9/9/2022
Timberline 14, Eastmont 13
(Lacey, WA)
The Big 9 meets the SSC in non-league football Friday night at South Sound Stadium in Lacey. Eastmont came in 0-1 after a frustrating14-13 loss to Mead to open the season. Timberline was also 0-1 after dropping their opener to Kelso 23-7.
Eastmont got the ball first and the Wildcats had some jitters and penalties early which killed their 1st drive. Timberline would get on an early roll and drove down the field in side the 20 on their first possession but the Wildcat defense then stiffened and forced the Blazers to attempt a 28yd field goal. The field goal try went wrong from the start as the ball got away from the holder and Eastmont took over on downs.
The Blazer defense would force another 3 and out and with good field position took advantage. The drive began with a big 21 yard QB keeper by Jacob Nadeau and ended with a 9 yard touchdown run by junior running back Ramar Reid. After the 1st quarter Timberline led 7-0.
The Wildcats defense would spark the offense when Seth Stone picked off a pass from Nadeau. The Wildcats then went on a determined 10 play drive gobbling up chunks of yardage pushing the ball all the way to the Blazer 3 yard line. Eastmont running back Gunnar Peterson would then punch it in add the PAT and it was all knotted up at 7 which how they would go to the half.
The Blazers came out swinging in the 2nd half with a 10 play drive that took more than 5 minutes and ended with a 10 yard touchdown run by Jackson Brown. The extra point was good and Timberline led 14-7 with 6:43 to go in the 3rd.
Eastmont responded and drove down the field with a stable of running backs in Colby King, Gunnar Peterson and Valente Barrios but the drive would end when they went to the air and the Blazers’ Sunny Nguyen intercepted in the end zone. The 3rd quarter woould end with the blazers up 14-7.
In the 4th the Timberline defense would step up huge with 2 interceptions in the quarter starting with Darell Gipson intercepting Luke Gale on the Wildcats second drive.
Eastmont refused to give in and the Wildcat offense came right back and Gale, the Jr QB would fire a 25 yard pass to WR Adrian Ruffins in the endzone. Eastmont then elected to go for 2 and tried to run the ball in but were stopped at the 1 yard line and Timberline held a 14-13 lead.
Timberline got the ball back with 3:46 to play and ran off 5 plays but were forced to punt. Eastmont got the ball back on their own 23 with 37-seconds to play. The Wildcats would connect on a couple of pass plays when Gale let one fly but the Blazers Sunny Nguyen would grab his 2nd interception of the game with just 7 seconds left to play.
It would seem to end the game there but Nguyen came down on the 1 yard line with 7 seconds to play. Concerned about a penetrating defensive line and getting caught in the endzone for a safety which would win the game for Eastmont, Timberline coach James Jones elected to have his QB Jacob Nadeau roll back and throw a pass trying to run out the clock.
This too is dangerous because if he intentionally grounds it or there is a holding in the endzone that would also give the Wildcats a safety and the win. The Blazers ran off 5 of the 7 seconds and then did it again to end the game as they held on for the thrilling 14-13 win. Timberline evens their record to 1-1 and will host cross district rival River Ridge next Friday in both teams SSC league opener.
Eastmont takes the bitter 1 point loss for the 2nd straight week and by the same score 14-13 to drop to 0-2. The Wildcats look to bounce back against their crosstown rival when they host Wenatchee next Friday in their league opener.
Video Highlights from our Twitter Coverage
Opening kickoff return by Colby King of Eastmont pic.twitter.com/aZyIbB9qIt
— YourESN (@YourESN) September 10, 2022
Nadeau with a 21 yard run. Ramar Reid finishes the drive with a 9 yd TD run pat good 7-0 Blazers with 1:39 to go in the 1st qtr pic.twitter.com/NQT0QpqXoJ
— YourESN (@YourESN) September 10, 2022
Big catch by Jackson West sets up Eastmont for a 3 yd TD run by Gunnar Peterson 3 plays later. 7-7 with 4:22 to go in the 1st half pic.twitter.com/SHL6L78lpS
— YourESN (@YourESN) September 10, 2022
Last play of the 1st half. Timberline 7 Eastmont 7 at the break pic.twitter.com/VU1gVK7GZG
— YourESN (@YourESN) September 10, 2022
Sunny Nguyen of Timberline with the pick in the end zone to stop Eastmonts drive. 3:04 to go in the 3rd qtr Blazers up 14-7 pic.twitter.com/4WDYo0rYdg
— YourESN (@YourESN) September 10, 2022
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