PREP FOOTBALL: Sequim stuns No. 9 North Kitsap

SEQUIM — Sequim quarterback Riley Cowan has shown he can beat teams offensively with his arm, but it was his right foot that did the most damage as the Wolves pulled out an epic 16-14 upset of No. 9 ranked North Kitsap.

Blackwell slips again and that's the game. Sequim upsets No. 9 North Kitsap 16-14. Wow. First win over Vikings since 2010. #wafbscores pic.twitter.com/Gf2DY4J6yP

— Michael Carman (@MikeCarmanPDN) September 15, 2018

Cowan connected on three field goal attempts and an extra-point after breaking Sequim’s career touchdown passing record with a 26-yard strike to Kyler Rollness.

It was Sequim’s first win against the Olympic League powerhouse Vikings since Oct. 22, 2010 — and North Kitsap’s first league loss since Oct. 30, 2015.

Cowan, a four-year starter at QB, put the win in perspective.

“I have to reflect on it, but right now I would say its No. 1 [his most memorable win],” Cowan said. “All the work we all did over the summer, all the work we did in practice, we run a ton of plays at practice and it was all for North K. And we beat North K.”

Cowan channeled the booming and accurate leg of Seattle Seahawks rookie punter Michael Dickson in the punt game, pinning North Kitsap inside their own 5-yard line on three separate occaisions on three deep punts. He also coffin cornered the Vikings inside their own 1o-yard line on two kickoffs.

All told, the average starting field position for North Kitsap’s 10 drives was their own 17-yard line.

“That’s crazy,” Cowan said when told of his special teams’ feats. “That’s a huge part of the game. “Coach [Erik Wiker] always talks about hidden yardage, so that’s huge to be able to do that and help our defense out.”

And Sequim took advantage defensively, clamping down on the Vikings run game and chasing down North Kitsap quarterback Andrew Blackwell for three sacks.

“Field possession is huge and we talk with the kids about special teams all the time and how important they are,” Wiker said. “I call it hidden yardage, because when you talk about yardage you talk about kick return yards, but you don’t talk about those hidden yards. There’s no real yards on that kickoff, you don’t put it in the paper or that punt that goes inside the 10, but how important was that tonight?”

Really, really important.

Sequim’s first points, a 30-yard Cowan field goal, came as a result of a short field set up by a Cowan punt to the Vikings’ 3-yard line.

Cowan 30 FG puts Sequim up 3-0 on North Kitsap 7:03 1Q #wafbscores pic.twitter.com/KbGd1HoXsw

— Michael Carman (@MikeCarmanPDN) September 15, 2018

Cowan found senior teammate Kyler Rollness for a 26-yard TD in the second quarter to put the Wolves up 10-0.

A Joey Oliver interception return inside the North Kitsap 20-yard line was moved back by a penalty and Sequim’s ensuing drive stalled in what looked like a pivotal moment of the game.

The Vikings put together a 10-play, 95-yard drive, capped by a 16-yard TD pass from Blackwell to Colton Bower to close to within 10-7.

Sequim marched downfield in the waning moments of the half and Cowan found Rollness for a 29-yard TD, but the score was called back due to a holding penalty on the Wolves.

But Sequim persevered and put two more Cowan field goals from 28 and 21 yards out to go back up 16-7 entering the fourth quarter.

The Wolves utilized a quick no-huddle offense that kept North Kitsap off-balance defensively for much of the game.

“It took away their adjustments,” Cowan said. “If we line up and they know what formation we are lined up in they can adjust to it. They have good coaching and discipline, so it was great to just pick a play, go with it and have them have to play in their base defense.”

“I think we had a great game plan coming out, some of the things they do on defense that has taken our stuff away [in past games] we took away with the quick no-huddle,” Wiker said.

“[The Vikings] are very well coached, extremely well-coached. It’s almost like a college game, you have to outcoach them. By us doing that, it took away some of their stuff away that they do well against us and you have to react a little more. And when you[r opponents] have to react a little more its a good thing for us.”

Blackwell connected with 6-foot-5 wideout Blake Wetzsteon on a 22-yard TD on a 3rd-and-goal situation to open the fourth quarter, but Sequim’s defense stood tall and the offense worked the clock by putting the ball in the hands of running back Taig Wiker and Cowan.

North Kitsap had one last chance in the final 25 seconds and advanced to the Sequim 45, but Blackwell slipped while setting up a hail mary pass into the end zone to start the celebration.

Coach Wiker didn’t look at the win as a huge upset.

“I thought all week that it would be a closer game and this year it was something we really could have won,” Wiker said.

“We have good athletes, a couple of great athletes, but we have to be a better-conditioned team that works harder. Blue collar.”

A beaming Rollness summed up the win as an amazing accomplishment.

“I’ve played them for four years and this is the first time we’ve beat them or even come close to beating them,” he said.

And catching Cowan’s record-setting TD?

“It’s awesome,” Rollness said. “We’ve played together since seventh grade and we’ve dreamed about senior year for a long time and it’s here and we are thankful for it.”

Sequim 16, North Kitsap 14

North Kitsap 0 7 0 7 — 14

Sequim 3 7 6 0 — 16

First Quarter

S—Cowan 30 field goal

Second Quarter

S—Rollness 26 pass from Cowan (Cowan kick)

NK—Bower 16 pass from Blackmore (kick good)

Third Quarter

S—Cowan 28 field goal

S—Cowan 21 field goal

Fourth Quarter

NK—Wetzsteon 22 pass from Blackmore (attempt failed)

Individual Stats

Rushing—NK: Kahana 16-83; Williams 4-15; North 3-11, Solis 1-9, Burchill 2-9, Blackwell 5-(-20). S: Wiker 21-69; Cowan 14-12.

Passing—S: Cowan 16-30-160, TD, INT. NK: Blackwell 7-15-128, 2 TDs, INT.

Receiving—S: Rollness 6-74, Wiker 6-38; Young 2-17, Oliver 1-16, Langston 1-15, NK: Bower 3-65, Wetzsteon 3-52 Kahana 1-11.

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Sports reporter/columnist Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.