When the Oak Harbor Wildcats went into last Friday’s varsity football game, they knew that although slim, there was still hope for a WESCO north playoff spot. Standing in the way were the Lake Stevens Vikings.
While it was a dry night, it was very windy, and Ryan Fakkema’s opening kickoff landed not on the goal line, but on the end line, and very nearly went through the uprights.
Lake Stevens ran the ball twice for little gain, then threw an incompletion. The Vikings lined up to punt from their own 25 yard line, with the punter standing on his own 12. The snap was high, but the punter was able to pull it down and kicked the ball from the 10 yard line. The ball landed on the 36 and rolled back to the 33, a net punt of only 8 yards.
While they started with the ball deep in Lake Stevens territory, the Wildcats were flagged for illegal substitution then gave up a sack on 3rd down. With the wind at their backs, head coach Jay Turner made the call to try for a field goal. What was surprising about the decision is that it was to be a 58-yard attempt. The snap was good, the placement good, the kick got off and looked like it would be good, but fell just a few yards short. It was a great effort by kicker Ryan Fakkema.
Lake Stevens went 3-and-out again, this time punting from their own 20. This punt was even worse than the last. The ball landed on the 15 but took a short bounce to the 17 where it was downed by Lake Stevens.
Oak Harbor’s first play was a pass to Josh Sayre, which he appeared to catch at the LS 6 yard line, but the official ruled him out of bounds. In reviewing the tape, it appears that Josh had control of the ball and one foot inbounds, but it’s the ref’s call that counts, so it was 2nd and 10 for the Wildcats. Felkner tried a couple more passes, but still hadn’t quite adjusted for the wind, although one pass was in and out of the hands of the receiver in the end zone. In the end, the ‘Cats again lined up for a field goal, this one from the LS 32. A Viking player may have gotten finger on the ball and it fell short on the end line.
Again on their own 20, Lake Stevens’ first play was a run that was stopped for a 1-yard loss by the Wildcat line, then on the 2nd play Derrick Clarit was able to get his hand on the ball and strip it away at the LS 25, and it was covered by Dillon Peterson at the 30.
Again, the Wildcats couldn’t move the ball, and again, attempted a field goal. On this attempt a Lake Stevens player clearly got a hand on the ball. The kicked ball landed on the LS 8 yard line then rolled into the end zone for a touchback.
Once more with the ball deep in their own territory, the Vikings ran the ball. The first was a run up the gut for 9 yards, then another for four more. On their 3rd straight run, the ball was knocked loose by a Wildcat linebacker at the LS 37 and recovered by another Wildcat at the bottom of the pile at the 38.
Looking at a 3rd and 9 at the Viking 35, Luke Felkner dropped off a screen pass to Brent Ryan who rumbled down to the 29, less than a yard short of a first down. This time instead of trying a field goal, the coaches decided to go for it. Donovan Hunt got the ball, cut to his left, and found his way down to the LS 22. There, the drive stalled. Felkner’s first two passes were tipped by Viking defenders, and on 3rd down Luke had to eat a sack. On fourth down he couldn’t find an open receiver and took off with the ball. He needed to get down to the Lake Stevens 12 but only got to the 17. Lake Stevens got only one play off before the quarter ended, with the two teams in a 0-0 tie.
Lake Stevens needed two plays to get the ball out to the 38 yard line, but that’s as far as they got. They were flagged twice in a row, for a delay of game, then for holding after a nice gain and apparent 1st down at the 41. The 2nd and 17 pass attempt was incomplete. On 3rd down, Javon Payne slipped through the LS line like a hot knife through butter and sacked the QB for a 16-yard loss. The Vikings punted from their own 15 yard line, and with 9:41 left in the 2nd quarter, the ball had still in Viking territory, this time at the 42 yard line.
After a false start penalty on the 1st play, the Wildcats lined up on the LS 47 with a 1st and 15. Hunt took the handoff from Felkner and looked like he was wrapped up at the line of scrimmage, but he broke loose and for a second it looked like he was headed for the end zone. He wasn’t, because the (expletive deleted) officials blew the play dead. The refs conferred, proclaimed an ‘inadvertent whistle”, and called for a do-over. After a couple of runs by Hunt and a short reception by Mike Washington, Jr., it was 4th and 4 at the LS 36 yard line. Felkner got the ball to Washington, who made a great fingertip catch, and fought his way to the 30 for an Oak Harbor first down. The officials called Lake Stevens for unsportsmanlike conduct after the play, putting the ball at the LS 15. On 3rd down, Ryan ran the ball to the left and looked like he stretched and got the ball to break the plane before Ryan’s knee touched the ground, but the refs spotted the ball at the 1 yard line. On the next play, Felkner tried the QB sneak, and after hitting the line twice, finally got it in for the OH score. Fakkema’s kick was good to give OH the lead, 7-0 with 5:31 left in the first half.
Lake Stevens returned the kickoff to their own 40, but the Wildcat defense sacked the QB again. He dropped the ball on his way down but it was recovered by the Vikings at the 29 yard line. Later, on 3rd and 17 at the LS 33, the Viking QB launched the ball downfield. The throw was overplayed by the defenders and was caught at the OH 32. Maybe. To everyone in the stands, it was dropped before the receiver had control, but the official on the scene, after looking around for some help, ruled it a catch. It was a costly catch as the player, Tyler Reside, was knocked unconscious. He was worked on while on the field for 10 minutes, then put in a stretcher and taken to the Coupeville hospital. Reports from Lake Stevens are that he will be fine, but did get a concussion and can’t remember anything about the game or the pass.
Back to the game. With the ball on the OH 26, the Vikings used 3 running plays to put the ball across the goal line. The snap for the PAT kick attempt was high, and the holder tried to run with the ball, but was gang tackled at the 10 yard line. With 2:57 left in the half it was OH 7, LS 6.
Josh Higbee returned the kickoff to the Oak Harbor 38 yard line, and the offense went to work with 2:47 left until halftime. A couple of runs by Hunt, and a run up the middle by Brad Farnum made it first down for Oak Harbor at the LS 44 and 1:23 left. A Ryan carry brought the ball to the LS 30, but with 23 seconds left, Felkner wound up getting sacked and time expired in the half, with Oak Harbor leading 7-6.
The Wildcats took the 2nd half kickoff and mounted a nice-looking drive. The kickoff went to the 25 and was returned to the 35. After shorts runs by Hunt and a nice catch by Josh Sayre, the Wildcats were in Viking territory. On 2nd down, Hunt ran left, found a hole in the line, and ran untouched for a 39-yard touchdown. Fakkema’s kick was good to put the ‘Cats ahead 14-6 with 10:05 remaining. After the touchdown the Wildcats were called for a personal foul and kicked off from their own 25 yard line.
The special teams boys were able to stuff the kick return, but Lake Stevens had the ball on their own 37. The Vikings ran the ball out of the “I” formation 7 times in a row, moving the ball to the Oak Harbor 4 yard line. There, on 3rd and 2, Lake Stevens changed it up and tried two passes. One was incomplete; the other was completed, but was a yard short of the first down. Oak Harbor ball on the OH 3 yard line, 6:35 to go in the 3rd quarter.
The first Wildcat play was a short run, then an incomplete pass. On 3rd down, Felkner was under a lot of pressure from two LS linemen, but got the ball off. Higbee caught it at the OH 2 yard line, then without being touched by any defender, ran 98 yards for the score. Officially it was a 96-yard TD catch and run and put the Wildcats ahead 21-6.
The two teams traded a punt on their next two possessions and the third quarter ended with the score still 21-6 in favor of Oak Harbor.
Starting the 4th quarter, Lake Stevens had the ball, 2nd and 5 on the LS 25. They moved the ball down to the OH 35. There, the Vikings fumbled the handoff and it was recovered by Alec Castillo at the OH 36. The Wildcats wound up punting after going backwards, thanks to a flag and a sack. Unlike the two Viking punts that were kicked into the wind, the OH punt went 27 yards.
Lake Stevens’ first play was a run good for a first down, the second a pass play that looked to be complete, but Josiah Miller was there, and timing his hit just right, broke up the play. Unfortunately, the Vikings were able to score, running it in from 14 yards out. The PAT pass attempt was good, bringing Lake Stevens to within 7, 21-14, and 6:56 left in the game.
OH got the kickoff at the 8 yard line and returned it to the 21, but could only get to midfield before the drive stalled and the team punted.
Lake Stevens took over on their own 22 with 3:46 left and used 3 plays to move the ball out to the 37. On 2nd and 10, two Wildcats, Aaron Boesch and Nick Rouser, broke through the line and attacked the Viking QB. They forced a fumble at the 23 that was recovered by Alec Castillo. Hunt and Ryan took turns running the ball, ending with a Ryan 5-yard TD run. Again the kick was good, giving the Wildcats a little breathing room, 28-14 and just 1:38 left in the game.
The squib kickoff was mishandled by Lake Stevens and almost recovered by Oak Harbor, but the Vikings got it at the 29 yard line. The first play was a pass attempt, but the ‘Cat line was all over the QB, forcing yet another sack. Lake was able to move the ball out to the 45, but time expired, leaving Oak Harbor with a 28-14 win.
With the win, the ‘Cats still have a chance at the WESCO #3 playoff spot. Two things need to happen, though. First, we need to win this Friday. The game is at #1 seed and undefeated Marysville. Also, Lake Stevens has to lose to the 1-4 Snohomish Panthers.
Against us is that the Snohomish-Lake Stevens game is at Lake Stevens and it’s senior night for the Vikings. All Lake Stevens has to do is win the game to give them a playoff spot, so they will be playing hard.
OH does have a couple things going for them at Friday’s game. Since Marysville has a lock on the #1 seed, they may not play with as much heart, and the MP coaches may make decisions that lean more towards protecting their players for the playoffs rather than winning a (for them) meaningless game.
We’ll find out Friday. Come down to Marysville and cheer on the Oak Harbor Wildcats this Friday!
Some video clips are posted HERE.
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