By Jon Saperstein Herald Writer
EVERETT — The next time Friday the 13th comes up during the football season, Marysville Getchell might want to ask for a bye.
Kamiak returned Friday night’s opening kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown — and the bounces continued to go against MG the rest of the night — as the Knights beat the Chargers 49-7 on homecoming weekend at Frank Goddard Memorial Stadium.
Despite the lopsided score, the game was competitive on offense and defense, but got away from the visitors on special teams and turnovers.
“Getchell came out and played well,” Kamiak coach Dan Mack said. “Sometimes the breaks just go against you and we were able to capitalize on some breaks, which we haven’t done in recent games, and we were fortunate.”
Kamiak junior Thomas Batie returned two kicks for touchdowns, recovered a fumble and had an interception. He also ran 58 yards from his defensive back position to make a touchdown-saving tackle at the end of the first half.
Meanwhile, Kamiak’s Austin Hall rushed 12 times for 121 yards and two touchdowns on offense, and had four interceptions on defense — three on consecutive second-quarter possessions. One of the picks he took back 61 yards for a touchdown.
That made it tough for Mack to pick a player of the game.
“That’s like picking against your children,” he said. “I’d have to split it right down the middle. My goodness, both of those kids played really well.”
Hall was willing to break the tie.
“Tom Batie really stepped it up,” the senior captain said. “He’s a good friend of mine. I’m going to have to go with Tom Batie. He got that first return. That got us really excited. That got us pumped up. That was the key to it.”
Getchell was coming off a season-opening win over Mariner — just the three-year-old program’s second win ever over a Class 4A opponent.
“We are still learning,” Getchell coach Davis Lura said. “In the third year that was the first time we came out with a first win and I don’t think our guys really knew how to react to that.”
Batie’s big return to open the game was the spark. He faked a reverse handoff and sprinted for the opening score. The Chargers’ offense had a quick three-and-out and punter Jacob Meuse had his kick blocked in the end zone for a safety. Then the game started to get a little crazy.
On the next Charger possession, another three-and-out, Meuse came out to punt again but this time the snap went over his head. Kamiak’s Jared Pexton scooped it up at the 5-yard line and scored.
During the first half there were 10 combined turnovers, including three on consecutive plays toward the end of a six-turnover first quarter.
A bright spot for Getchell came in the second quarter when Taylor Koellmer threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Kaleb Seymer with 7:13 to play in the half.
But Batie returned a second kickoff for a touchdown and his tackle on the 2-yard line at the end of the half thwarted any chance of a Getchell resurrection.
Will Owens led the Chargers with 43 yards rushing.
At Goddard Stadium
M. Getchell 0 7 0 0 — 7
Kamiak 14 28 7 0 — 49
K—Thomas Batie 85 kickoff return (kick failed)
K—Team Safety punt blocked out of end zone
K—Jared Pexton 5 fumble return (kick failed)
K—Austin Hall 33 run (Jack Dineen kick)
M—Kaleb Seymer 8 pass from Taylor Koellmer (Eli Angulo kick)
K—Batie 94 kickoff return (Dineen kick)
K—Hall 61 interception return (Dineen kick)
K—Nick Taglialavore 12 pass from Tyler Becker (Dineen kick)
K—Hall 34 run (Dineen kick)
Records—M. Getchell 1-1 overall. Kamiak 1-1.
