Stunning loss for Seattle

Published 10:11 pm Tuesday, August 11, 2009

SHORELINE

With the pressure on and a championship on the line, the Seattle Stallions fell victim to missed opportunities, turnovers and maybe a few nerves.

The Renton Ravens, determined not to repeat the same mistakes they made against Seattle earlier in the year, capitalized on all of it.

Renton forced four turnovers, quarterback Ken Jackson hooked up with Michael Bush on a back-breaking 71-yard touchdown pass, and the Ravens stunned the previously undefeated Stallions 27-13 in the Cascade Football League championship game Aug. 8 at Shoreline Stadium.

“It feels good altogether,” said Jackson, who played quarterback for Seattle last year.

Now Renton (9-3 overall) will travel to Las Vegas in October to play the New Mexico Titans (13-1) of the Southwest Football Conference in the Far West Football Alliance Championship.

“We had our chances,” Seattle offensive coordinator Alex Lewis said. “… I think we beat ourselves tonight, (but they deserve it) … We want them to go down to Vegas and represent the Cascade Football League … We just have to regroup.”

The upset was surprising, considering the Stallions blew out the Ravens 40-13 just two weeks earlier, in the regular season finale for both teams. Seattle, which entered the championship game an undefeated 9-0, had never trailed in a single game this year and had outscored opponents a combined 434-70.

But from the start it was clear that this would be a different game.

On Seattle’s first possession, Seattle quarterback Leo Dickerson was sacked and fumbled, giving the Ravens the ball on the Seattle 42. Renton missed the ensuing a field goal attempt, but the tone was set.

On its next possession, Renton used a variety of option plays for a five minute, 54-yard drive that culminated in a 23-yard touchdown pass to Andre Jordan with 1:27 remaining in the first quarter.

Though they would battle back to tie the score at 7-7 off a scrambling 23-yard touchdown reception by wide receiver Carl Sundquist, and again at 13-13 in the third quarter off a 6-yard run by running back Donovan Weems, the Stallions never led in this one.

Renton’s Mathew Shrader put the Ravens ahead for good with 8:25 remaining in the third quarter, when he picked off a Seattle pass and returned it 60 yards for a touchdown to give Renton a demoralizing 20-13 lead.

Renton, playing with very little pressure, took care of the ball and kicked away from Seattle ace returner L. Wallace (who played despite being injured against Tacoma in the semifinals last week) on punts and kickoffs.

Seattle (9-1) used aggressive play calling all year to run up big margins of victory, but it didn’t work this time. Seattle failed to convert several early fourth down attempts and, uncharacteristically, struggled to get into the end zone.

Renton’s E.J. Ash came up with two big turnovers, taking the ball away from Seattle receiver Carlos Clark early in the third quarter, and intercepting a Dickerson pass late in the fourth quarter.

“We knew our defense was going to hold,” Renton’s Bush said.

Still, Seattle was very much in the game when Renton faced fourth and one from their own 29-yard line with 7:08 remaining, holding a 20-13 lead.

The snap surprised Renton quarterback Jackson, and bounced off his knees. Seattle defenders dove forward to recover the ball, but Jackson picked it up and hit Bush on a short slant pass that Bush turned into a 71-yard touchdown.

“I actually forgot the play,” Jackson said afterwards. “I called (to hike it on) first down in the huddle. … (Defenders going for the loose ball) gave me a clear view of Michael Bush wide open for the touchdown.”

It was redemption for Jackson, who threw two touchdown passes and rushed for another Saturday after throwing five interceptions the first time the two teams met.

“That was the difference,” Jackson said of the interceptions he threw in the first game. “… (This game) gave me the opportunity to prove myself.”

As a bonus, Jackson got to beat his old team.

“It was really good,” Jackson said. “There’s always a little bit of a personal rivalry when you (go) against someone you used to play for, that didn’t have you back and maybe didn’t want you back.”

Clark and Chris Martin each added interceptions for Seattle. But Schrader’s game-changing 60-yard interception return gave Renton the edge it needed.

“We wish Renton all the best,” Lewis said. “…We had a great season … But right now it’s a bitter feeling.”