EVERETT — Prior to his team’s crucial Wesco South game against Kamiak, Mariner football coach John Ondriezek and his staff tried to downplay the rivalry aspect of the game. It was just supposed to be about a chance to secure a berth in the playoffs.
The Maurauders and their fans didn’t listen Friday night.
Ondriezek left Goddard Stadium a happy man anyway as Mariner, partially fueled by being the visiting team on its own field, ran away from Kamiak 21-14 in a game that despite some late dramatics was not as close as the final score.
“This big win means a lot because it’s a rivalry match,” junior running back KeiVarae Russell said. “Just for our school, because we share the field with these guys, so it’s like they are coming into our turf and think it’s a home court advantage. No, that’s not happening.”
Russell, averaging more than 200 yards per game on the ground coming in, played nearly every snap, only sitting out Mariner’s kicks and punts. As has been the case for every Mariner (5-2 overall, 3-0 Wesco) win this year, he was the difference, scoring all three touchdowns and rushing for 174 yards on 36 carries. The game-winning score came on a breath-taking 32-yard pass reception from Alex Coffman that saw Russell catch the ball on the numbers on one side of the field only to reverse field all the way to the opposite sideline and dive into the corner of the end zone.
“It’s a good momentum grabber to go into Jackson,” Russell said.
The win gives the Marauders the chance to go undefeated in Wesco South play next week if they can take out Jackson (3-4, 2-1). A Mariner loss next week would mean a messy three-way tie for first along with Edmonds-Woodway.
The Knights almost ruined the Marauders party with a late comeback.
Despite struggling to move the ball for nearly the entire second half, Kamiak came close to sneaking back into the game. Trailing 21-7 with a few minutes to go, quarterback Anthony Berg connected on a near hail-mary pass to get the Knights inside the 5, then he hit Steve Bradshaw with a 5-yard touchdown to pull within one score.
Kamiak kicker Chris Menghini faked out the entire Mariner “hands” team on the ensuing kick. Barely knocking the ball 10 yards and then scurrying to recover his own onside kick.
After a delay of game penalty, Berg’s hail-mary attempts fell short. The Knight QB completed a 28-yarder as time expired but the Mariner defense, with Russell at safety kept the Knights in front of them.
“The kids came through and they played hard,” Ondriezek said. “At the end (we) made a few mistakes but this kids never quit.”
Russell carried the load for the Marauders in the first half, gaining 108 yards on 19 carries. Russell scored twice. The first was a 1-yard plunge in the opening quarter, then a 15-yard scamper in the second.
The Knights moved the ball before half as well, mixing runs from Nic Cooper and passes from Berg. Cooper swept right untouched for a 20-yard TD run to tie the score at 7-7 in the second quarter. Kamiak penetrated deep into Mariner territory three times in the first half but came away with just one score and two missed field goals to show for it.
Chrestien Skinner had the defensive play of the half as time wound down in the second quarter. On third-and-9 from the 15-yard line, Berg dropped back and couldn’t escape a sack by Skinner, who dropped the Knight quarterback for a 11-yard loss. Menghini missed the ensuing 43-yard field goal attempt as time expired in the first half.
Cooper led the way for the Knights rushing 14 times for 109 yards and a score.
Kamiak (2-5, 0-3) closes the regular season next week against winless Cascade.
At Goddard Stadium
Mariner7680—21
Kamiak0707—14
Mariner—Russell 1 run (Ramirez kick)
Kamiak—Cooper 20 run (Menghini kick)
Mariner—Russell 15 (kick failed)
Mariner—Russell 32 pass from Coffman (Coffman run) Kamiak-Bradshaw 5 pass from Berg (Menghini kick)
Records—Mariner 5-2 overall, 3-0 league; Kamiak 2-5 overall, 0-3 league
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