house for the first score of the game early in the second quarter.
Sequim answered with a 24-yard field goal by Thomas Winfield after its drive stalled at the Vikings’ 7-yard line.
The Wolves then forced a North Kitsap three-and-out, and it appeared the momentum was swinging in Sequim’s direction.
But a fumble by freshman quarterback Riley Cowan on a fourth-and-inches rush was returned to the Sequim 4-yard line by the Vikings’ Robby Schmidt.
Gavin Velarde showed his speed on the play, running down Schmidt to prevent the TD, but it only staved off the inevitable.
North Kitsap quarterback Chris Andrews rushed for a score on the next play, and the Vikings led 14-3 at halftime.
The inability to get a consistent push up front offensively doomed the Wolves’ running game.
Sequim rushed for just 13 total yards on 21 carries.
“Their defense is good,” Wiker said.
“They are well-coached, they are in position, they make tackles, they attack the ball.
“The MVP of the league last year No. 55 [junior Bob Clark] is legit the best linebacker I’ve seen since [former Sequim standout] Isaac Yamamoto.”
The Rabedeaux-led North Kitsap running game produced 270 yards on 40 carries.
“NK owned the line of scrimmage,” Wiker said.
“[They were] pretty physical, but think about this: our line is full of three-year starters and their line is all brand new from last year.
“I think they worked harder than we did in the offseason and it showed.”
Holding and personal foul penalties hampered Sequim’s opening drive in the second half, and a short punt set North Kitsap up at the Wolves’ 33-yard line.
Rabedeaux took a pitch to the right before cutting back upfield to score on the Vikings’ first offensive play of the half.
Sequim answered on its next drive with a nifty play-action wide receiver screen pass from backup quarterback Nick Faunce to Velarde for a 34-yard score to cut the deficit to 20-10 with 8:23 to play in the third quarter.
Velarde’s performance was the real highlight for Sequim.
He returned a kickoff for 53 yards in the first half to set up the first score for the Wolves, and caught five passes for 120 yards.
But Rabedeaux was the star of the show.
On the ensuing possession, North Kitsap dug itself a third-and-30 hole with three consecutive penalties before Rabedeaux bailed his team out with a 54-yard TD run that put the game out of Sequim’s reach.
The Wolves had fourth-quarter drives stall in Vikings territory and end via an interception near the goal line.
After two straight Olympic League games, Sequim (1-1, 3-1) will visit Centralia (2-2) on Friday for a nonleague contest.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-452-2345, ext. 5250 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
