Oak Harbor rallies to beat Olympia
Published 11:59 pm Saturday, November 10, 2007
OLYMPIA — Trailing the defending state champion Oak Harbor 21-7 at halftime, Olympia did Saturday what its done all season — battle back.
The Bears scored two second-half touchdowns to tie the score 21-21, giving an Olympia team that started the season 1-2 a reason for hope.
But Olympia couldn’t overcome three lost fumbles and Oak Harbor’s big-play passing attack and lost 30-21 in the 4A state playoffs in front of a packed Ingersoll Stadium, eliminating the Bears,
Oak Harbor, improving to 11-0, scored twice in the final six minutes, scoring on a 28-yard field goal and a 2-yard run to clinch a win.
“To see the way our kids battle back, how could you feel bad,” Olympia coach Bill Beattie said. “I’m so proud of the way they played. They could have folded their tents. But they battled back.”
Oak Harbor quarterback Johnny Encinas completed 23 of 34 passes for 271 yards, with a touchdown and an interception.
“Johnny maybe had his best game of the year,” Oak Harbor coach Dave Ward said. “He was playing with great confidence. He’s got some great receivers to throw to.”
In the second half, Olympia’s Casey Sherwood scored on a 7-yard run in the third quarter and on Kramer Champlin’s 4-yard pass to Garrett Hall to tie the score 21-21 early in the fourth quarter. Champlin was leveled as he passed to a wide-open Hall in the end zone on fourth down.
Champlin completed 9 of 18 passes for 91 yards. Sherwood rushed for 76 yards on 24 carries and Dylan parsons added 42 yards on 12 carries.
But Oak Harbor outgained the Bears 406-219 in total offense.
With the clock ticking late in the second quarter and with no timeouts remaining, Oak Harbor’s Chris Valencia scored on a 1-yard run on second down with just six seconds remaining to take a 21-7 lead.
“If we didn’t score, I told Johnny to spike the ball,” Ward said.
But it was unlikely Oak Harbor could have got off another play.
“At 21-7, I knew we could get back into the game,” said Beattie, his team finishing the season at 8-3. “We were executing and doing some good things. But in the playoffs and against a team like Oak Harbor, you can’t have the turnovers like we did.
Bothell 31, Central Kitsap 17: At Bothell, Bothell won and will play Oak Harbor in a quarterfinal match, in a rematch of last year’s championship.
At Pop Keeney Stadium
Central Kitsap3770—17
Bothell014143—31
Ck—30 yard field goal
Bothell—Moschel 5 pass from Hekker (Hekker kick)
CK—2 run (kick good)
Bothell—Burke 11 run (Hekker kick)
Bothell—McDaniel 5 run (Hekker kick)
Bothell—Kirchner 8 run (Hekker kick)
CK—54 run (kick good)
Bothell—FG Kaylor 33
Records— Bothell 11-0, Central Kitsap 9-2
Lake Quinault 38, Highland Christian 34: Lake Quinault will play Lummi next weekend in the first round of the 1B state tournament.
