Football vs Shorecrest

With only 1 league game left, the Wildcats still have a shot at the playoffs after falling 28-21 in overtime to the Shorecrest Highlanders last Friday at Wildcat Memorial Stadium.

After the game, the Wildcats had a 3-3 league record with Meadowdale still to face. Glacier Peak is at the top of the standings at 5-0 and Everett is 2nd at 4-1. Meadowdale is currently 3rd with a 3-2 record, Shorecrest is 4-3 and Oak Harbor is 5th at 3-3. If Meadowdale wins this Friday (likely against Lynnwood) and then the Wildcats win the head-to-head contest, Oak Harbor will take the 4th and final postseason spot, but will have a play-in game against the 2nd place team from the Northwest Conference for a spot in the State playoffs.

In Friday's game, Shorecrest started the game with an onside kick, which they recovered and drove 39 yards to score with 8:01 left in the 1st quarter.

The first quarter ended with the score 7-0 in favor of Shorecrest and Oak Harbor driving, but a fumble ended the drive at the Shorecrest 21, but the Wildcat defense held and forced a punt from the SC 20. Starting at their own 27, the Wildcats drove down to the Shorecrest 36 thanks to a nice run by Sam Wolfe, then Josiah Miller found his way through the line for a 36-yard TD run, tying the game 7-7 with 8:25 left to go in the 2nd quarter.

Oak Harbor then tried their own onside kick, recovering the ball at the Shorecrest 45, then used 10 plays, ending with a 1-yard Zack Ayer run, to make the score 14-7 with 4:50 remaining in the half.

The Scots then worked the ball into Wildcat territory, but a fumble on a run was recovered by Justin Counts. OH got into Shorecrest's half of the field by the drive stalled and OH punted at the Shorecrest 46 with 1:33 left until the half. Again, the defense held strong, forcing Shorecrest to punt. Shorecrest tried a rugby-style kick with the punter on the run and the ball sailed out of bounds after traveling only 4 yards. Oak Harbor first down at the Shorecrest 43 with 22 seconds left, but a Burgoyne pass with 6 seconds left was intercepted at the 2 yard line to end the half with Oak Harbor leading 14-7.

OH kicked off to start the 2nd half and a 4th down pass attempt by Shorecrest fell incomplete, giving the Wildcats the ball at the OH 36. Ten plays later it was OH 21-7 after a 25-yard run by Miller and a Franssen PAT kick. That score would stand to the end of the 3rd quarter.

Shorecrest closed the gap to 21-14 on an 8-yard TD pass with 10:53 left in the game then scored again on a heads-up play by a Shorecrest player. After a 14- yard run, the Scorecrest runner was hit at the 1 yard line by Sam Wolfe and fumbled the ball. The ball bounced around and seemingly jumped up into the hands of another Scot who ran it the final yard into the end zone. The kick was good and the score was tied at 21 with 3:16 left.

Oak Harbor had one final chance to score with 33 seconds left in regulation, but the Wildcat pass was again intercepted, ending regulation time 21-21.

In overtime, Oak Harbor won the toss and Shorecrest got the ball first, then scored on their 2nd play on a 25-yard TD pass play and kick was good.

On Oak Harbor's possession, with a 3rd and 10 at the 15 yard line, a Scot defender stepped in front of the Oak Harbor pass and intercepted to end the game with a 21-28 Oak Harbor loss.

In Monday's JV game, Oak Harbor beat Shorecrest 19-14.

37 photos are posted HERE.

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