Community Sports

Peninsula seniors go out on top with Fish Bowl win

The Peninsula Seahawks (1-2) left no doubt about which local football team is best this season after their 37-8 victory over the Gig Harbor Tides (1-2) during the Fish Bowl on Sept. 19 at Mount Tahoma High School.

Peninsula evened the all-time series between the rivals at 24 wins each.

The lopsided score was somewhat of a surprise after the Seahawks lost their first two games of this season. But they executed a solid game plan and played with full-throttle intensity from the opening kickoff.

Seniors get first Fish Bowl win

Peninsula came into Saturday’s contest on a three-game Fish Bowl losing streak. But the seniors clearly decided that they weren’t going to let their careers end without a win over the Tides.

After the final whistle, a red-cheeked coach Clay Mauro — who looked like he played in the game himself — said a few words to his team before thrusting the trophy high into the air. Seahawk fans could be heard roaring all the way to a glimmering Mount Rainier in the distance.

Mauro is the heartbeat of the Seahawks and it showed throughout the game. His players look like they would run through a wall for their coach.

Quarterback Talen McDonnell, a 6-foot-4 senior, threw for 220 yards and two touchdowns. He routinely used his size and foot speed to elude the rush before throwing short and intermediate passes for big gains.

Peninsula quarterback Talen McDonnell looks for a receiver during the Fish Bowl on Sept. 19. Photo by Bryce Carithers

Between his quarterbacking and placekicking duties, McDonnell accounted for nearly half his team’s points.

“This feels great. We’ve been waiting all four years for this,” McDonnell said. “The seniors definitely realized that this is our last Fish Bowl together and the young guys stepped it up. We all earned it.”

He had help from a trio of tough runners. Thomas Marzano scored two first-half rushing touchdown, Brycen McAnally ran for 44 yards and caught a touchdown pass, and the speedy and physical Xavier Jones rushed for 51 yards and a touchdown.

“I grew up seeing everyone win, so it feels good to be back,” Marzano said. Asked about his physical running style, Marzano continued: “Our coach emphasizes BARBs — that’s bad-ass running backs — we want to get as many yards after contact as we can.”

A Seahawks running back plunges into the end zone during Fish Bowl. Photo by Bryce Carithers

Running backs, line make themselves felt

Those players ran behind a physical offensive line that gave McDonnell time to throw and got the push needed in goal-line situations. The line — seniors Connor Joefield, TJ Strilcov and Coby Jones and juniors Ben Bergson and Kayson Harwell — got stronger in the third and fourth quarters to secure the victory.

The defense provided smashing tackles, constant quarterback pressure and sticky secondary coverage. The Seahawks snagged four interceptions and held Gig Harbor to only 120 yards of offense.

Mauro definitely earned his first FishBowl win. He leaped, paced, stomped, hugged, yelled, consoled, encouraged and chest-bumped throughout the game.

“If you want the kids to have energy, then you have to have energy,” Mauro said.

“All the credit in the world to the kids, they took over this week,” Mauro said. “I said we have to be introspective, we have to care about us, we love us, we love us, we love us, and they took that to heart. They took the early lessons, they applied them and we had the best week of practice since I’ve been here. They dominated, it was all them.”

Peninsula coach Clay Mauro lifts the Fish Bowl trophy on Sept. 19. Photo by Bryce Carithers

Up next

The next challenge for the Seahawks will be to bring the same intensity against their next opponent, Timberline (3-0). The Seahawks defeated the Blazers 15-9 last year. The two tangle at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, at North Thurston High School in Lacey.

The Tides will look to even their record at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, against Bellarmine (1-2) at Roy Anderson Field. Gig Harbor beat the Lions 42-20 last season.

The Peninsula offensive line — from left, Ben Bergeson, Connor Joefield, Kayson Harwell, Coby Jones and TJ Strilcov — poses with coach Pete Pratz. Photo by Bryce Carithers