FB 2011-09-23 @ Everett

At the beginning of the season, Oak Harbor was picked by the coaches to finish 3rd in WESCO 3A, just ahead of Everett. Last Friday, it took just 2 plays to show that Oak Harbor was more than one place better than the Seagulls.

Everett received the opening kickoff and on their first play Tucker Lundstrom stripped the ball and Josiah Miller fell on it giving OH a first down at the Everett 25. On the very next play Miller ran around the right side to put Oak Harbor up 7-0 just 12 seconds into the game. Everett's next possession ended with a punt at midfield after 7 plays, then the Oak Harbor drive was stopped short at the Everett 2 yard line by a Seagull interception. Everett returned the ball to their own 47, but 6 plays later, facing a 4th and 6, Josh McVey got in and sacked the QB to give OH the ball.

Oak Harbor then put together a 9-play drive that ended with a Brent Ryan 1-yard TD run with 9:47 to go in the 2nd quarter. The PAT kick failed, giving OH a 13-0 lead. Oak Harbor's kickoff went out of bounds giving Everett excellent field position at their own 35, but 3 plays later Miller picked off the Seagull pass then on the Wildcats' first play ran 67 yards to the end zone. The 2 point PAT attempt was no good. With 8:47 left in the half it was OH 19, Everett 0.

Everett went 3-and-out on their next possession, punting down to the Oak Harbor 8 yard line. Quickly moving back out to mid-field, quarterback Ian Kolste handed the ball to Brent Ryan who rumbled 50 yards up the middle for another Oak Harbor touchdown. The kick was good to make it 26-0 with 5:48 left until halftime.

Everett finally got on the board, tossing a pass just over the head of the Wildcat defender for a 44-yard TD with 3:57 left in the half. Oak Harbor 26, Everett 7.

This is when OH really got rolling. On a 3rd and 9 play at the Everett 46, Kolste found Miller open at the 40 yard line then Josiah evaded a bunch of Seagull defenders to boost the OH lead to 33-7 with 1:08 to go. Oak Harbor then tried an onside kick which was recovered by Michael Maletto at the Everett 46. Then, running nearly the same play, Kolste got the ball to Isaiah Trower at the 38 and he ended up in the end zone to make it 40-7 with 55 seconds on the clock.

In the second half, the Wildcats got the ball first and it looked like Peter Franssen scored yet again for the 'Cats, but his 47-yard run was called back. No matter, as 5 plays later Ryan punched it in from 4 yards out to put OH up 47-7 and start a running clock for the remainder of the game.

Everett's next possession went nowhere, ending with two straight sacks, one by Troy Sturdevant with Tucker Lundstrom, the other by Casey Ferguson.

Everett finally scored again with both teams deep into their depth charts on a QB run from 13 yards out.

Final score - Oak Harbor 47, Everett 14.

Next up for the 'Cats is a home game Friday against the winless Lynnwood Royals, who are giving up an average of 44 points per game. Kickoff at 7pm at Wildcat Memorial Stadium.

79 photos from the first half are posted HERE.

Video highlights are HERE.