LYNNWOOD – As the mob scene ensued at midfield, quarterback Derek Stong fell to his knees, lost in exultation and disbelief.
As fullback Luke St. Marie limped off the field, near tears, complete pandemonium erupted from the fans above the tunnel to the locker room at Edmonds Stadium. They were finally free to release the pent-up emotions from an eternity of frustration.
It’s been a long time coming, but the Lynnwood Royals can finally call themselves winners on the field.
After five years and 46 games of futility, the Lynnwood High School football team finally tasted victory as the Royals defeated the South Whidbey Falcons 27-26 in overtime Thursday night in their non-league season finale.
“It’s out of control, I don’t know what to say,” said Lynnwood senior tailback Brian Hill, who in his final high school game finally felt victory. “I can’t stop crying.”
Technically speaking, Lynnwood’s losing streak came to an end earlier this season at 42 when Kamiak was forced to forfeit their game for using ineligible players. But Thursday’s victory was the first time the Royals (2-8) won a game on the field since their final game in 1999.
“It means we’re just like every other team out there,” Lynnwood coach Andrew Burton said. “We have wins and we have losses.”
St, Marie rushed for 241 yards on 28 carries and scored three touchdowns, and the Royals stopped South Whidbey running back Dane Guetlin on the goal line on a two-point conversion attempt to end the game.
“It feels so good, I don’t know how to explain it,” Hill said. “It’s like I just won 50 lotteries. The feeling, you can’t replace it with anything. Just seeing us stop them on the goal line, my heart just skipped. I could jump 50 feet in the air, just seeing our crowd go crazy. They deserve it. They’ve watched us for four years lose, and now it’s over.”
It appeared as though the curse of the streak was about to strike again as the Royals were unable to hold on to a 20-0, third-quarter lead. But the Royals held South Whidbey at the end of regulation – the clock expired with the Falcons driving in Royals territory – St. Marie swept in for a 7-yard touchdown in overtime, and a Lynnwood defense that appeared worn down in the second half held firm when it most needed to.
“This is one of the best feelings in the world,” St. Marie, a junior, said. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything. If you bottle this, it would sell forever. This makes all the hard work worth it. I told the seniors at the start of the year I was going to pull one out for them.”
Hill added 147 yards on 17 carries and a TD for Lynnwood.
Guetlin had 168 all-purpose yards and scored twice to lead South Whidbey, which finished its season 4-6.
Lynnwood dominated both sides of the ball in the first half, out-gaining South Whidbey 208-59. A 72-yard gallop by Hill and a 1-yard plunge by St. Marie gave the Royals a 14-0 halftime lead. And when St. Marie scored on a 59-yard run on the first play from scrimmage in the second half, upping the lead to 20-0, it looked like the Royals could start the celebrations.
However, the Falcons were a different team after than, methodically moving the ball. Guetlin scored on a 17-yard pass from Matt Parrick and a 3-yard run to cut the lead to 20-14 in the third quarter. Then Michael Lodell scored on a 17-yard run early in the fourth quarter, a stopped two-point conversion leaving the score tied at 20-20.
At the end of regulation the Falcons drove to the Lynnwood 27, but they were unable to execute their final play, sending the game to overtime. After St. Marie scored, Parrick scored on a 4-yard sneak, setting up Lynnwood’s final stop.
At Lynnwood
South Whidbey001466-26
Lynnwood77607-27
Lynnwood-Hill 72 run (St. Marie kick)
Lynnwood-St. Marie 1 run (St. Marie kick)
Lynnwood-St. Marie 59 run (kick blocked)
South Whidbey-Guetlin 17 pass from Parrick (kick wide)
South Whidbey-Guetlin 3 run (Parrick run)
South Whidbey-Lodell 17 run (run failed)
Lynnwood-St. Marie 7 run (St. Marie kick)
South Whidbey-Parrick 4 run (run failed)
Records-South Whidbey 4-6 overall. Lynnwood 2-8.
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