Edmonds-Woodway’s football team was facing a tough challenge last Friday night – defeat Mariner if they wanted any shot at the playoffs.
The Marauders didn’t make things easy on the Warriors either, but thanks to a Jimmy Spears touchdown run with just over a minute remaining in the game Edmonds-Woodway kept its season alive with a 32-27 victory.
“To get a win for us right now is huge,” Edmonds-Woodway coach John Gradwohl said.
Edmonds-Woodway started the game strong, jumping out to a 20-7 lead and driving deep into Mariner territory with a chance to take a 20-point lead, but the Marauders came up with a big play intercepting quarterback Andy Willcock for the only time in the game and then mounting a comeback of their own.
“When your 1-4, a lot of bad things can happen,” Gradwohl said.
But the Warriors responded.
They fought back and they were able to squeak a victory out of it,” Gradwohl said.
Edmonds-Woodway put themselves in a position to win the game thanks, in large part, to their passing game. The Warriors had 263 yards passing to the Marauders 84.
“We knew that to move the ball downfield we would have to throw,” Gradwohl said.
Willcock led the aerial assault, completing 12 of his 21 passes for 263 yards and a touchdown. Willcock also had two 1-yard rushing touchdowns.
“Andy had a great game, he looked like Andy of last year,” Gradwohl said.
Mariner outrushed Edmonds-Woodway, but not by as much as they might have hoped. The Marauders racked up 287 yards on the grounds, but the Warriors managed 205. Spears led Edmonds-Woodway on the ground, racking up 156 yards on 17 carries, and the all-important go-ahead touchdown.
“What a way to finish the game, that kid played really well,” Gradwohl said. “He’s not a big guy, but boy he ran hard.”
Spears came back in the fourth quarter to help the Warriors to victory after struggling with illness for much of the game.
Spears touchdown with just over a minute remaining in the game left Mariner with one more opportunity.
When asked if he thought his team might have scored too early, Gradwohl said, “Absolutely.”
“I looked at the clock and I said ‘oh no…..well let’s go play some defense,’” Gradwohl admitted.
But his Warriors picked the perfect time to cause Mariner’s only turnover of the game. Zach Berg came up with the interception to end the game.
Mariner’s KeiVarae Russell ran for 108 yards on 18 carries and had two touchdowns.
“If you don’t bottle him up, he’s the fastest guy on the field,” Gradwohl said of Russell.
Edmonds-Woodway might have kept its playoff hopes alive for another week, but Gradwohl knows it will be a challenge.
“We still got a long way to go,” he said.
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