PORT ANGELES — Needing a win to qualify for their first district playoff berth since 2011, Port Angeles made huge plays down the stretch on both defense and offense, getting a bit of help from some calls that went their way, to come from behind and beat North Mason 12-8.
The Roughriders scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and held the Bulldogs scoreless during the second half. In fact, other than one 50-yard run by Reece Smelcer, Port Angeles pretty much completely kept North Mason’s offense in check.
The win secured fourth place in the Olympic League 2A Division for Port Angeles (3-3, 3-6). They will visit Fife (8-1), the No. 1 seed out of the South Puget Sound League at 7 p.m. Friday. The Trojans earned the SPSL title by knocking off previously unbeaten No. 3 Steilacoom 28-16 on Friday.
“It’s unreal,” said Tyler Bowen, who played a monster game and couldn’t put any weight on an ankle he had sprained. “We’ve worked our asses off for years. We finally made [the playoffs].”
“These are hard-working kids. Kids have been working hard every day, all day, all summer,” said Anton Kathol, who made a number of huge plays, especially on defense.
“I credit that to the adversity they’ve had to face all year, teaching them to never give up,” said head coach Troy Mann.
“They showed me they believe in each other, that they would be there for each other,” Mann said. “This is huge, this is such a big step. A great step. The coaching staff did a great job.”
Both teams struggled to mount much offense in the first half. Port Angeles didn’t get its first first down until the second quarter, while North Mason punted on its first three possessions.
The Bulldogs broke through finally with about 5 minutes left in the half as a Smelcer sweep to the right that went for a 50-yard touchdown. After a two-point conversion, North Mason was up 8-0.
The Bulldogs quickly threatened to extend their lead in the second half, but the Riders made a huge play on defense to stay within one score.
Early in the third quarter, after North Mason’s Dylan Tupolo made a great punt return, bowling over several Riders tacklers, the Bulldogs had the ball inside the Port Angeles 40. The Riders played stout defense, forcing the Bulldogs to convert two fourth-down plays. But, both times North Mason was able to convert. The Bulldogs got it down to the 5-yard line, but on a huge scrum right at the goal-line on a run by Tupolo, Port Angeles’ Garrett Edwards stripped the ball and Dominick Timperio recovered it.
Facing a third-and-10 from their own 1, quarterback Brenden Roloson-Hines hit Anton Kathol with a 35-yard pass to get the Riders out of the shadow of their own goal posts. The Riders turned the ball over on downs when a short run on a fourth-and-two at the 30 came up just short, but the drive changed both Bulldogs’ field position and the momentum of the game.
After a couple of big tackles by Bowen (who also had an interception earlier in the game) and Kathol to drive the Bulldogs backward, the Riders got the ball back early in the fourth quarter and finally struck paydirt. Bowen caught a perfect bomb from Roloson-Hines and ran 65 yards before he was hauled down at the 1-yard line. Bowen was hurt on the play, spraining his ankle when he was tackled and have to leave the game.
“I’m hurt, but I feel great,” Bowen said after the game. “I’m hopeful I can get back out there [next week].”
Trevor Shumway scored on a 1-yard plunge on the next play to make it 8-6. The point-after conversion failed and the Riders remained behind.
After big defensive plays made by TeeJay Johnson, Edwards and Joe Davis, the Riders forced the Bulldogs into a fourth-and-20 with 6:30 minutes left. The Riders got the ball back at midfield.
Roloson-Hines was sacked to set up a fourth-and-9 at the 47, then followed that up with his best play of the game. He rolled out to his left trying to buy time, then danced down the sideline, somehow finding room among a mass of bodies for a 21-yard gain. After a penalty on a late hit, that set up the Riders with first-and-10 at the 14-yard line.
A holding call pushed the Riders back to the 24. On a third-and-20 with less than 4 minutes left in the game, Roloson-Hines tried to hit Edwards in the end zone, but the pass was just barely too long and off of Edwards’ hands. On fourth-and-20, Roloson-Hines tried to hit Edwards again, but a North Mason defender cut in front of the pass and intercepted the pass.
Port Angeles seemed to be in deep trouble at this point with little time left to get the ball back, but the referees called pass interference on a North Mason defender, giving the ball back to the Riders. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Bulldogs for arguing the call then gave Port Angeles a first down.
Then the flags killed the Bulldogs again. The Riders were forced into a fourth-and-3 at the 8-yard line and set up to kick a go-ahead 25-yard field goal. The snap on the field goal was fumbled, but the boys from Belfair were called for offsides, giving Port Angeles first-and-goal at the four.
Shumway made a great run for the go-ahead score. He was hit in the backfield, but broke that tackle, spun into the line and bulled his way into the end zone to give the Riders a 12-8 lead with 2:54 left.
On the final drive of the game, the Bulldogs got down to the Riders’ 46-yard line, but Kathol made the defensive play of the game with 1:43 left, breaking through the line and tackling Smelcer for an 8-yard loss and driving North Mason back into their territory.
“Coach called the blitz and I just did my job,” said Kathol.
The Bulldogs, facing fourth-and-long, fumbled on the next play to essentially end the game.
In addition to Bowen, the Riders also lost Seth Elwood to an ankle injury. Mann doesn’t know yet if either player will be able to play against Fife.
Roloson-Hines finished with 126 yards passing (most of those coming on his two big passes to Kathol and Bowen) and 45 yards rushing. Shumway didn’t end up with a ton of yards with 30, but he scored two TDs. Edwards had 12 tackles and a forced fumble, while Kathol had nine tackles and a sack. TeeJay Johnson and Davis each had four tackles.
Port Angeles 12, North Mason 8
North Mason 0 8 0 0 — 8
Port Angeles 0 0 0 12 — 12
Second Quarter
NM—Smelcer 50 run (Tupolo run)
Fourth Quarter
PA—Shumway 1 run (PAT failed)
PA—Shumway 4 run (PAT failed)
Individual Stats
Rushing—PA: Roloson-Hines 6-45, Shumway 9-30.
Passing—PA: Roloson-Hines 9-18-126.
Receiving—PA: Bowen 3-69, Kathol 3-54, Edwards 2-10.
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Sports Editor Pierre LaBossiere can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or plabossiere@peninsuladailynews.com.
