Kamiak gets by Mariner

Published 11:46 pm Friday, October 23, 2009

EVERETT — The playbook usually gets thrown out in a fierce rivalry and for one half it appeared that Mariner and Kamiak were headed for a down-to-the-wire finish, but a 21-point third quarter sealed a 28-14 Wesco South win for Kamiak Friday night at Frank Goddard Stadium.

Kamiak running back Nic Cooper ate up huge chunks of yardage in the second half to lead the Knights (4-1 league, 4-4 overall) with 131 yards on 18 carries. Cooper scored twice on short runs in the decisive third quarter.

“He (Cooper) doesn’t know how special he is,” Kamiak head coach Dan Mack said. “The offensive line did a terrific job in the second half when they got it going. Nic was running hard north and south — it was just a good victory over a tough opponent.”

Cooper was complemented by quarterback Jake Sortor’s 76 rushing yards (one touchdown) and 132 passing yards.

Sortor connected with wide receiver Josh Glenn on a floating, 46-yard pass with 1 minute, 54 seconds remaining in the third quarter to put the Knights ahead 21-6.

Mariner (1-5, 2-6) running back Matt Rae coughed up the ball on the Marauders’ first play of the ensuing series and Kamiak defender Tyler Self recovered to give the Knights excellent field position with 43 seconds remaining in the quarter.

Sortor hit Nate Regan with a 17-yard pass following two Cooper runs; a Mariner personal foul after Regan’s catch put the ball on the Marauders’ 10-yard line.

Sortor rushed right for 7 yards and Cooper plunged into the end zone from 3 yards out to make it a 28-6 Kamiak lead with 12 seconds remaining in the quarter.

“We (Mariner) turned the ball over in our own territory and they capitalized on it and that put us in a situation where we had to play catch-up football,” said 17th-year Mariner head coach John Ondriezek.

Mariner, which missed reaching the playoffs for the first time in three seasons this year, managed just 144 rushing yards against Kamiak’s defense.

Rae carried the ball 20 times for 59 yards and a touchdown and elusive sophomore KeiVarae Russell carried 17 times for 59 yards.

The Marauders made it a 7-6 game just before halftime when a Russell interception set up a 20-play, 82-yard scoring drive that chewed up 9:16 of the second quarter.

Quarterback Josh Thompson dove into the end zone for a touchdown, but the point after attempt sailed wide left.

“Their kids just played good, tough defense,” Ondriezek said. “… even that 20-play drive in the second quarter was a tough drive — we got 3 yards, 4 yards, 5 yards, converted on a couple third downs and fourth downs.”

Mack, in his 12th season with Kamiak, added: “We had to make some changes and make a few adjustments (at halftime), but Mariner is a fine football team and a good program, anytime you can get a win over Mariner, you have to be pleased.”

In addition to being a school district rivalry game, the game had playoff implications for the Knights. The win puts Kamiak at 4-1 in the South with an away game next week at Mountlake Terrace (3-2 league), which lost to division-leading Jackson.

Kamiak’s win strongly strengthened its chances of earning one of the three spots to the 4A Quad-district playoffs.

“This was a ride-or-die game because if we didn’t get this one it would hurt the possibility of getting into the playoffs, so it was a big win for us,” Cooper said.

At Goddard Stadium

Mariner0608—14

Kamiak70210—28

Kamiak— Sortor 1 run (Watts kick)

Mariner— Thompson 1 run (kick failed)

Kamiak— Cooper 1 run (Watts kick)

Kamiak— Glenn 46 pass from Sortor (Watts kick)

Kamiak— Cooper 3 run (Watts kick)

Mariner— Rea 1 run (Russell run)

Records—Mariner 1-5 league, 2-6 overall. Kamiak 4-1, 4-4.