10/7/16
Sumner 21, Olympia 16
(Sumner, WA) These were the only 2 undefeated teams in the state facing off on a 6th week Friday night and it indeed turned out to be the dogfight most expected. Coming into the game both Olympia and Sumner were averaging a 50-points a game while defensively giving the Spartans gave up 18 and the Bears 25.
A 6-0 score at halftime seemed improbably especially if the 6 were 2 field goals with these high octane offenses on
the field but that’s exactly what happened. The Bears took the opening drive and in 12 plays and more than half the quarter would end up on the Sumner 23 with a 4th and long. Skyler Davis came on to attempt a 40-yard field goal but the Spartans weren’t buying it expecting a fake. Bears Coach Bill Beattie was not faking and put his faith in Davis’s leg and was rewarded when Davis booted a high, straight and long enough kick for a 3-0 lead. There wasn’t much space left but the Bears were happy to be on the board.
The Bears defense was cranked on high in the first half holding the explosive Spartans to just 56 yards of total offense and all-everything back Connor Wedington just 26 yards. The Bears offense controlled the ball so much in the 1st half the Spartans would only get 2 possessions in the 1st half. The Bears would have 3 and on their 2nd drive would double their lead with 7:19 to go in the half on a Davis 31-yard field goal and the Bears led at the half 6-0. The Bears had to settle for the field goal after getting to the 6-yard and had a 1st and goal. Sumner’s Ben Wilson then sacked Bears QB Ketner Young for a 10-yard loss denying a real shot at 6-points.
The 2nd half both offenses looked more like we thought they would and Sumner would begin with the ball. Despite feeling like Olympia totally controlled the 1st half when you looked at the scoreboard it was only 6-0 and it would take the Spartan’s 51-seconds to take their first lead in the game.
Wedingt0n got things started with a 34-yard kick-off return to the Bears 47. 3 plays later QB Luke Ross would hand it off to Wedington who burst through the Olympia line for the first time and went 37 yards into the end zone for the touchdown, Nick Phillips added the PAT and Sumner led 7-6 with 11:09 left to play.
The Bears answered with an impressive drive of their own. They didn’t over react and kept with the plan with a mix of throwing the ball and running the ball with Scott Gunther. The Bears would again drive into Spartan territory but again be denied the big prize and Skyler Davis was asked to step in and boot another field goal in which he did this time from 33-yards and the Bears re-took the lead 9-7 although the Spartans felt good about holding firm.
The 2 teams would exchange possessions 3 times and Sumner took over with 4:41 to go in the 3rd on their own 43. Tre Weed would fumble but his teammate Skyler Sandretsky fell on it to keep possession. Weed then redeemed himself big time taking a little screen from the right side of the field and cut back to the middle and finally getting inside the pylon all the way across the field on the left side and sumner went up 14-9.
After another 3 possessions the Spartans would get the ball after a Bears punt on their own 39. The ProActive Physical Therapy Play of the Game would then be made by Wedington who ran through a huge hole opened up by the O-line and he was gone 61-yards for the touchdown and a 21-9 lead with 6:11 left to play.
The Bears had their backs up against the wall and they also lost their #1 offensive weapon Scott Gunther. Gunther had run the ball 32 times and on #32 he was hit on his hip and was held out for the rest of the game.
If the Bears were going to make a miraculous comeback they would have to do it without Gunther. Young and the Bears offense would not give in and after a partially blocked punt would take over on the Spartan 46 with 3:50 left to play. They would score after a beautiful pass from Young to Dayne Shafer down to the 8, a 38-yard strike and then Young hit Corbin Hartsock on a crossing route and he dove into the endzone for the TD and the Bears were within 5 at 21-16 with 2:09 left to play.
The Bears had only 1 time out so they had to go for an onside kick but Sandretsky scooped it up like a shortstop and the Spartans were able to run out the clock to preserve the hard fought win. Sumner is now 5-0 in league play and 6-0 overall while Olympia takes their 1st loss of the year and drop to 5-1 both in league and overall.
The Spartans have Bellarmine Prep, Rogers and Emerald Ridge to finish off their schedule while the Bears only have 2 league games left but they are doosies against Graham-Kapowsin and Puyallup before finishing the season with their 1 non-league game against Stanwood.
The Spartans finished with 268 total yards, 201 on the ground led by Wedington with 174 and 2 TD’s. The Bears actually outgained the Sparts with 297 yards, 142 on the ground, Gunther with 131 but for the 1st time this season no touchdowns and 155 passing. Young went 11-30 for 155 and a TD to Hartsock. Our Tommy Lowe of the Greene Realty Group Players of the Game went to Sumner’s Ben Wilson and to Olympia’s Corbin Hartsock.
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