Community Sports
Seahawks, Tides both secure crucial football wins
Both local football teams lit up the scoreboard on Friday, Oct. 2, and now lead their respective divisions of the Puget Sound League.
Gig Harbor (3-2, 2-0 PSL Narrows) upset Lincoln (3-1, 1-1), 31-28, in the Lincoln Bowl. Peninsula (3-2, 2-0 PSL Nisqually) fired on all cylinders in a 40-28 victory over Capital (2-3, 1-1) at Roy Anderson Field.
Tides survive rally to knock off Lincoln
Against previously undefeated Lincoln, Gig Harbor leaned on its running game to take a 28-14 lead in the fourth quarter. But the Abes rallied with two touchdowns in the last five minutes, sandwiched around a successful on-side kick, to tie the game.
The Tides responded by driving to the Lincoln 13-yard line, where Caleb Kalafatich connected on the game-winning 30-yard field goal with 28 seconds remaining in the game.
Gig Harbor running back Taylor Schwab during a game earlier this year. Photo by Bryce Carithers
Gig Harbor set the tone on its opening drive, gaining 65 yards on 14 rushing plays before junior quarterback Sawyer Hayes scored on a one-yard touchdown behind hulking center Brandon Ridgeway. Senior running back Max Schwab had runs of 10 and seven yards on the drive.
Lincoln tied the score on an eight-yard touchdown pass by quarterback Sione Kaho, a five-star recruit and Stanford commit.
The two teams traded stops on the next two drives, with Lincoln stuffing a Gig Harbor fourth-down attempt and Schwab intercepting Kaho in the end zone.
Tides coach Jeff Scoma called for some trickery on Gig Habor’s next possession. A double-handoff, reverse run by Taylor Carey gained 27 yards to the Abes’ 12 yard line. Schwab then scored on third and goal from the seven yard line to put his team up 14-7 with 2:42 to go in the half.
The Gig Harbor defense forced a three-and-out, and Hayes gained 27 yards on a run to the Abes’ 15 yard line. The QB then hit running back Tristan Shipley with a touchdown pass. After Gig Harbor’s Cam Archer intercepted Lincoln’s last gasp of the half, the Tides went into the break with a 21-7 lead.
Puget Sound League Narrows Division football standings as of Oct. 4.
Lincoln rallies
Gig Harbor led Lincoln at the half last season, too, before the Abes rallied to win by 16 points. The Tides went into the half determined to not let Lincoln off the hook again.
Lincoln pulled to within 21-14 on a 33-yard touchdown run by J.T. Williams with 8:33 to go in the third quarter. But Hayes bumped the lead back to 14 with another one-yard touchdown run. Shipley had a 27-yard gain and senior Ian Shearer an 11-yarder on the drive.
Gig Harbor forced a Lincoln punt on the next possession, and the Tides drove to the 2-yard line following Schwab’s 25-yard run and 27-yard catch.
Facing fourth-and-one from the 2 with eight minutes remaining, Scoma opted to go for it. But Hayes’ keeper attempt was stuffed.
Lincoln drove 97 yards and scored on Kaho’s 27 yard touchdown pass. After a missed extra point, the score was 28-20 with 4:52 to go.
That’s when the Abes recovered their onside kick at midfield. They tied the game at 28 on Kaho’s 50-yard pass to Aamir Foy and subsequent 2-point conversion.
Gig Harbor quarterback Sawyer Hayes ran for two touchdowns and threw for one in the win over Lincoln. Photo by Bryce Carithers
But Gig Harbor went back to its ground game, using key runs from Lucas Olivas to keep the chains moving and the clock running. Then Kalafatich drilled the biggest field goal of his life.
Lincoln made things interesting by returning the kickoff to the Tides’ 32-yard line with 12 seconds remaining. But the Tides batted down Kaho’s long pass in the end zone.
Gig Harbor is now tied with Mount Tahoma on top of the Narrows Division. The Tides play at Central Kitsap in Silverdale on Oct. 9.
McDonnell, Marzano lead Peninsula
Peninsula played well in all three phases to walk off Roy Anderson Field with a satisfying, 40-28 win over Capital on Oct. 2.
The Cougars took an 8-0 lead with a long drive on their first possession, but Peninsula responded with running back Kainoa Coit’s four-yard touchdown. The scored remained 8-7 at the end of the first quarter.
The Seahawks blocked a Capital punt in the second quarter, which Eaton HansonSmith picked up and returned 18 yard for a touchdown and a 13-8 lead.
Capital reclaimed the lead following a long touchdown drive that culminated with 2:08 remaining in the half. Seahawk defensive lineman Asher Epstein blocked the extra point and the Cougars led 14-13.
Puget Sound League Nisqually Division football standings as of Oct. 4.
Noah Mathis returned the ensuing kickoff 46 yards, and Seahawks quarterback Talen McDonnell took it from there. He gained two first downs with his legs, connected on intermediate passes to Malachi Peterson and Thomas Marzano, and then ran 11 yards for a score. Peninsula led 20-14 at the half.
McDonnell extended the lead to 27-14 with a 14-yard touchdown strike to Jace Shanburn with 7:52 to go in the third quarter. Marzano ended the next Capital possession by intercepting a hurried throw from the Cougars quarterback, and McDonnell hit Coit on a screen that gained 65 yards a couple plays later.
Peninsula running back Talen McDonnell runs for a first down against Capital. Photo by Ed Johnson
The Seahawks rewarded Marzano for his defensive work by giving him the ball for a four-yard touchdown as Peninsula claimed a 33-14 lead near the end of the third quarter. He scored again in the fourth quarter.
Peninsula hosts North Thurston for its Homecoming game at Roy Anderson Field on Oct. 9. On the horizon is an Oct. 23 matchup with Nisqually Division co-leader Lakes in Purdy.