PORT TOWNSEND — They weren’t going out like that.
Nearly a year to the day after a stunning upset loss at home to Charles Wright in the district playoffs ended Port Townsend’s 2014 season, the Redhawks used that defeat as motivation in a 51-8 takedown of Bellevue Christian.
Friday’s win clinched Port Townsend’s (10-0) first state tournament berth since the 2004 season.
The eighth-ranked Redhawks will likely face third-ranked King’s (9-1) in the first round of the 1A playoffs.
“Last year was when our class said we would not leave this stadium the same way,” senior co-captain David Sua said.
“Every day we looked back at it, and we said ‘Wow, the Charles Wright loss, it’s not going to happen that way again.’
“We just had that mentality: we’re not going to lose this game, we aren’t going to be happy with 9-1, we are going to keep going and keep thriving.”
Port Townsend shuffled it’s deck of athletic running backs, moving Sua back to quarterback, a position he held down until a season-ending injury to fullback Wesley Wheeler.
The move worked well, as Sua led the team in rushing with eight carries for 68 yards and two TDs, and also completed 5 of 10 passes for 80 yards and two scores.
“Going into the playoffs I wanted senior leadership at quarterback,” Redhawks coach Nick Snyder said.
“Senior leadership. That’s not to say Berkeley [Hill] won’t play some QB for us going forward, but Sua is . . . a very determined young man, that’s exactly it.
“David’s leadership is at a different level.”
Port Townsend was blessed off the bat after a botched snap on a Bellevue Christian punt attempt, taking over on downs inside the Vikings (4-6) red zone.
Five plays later, Sua pinballed off an official and into the end zone for his first TD.
A a 29-yard TD run on a counter play by sophomore Kyle Blankenship capped a nine-play, 60-yard drive to put the Redhawks up 15-0 after one quarter.
After a third defensive stop, Port Townsend hurt itself on its next drive with a penalty and some poor blocking, eventually turning the ball over on downs inside the red zone.
Bellevue Christian took advantage. Daniel Ficca scored on a 70-yard screen pass, cutting through the heart of the Redhawks’ defense, to close the gap to 15-8.
“We were locked in man-to-man coverage and lost our pursuit angles,” Snyder said of the play.
“We had a little lead there, and I could see a couple of guys letting down.
“We took our foot off the gas a little a bit and that’s something we have to learn from and quickly against King’s.”
Port Townsend’s ensuing drive again ended with a turnover on downs inside the Vikings’ 20-yard line.
But Detrius Kelsall intercepted a Mick Larsen pass on Bellevue Christian’s next play.
“That changed our momentum,” Sua said of the pick.
“You could feel it, it changed it so much. And that’s what Detrius does for us, he’s a playmaker.”
Kelsall plunged in from 4 yards away a play later to put the Redhawks up 23-8.
“That pick was huge,” Snyder said.
“I’m glad we could reward him with a TD.”
Port Townsend’s defense was flying to the ball during the Vikings’ next series, pinning them inside their own 5-yard line and forcing a short punt.
Sua found Ezra Easley open on a crossing route in the back of the end zone for a perfectly positioned 19-yard TD pass and a 29-8 halftime lead.
“I’m going to have to give that one to my O-line,” Sua said.
“They gave me enough time to find people that were open.
“My first option definitely wasn’t open. My second option was kinda open, but it just wasn’t worth the throw.
“But I had so much time that I looked back and Ezra was sitting back there.”
Port Townsend added second-half touchdowns on a 3-yard run by Sua, a 20-yard pass from Sua to Kelsall and a 20-yard pass from Berkeley Hill to Gerry Coker.
“Our running game was a little choppy tonight,” Snyder said.
“We ran some option and that opened it up, and our counters seemed to work.
“And when we got up on them we worked on our passing game a little bit because we know we are going to need that. I think that’s critical.”
Defensively, the Redhawks were outstanding, limiting the Vikings to 23 carries for minus-20 yards rushing and just 80 yards of total offense.
“Our defense was pretty swarming, too,” Snyder said.
“Keegan [Khile] and Hogie [David Hoglund] had big games, and Gerry Coker made some big stops for us.”
Port Townsend did lose wide receiver and All-State defensive back Jacob Ralls to an injury that had him on crutches.
“I just hope Ralls is OK,” Snyder said.
“When we are up big, we don’t have the numbers, we don’t have the depth [to substitute a complete second unit].
“King’s has 70 guys and we have 28, maybe 26 after tonight. For us to go deep [in the playoffs], the football gods are going to have to smile upon us.”
________
Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-452-2345, ext. 5250 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
