10/15/16

The South Sound Conference is shaping up to be quite a race for the top four spots. The good news is the top 4 advance to the crossovers and the league standings is a battle for position. Here are the current standings:

Peninsula 5-0

Timberline 4-1

Gig Harbor 3-2

Capital 3-2

Shelton 1-3

Yelm 1-4

Central Kitsap 1-4

North Thurston 0-4

Friday Night Results:

Peninsula 38, Central Kitsap 7 Story 

Capital 20, Yelm 6

North Thurston at Shelton Postponed

Timberline 42, Gig Harbor 17

(Lacey, WA) The weather was certainly part of the story coming into this game but in the end it was an overwhelming ground game by Timberline that decided this contest. The Blazers would rack up 466 yards on the ground led by Anthony Hathaway’s 275 yards and 3 touchdowns.

The Blazer offense looked like it would cash in on the 2nd drive of the game with a 1st and goal on the 1 of Gig Harbor. But a false start pushed the Blazers back and the Tides dug in forcing a 4th and goal. Timberline decided to go for a field goal but GH blocked it and took over on their own 20. After their 3rd straight 3 and out the Tides dropped back to punt with Shawn Kimble, not the regular punter Logan Kinney. It was 4th and 1 and Kimble rolled to his right for what looked like a run or punt option. The Blazers were not fooled and Kimble was under pressure when he tried to rugby style kick it. The slick ball went off the tip of his toe and was a line drive right at Timberline’s Tyrin Edmonds. Edmonds caught and returned it 25 yards for the 1st TD of the game and the Blazers had 7-0 lead, a lead they would never surrender.

On the next Gig Harbor drive Mason Simeta picked off a Ben Hollenbeck pass with a great catch in the underneath zone and the Blazers were back in business on the Harbor 48. As the 2nd quarter began Hathaway would score his 1st touchdown and Timberline went up 14-0 just 28-seconds into the 2nd.

The Blazers would get one more chance to score before halftime and Madison Douglas got another chance to boot a field goal and split the uprights from 29-yards.

Gig Harbor would have 32-seconds left to work with and when Hollenbeck ripped off a 56 yard run down to the Timberline 20 they would get on the board with their own kicker. Logan Kinney stepped on for a 35-yard attempt and ripped it through the rain and wind for the Tides first points as time expired in the 1st half.

Timberline started with the ball on their own 20 as the 2nd half began and went on an impressive 11-play, 80-yard drive, most on the ground with Hathaway and Michael Barnes carrying the rock. Hathaway would burst through the middle of the line for the final 20 yards, the PAT failed but the Blazers extended their lead 23-3 with 5:48 to play in the 3rd.

This TD triggered the most incredible 69-seconds we have ever seen. Gig Harbor would take over on their own 27 and on the 1st play Hollenbeck would drop in a pass to Zack Davis who caught it at the 50 and then outran the defense for the Tides 1st touchdown and at the 5:28 mark it was 23-10 on the 73-yard score.

The Blazers then took over on their own 27 when Blazer QB Jacob Henning handed off to Hathaway who hit the right edge and was gone for back-to-back 73-yard TD’s. But the Blazers missed the PAT again and they led 29-10 with 5:12 to play in the 3rd.

The Tides would answer on the kick-off return when Mark Kimball scooped up the kick on his own 17. Kimball jetted straight up the field and then cut to the outside up the far sideline going the distance 83-yards and in just 52-seconds a 4th TD was scored and the Tides trailed 29-17.

Was the madness over? An emphatic NO! The Blazers would take over on their own 27 and yep, a 3rd 73 yard TD run on the 1st play this time Michael Barnes got the call off the right tackle and a huge hole was opened and Barnes was off to the races. This time the PAT was good and Timberline had a 35-17 lead.

Fun with Numbers

A quick sidebar and a mini fun with numbers segment. In that 69-second stretch there was a total of 33 points scored and a combined yardage total of 322 yards.

After our own cloudburst on the field, the skies again opened up and doused the hot streak as both teams cooled off. As time was running down the Blazers added a late score with reserves in the game. Jordan Ferrer set up the score with a 35-yard run down to the 1 and Henning finished it off with a short plunge into the endzone and the final score was on the board 42-17.

Timberline finished the game with 529 yards of offense with Hathaway leading the way with 275 yards and 3 TD’s on 29 carries. Hathaway averaged 9.5 yards per carry. Michael Barnes also topped the 100 yard mark with 119 and a touchdown. He also caught 3 balls for 14 yards. Henning finished 8-15 and 63 yards and ran the ball 4 times for 19 and a TD.

The Tides finished with 203 total yards, 101 on the ground and 102 through the air. Hollenbeck was 3-6 for 88 and a TD and ran for 68 yards. Zack Davis had 1 catch for 73 and a score. Mark Kimball also had the 83 yard kick-off return.

The Blazers are now officially 4-1 in league play after having to forfeit last week’s win over Yelm. The Blazer’s inadvertently allowed a player with an expired physical get in the game. Timberline self reported the violation and Athletic Director Nick Mullins says they have already put in place a policy to make sure this never happens again. Mullins also said he is going to appeal the loss to the district as the player in question had a minor role in the game.

Even if the appeal is denied it appears a showdown with 5-0 Peninsula is on a collision course on October 27th at South Sound Stadium. That game is shaping up to be for the League Championship and the top seed into the crossovers.

Our Tommy Lowe of the Greene Realty Group Players of the Game went to Anthony Hathaway for Timberline and Mack Ditter for Gig Harbor. Our ProActive Physical Therapy Play of the Game goes to Tyrin Edmonds for his “punt” return TD.

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