Editor’s Note: The score of the Neah Bay-Lummi game was misreported by the Associated Press. The correct score was Neah Bay 48, Lummi 6.
BELLINGHAM — The Port Angeles and Squalicum football teams lit up the scoreboard, especially in the second quarter, with a series of wild plays resulting in 11 total touchdowns.
The game ultimately came down to a sequence of plays in the third quarter that resulted in a 14-point swing in favor of Squalicum as the Storm went on to win 49-28.
“Other than most of the first quarter, we played pretty darn good,” said coach Dustin Clark. He was happy with how his players fought back to make a game of it after getting down 21-0.
The Riders got off to a rough start, falling behind 21-0 early in the second quarter, but they rallied and got right back in the game, threatening to get within one score in the second half. The two teams erupted to score a total of 35 points in less than 10 minutes in the second quarter.
Down big, the Riders responded first with a 49-yard touchdown run up the gut from Dylan Mann to make it 21-7. Squalicum responded just three plays later with a 26-yard touchdown pass to push the lead up to 28-7.
Port Angeles came right back, taking advantage of a big kick return by Jude Wallace up to the 48-yard line. On a fourth-and-three from the 34-yard line, Carson Waddell hit Jagger Hjelmseth with a 34-yard touchdown to get the Riders back within two scores at 28-14.
That score remained for only a couple of minutes as Squalicum had a 36-yard pass play and then a 15-yard penalty tacked on for a late hit to give the Storm a first-and-goal. Three plays later, the Storm scored on a short touchdown run to put the score to 35-14.
It took the Riders just one play to get back to within 14 points, as Waddell hit Wallace with a 73-yard touchdown pass on a ball that was tipped by Squalicum defenders to make it 35-21. Squalicum nearly scored another touchdown at the end of the first half, but Port Angeles stripped the ball at the 7-yard line after a long run and River Flores recovered it.
The teams went into the break with Squalicum hanging on to what felt like a tenuous 14-point lead.
In the third quarter, the Riders had the momentum, driving the ball methodically down the field with a 24-yard pass to Wallace the big play of the drive.
Port Angeles had a first-and-goal at the five and went for a touchdown on a fourth-and-goal from the 2. However, the snap was fumbled and the ball ended up on the 15-yard line. Squalicum took advantage with a massive 85-yard touchdown pass to make it 42-21. It was a devastating sequence for the Riders, who had been looking to get within one score.
“That was big. We needed to score there. We had a play dialed up and I think we would have scored [if not for the fumble],” Clark said.
Squalicum added a fourth-quarter touchdown and Port Angeles had one last score on a 60-yard pass from Waddell to Hjelmseth, who had a huge day overall.
Waddell ended up 8-for-15 for 257 yards passing, while Mann rushed 26 times for 135 yards and a touchdown. Hjelmseth had three catches for 122 yards and two touchdowns, while Wallace had three catches for 90 yards and a touchdown. Oliver Martinez had two catches for 35 yards.
Hunter Flores and Ashton Gedelman each had interceptions.
Port Angeles (1-4, 2-5) next hosts Bremerton (2-2, 2-5) at 7 p.m. Friday.
East Jefferson 33, Bellevue Christian 7
PORT TOWNSEND — The East Jefferson football team got three huge turnovers on defense and shocked a Bellevue Christian team that came in to Friday’s game at Port Townsend Memorial Stadium 5-0.
The Rivals won 33-7, getting 154 yards rushing on 14 carries from Jackson Dupuy. That total included a 90-yard touchdown run.
Bellevue Christian is a 1A powerhouse most seasons and this year was no exception as the Vikings came into the game allowing only 33 points in four wins (the fifth win was a forfeit). The Rivals, who came into Friday’s game 1-4, matched that point total in one game.
The last time East Jefferson beat Bellevue Christian was in 2021.
After struggling early in the season against powerhouses Cascade Christian and Life Christian, the Rivals’ defense had improved the past two weeks, allowing 27 points to Klahowya and just 21 to Annie Wright. This week, everything came together for the Rivals on both sides of the ball for their biggest win in at least two or three years.
“On film, Bellevue Christian looked really good,” said coach Nick Snyder. “Defensively, we played really well.”
Snyder said he felt the Rivals were getting better every week and were on the brink of a breakout game like this.
“Each week, we’ve been getting better and better. We did a good job in pursuit. Our tackling was better. The kids were pretty excited,” Snyder said.
In addition to Dupuy’s great game, Luke O’Hara had a pick-six interception for a touchdown, and Jameson Henery had an interception with a 40-yard return, setting up the Rivals on the one-yard line for a quick TD.
Early in the game, the Rivals got another turnover on a strip and fumble recovery deep in the Vikings’ territory by Alex Garcia.
Snyder said Deken Lorenzen and Tyler Martin played well on defense and Isaac Stuart totaled 10 tackles.
East Jefferson (1-4, 2-5) looks to keep up its momentum Friday taking on Kingston (2-4), which was beaten 21-6 by Bellevue Christian last week.
Olympic 59, Sequim 14
BREMERTON — Olympic’s Chace Webster rushed for 340 yards as the first-place Olympic Trojans beat Sequim 59-14.
Sequim got its first touchdown on a 5-yard Liam Wiker run.
The second touchdown was set up by a 25-yard pass from Kaden Miller to Malachi Hampton. Miller actually nearly fell down on the play, somehow kept his feet without his knees hitting the ground and hit Hampton to set up the Wolves with a first-and-goal. Brayden Wopperer then scored on a 5-yard run.
Hampton finished with two catches for 49 yards. Olympic, ranked No. 10 in the state, finished with 424 yards rushing and 543 total yards.
Sequim (0-4, 3-4) next plays at Bainbridge (1-4, 1-6) at 7 p.m. Friday.
Crescent 53, Lake Quinault 18
AMANDA PARK — The Crescent Loggers got five touchdowns from Mikah Love and some of their freshmen and eighth-graders shined in beating Lake Quinault 53-18.
It was the first game in three weeks for the 6-0 Loggers, but they showed little rust in remaining unbeaten playing six-man football.
Coach Brian Shimko said the team had a lot of fumbles and turnovers but turned it on after a slow start. He said it was the Loggers’ first game in the rain all year.
Love scored on a 24-yard pass from eighth-grade quarterback Colton Sage and then Love threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Aiden Thompsen.
Love scored on a 60 yard kick return and 62-yard run, a 35-yard run and a 10-yard run. Wyatt Bauer also had a 31-yard run on a reverse.
Love finished with 429 all-purpose yards. He had 12 carries for 246 yards and with eight catches for 123 yards.
“That kid is a stud. Special teams, offense and defense,” Shimko said.
Sage passed 8-for-13 for 123 yards, while Bauer ran six times for 115 yards. Thompsen had six rushes for 58 yards and Nathan Harris ran three times for 45 yards.
Crescent hosts Clallam Bay at 1 p.m. Saturday.
In other games this week, Pe Ell-Willapa Valley beat Forks 34-9, Neah Bay beat Lummi 48-6 and Darrington beat Quilcene 52-18. Clallam Bay beat Mary M. Knight 26-20 in six-man football.
