SEATTLE — The Tom Wahl era started off with a bang Friday night.
The Port Angeles football team snapped a 12-game losing streak with a 41-0 blowout victory over the Chief Sealth Seahawks in a nonleague game at the Southwest Athletic Complex.
“It felt good to get a game under our belt and get the nerves out,” said Wahl after winning his debut game as Roughriders head coach.
“We played with great intensity and learned to work through the mistakes.”
The Riders broke the game open with three touchdowns in the second quarter, sparked by Cody Sullivan’s 76-yard scoring run for a 7-0 lead.
“I didn’t have to say much, we just had to focus on making adjustments,” Wahl said about his halftime talk to his players with the Riders leading 20-0.
The Riders played at a high level, scoring two more times, then ending the game with a 45-yard interception returned for a final touchdown by Kelly Thackery to put the icing on the cake.
Port Angeles will put its 1-0 record on the line next week when it hosts Class 1A Forks in a nonleague battle Friday night at Civic Field.
Port Angeles 41, Chief Sealth 0
Port Angeles 0 20 7 14 — 41
Chief Sealth 0 0 0 0 — 0
Second Quarter
PA–Sullivan 76 run (Bukovnik kick)
PA–Ward 25 pass from Walker (kick failed)
PA–Helwig 13 pass from Walker (Bukovnik kick)
Third Quarter
PA–Walker 15 run (Bukovnik kick)
Fourth Quarter
PA–Sullivan 41 run (Bukovnik kick)
PA–Thackery 45 interception return (Bukovnik kick)
Individual Stats
Rushing– PA: Cristion 6-39, Martin 1-8, Walker 7-(-6), Sullivan 4-119, Fiscalini 2-13, Brewer 2-(-2), Honnum 2-2. CS: Meullion 17-78, Polk, 9-37, Sauni 2-(-4), Brown 3-(-1), Tupuola 2-(-2), Sarver 3-2, JD Johnson 2-(-2).
Passing–PA: Walker 6-10-1, 106 yards. CS: Sauni 3-9-3, 21 yards, Sarver 0-5-1.
Receiving–PA: Sullivan 1-8, Ward 3-71, Morgan 1-14, Helwig 1-13. CS: Tupuola 2-20, Meullion 1-1.
COUPEVILLE 33, PORT TOWNSEND 6
COUPEVILLE — For the second straight season, Port Townsend lost its season opener to Coupeville.
“Our inexperience showed on the field,” said Port Townsend coach Tom Webster. “We had our bright spots, just not enough of them.”
Port Townsend may have some growing pains because of the team’s youth and inexperience, according to Webster.
It didn’t help that the Redskins were missing their starting middle linebacker for the game.
“We will get better with every practice and every game,” Webster said.
Quarterback Ian Smith completed 17-of-38 passes for 228 yards and three touchdowns for the Coupeville Wolves. Smith also ran for a touchdown in the nonleague win.
On the other end of the field, Port Townsend just couldn’t kick-start the offense to put some points on the board.
Mel Thorton was a Redskin standout on the defensive side of the ball, coming up with 13 tackles, 10 solo, and a fumble recovery.
Thorton also scored Port Townsend’s lone touchdown in the fourth quarter with a five-yard run.
In their next game, the Redskins face off against Charles Wright Academy in a 1A Nisqually League bout, on Friday at 7 p.m.
Coupeville 33, Port Townsend 6
Port Townsend 0 0 0 6 — 6
Coupeville 14 7 12 0 — 33
First Quarter
C–Smith 11 run (kick failed)
C–Savalza 3 run (Kellison kick)
Second Quarter
C–Pelroy 25 pass from Smith (Kellison kick)
Third Quarter
C–Pelroy 64 pass from Smith (kick failed)
C–Campbell 10 pass from Smith (kick failed)
Fourth Quarter
PT–Thorton 5 run (kick failed)
Individual Stats
Rushing– PT: Thorton 7-55, Coggins 3-29.
Passing–PT: Kelly 7-25-1, 63 yards.
Receiving–PT: Coggins 3-49.
LUMMI 45, NEAH BAY 0
BELLINGHAM — These days, it’s highly unusual for the Red Devils to be on the wrong end of a mercy-rule score.
But that’s what happened Friday night in the first game of the year between two old Class 1B rivals.
Most coaches of the new Northwest Football League picked Neah Bay and Lummi to be at the top of the conference standings.
Right now, though, Lummi is clearly at the head of the class with the rare mercy-rule nonleague win over the Red Devils.
There’s a long ways to go in the season, however, and Neah Bay won two of three match-ups last year between the two powerhouse programs.
“I’m definitely pleased with the outcome, but I’m more pleased with the effort,” Lummi coach Jim Sandusky told the Bellingham Herald after the game. “Guys were hustling to the echo of the whistle, and that’s what was really impressive.”
Neah Bay was limited to 52 yards rushing.
Quarterbacks Josiah Greene and Drexler Doherty combined for 114 yards passing.
The Red Devils next play at Evergreen Lutheran in Des Moines this coming Saturday at 1 p.m.
Lummi 45, Neah Bay 0
Neah Bay 0 0 — 0
Lummi 21 24 — 45
First Quarter
L–Robinson 15 run (Robinson kick)
L–Robinson 76 pass from Jameson (Williams kick)
L–Robinson 3 run (Robinson kick)
Second Quarter
L–Williams 17 run (kick blocked by Z. Greene)
L–Williams 43 run (kick blocked by Arnold)
L–Robinson 20 pass from Jameson (kick blocked by Pascua)
L–Jameson 9 run (run fails)
Game over at halftime because of mercy rule
Individual Stats
Rushing–Neah Bay: Pascua 8-22, J. Greene 4-19, Cummins 2-9, D. Doherty 1-2, Monette 1-0, total: 16-52. Lummi: Robinson 5-74, Williams 4-70, total: 13-178.
Passing–Neah Bay: Greene 3-6-0, 72 yards, D. Doherty 3-7-0, 42 yards. Lummi: Jameson 11-14-0, 279 yards.
Receiving–Neah Bay: D. Doherty 2-48, J. Greene 1-25, Monette 1-24, Z. Greene 1-18, Pascua 1-0. Lummi: Robinson 3-122, Rivera 4-103.
KINGSTON 20, CHIMACUM 18
KINGSTON — It’s the little things that can kill a team sometimes.
That was the case for the Cowboys, as a missed kick and a bobbled snap meant the difference in the nonleague game Friday night.
“We had control in the first half and played the majority of the half with great field position,” Chimacum coach Shawn Meacham said.
“But not converting two extra points on our touchdowns [the missed kick and bobbled snap] and missing a field goal in the first half was the difference.
“The good news is that those are mistakes we can fix, and we came out of the game healthy,” Meacham said. “[Quarterback] Mason Moug played a smart game and controlled the offense well in spite of a couple interceptions.”
In addition, all three running backs — Devin Manix, Austin McConnell and Daryn Settlemire — had strong games, Meacham said.
“They ran the ball hard and helped to open up our passing game, especially in the first half. We will learn from our mistakes, though, and be ready for Thursday’s game against Klahowya,” Meacham said.
Chimacum has a short week as it hosts Klahowya (0-1) in a nonleague game at Memorial Stadium in Port Townsend on Thursday night.
The Eagles were crushed 60-0 by Steilacoom on Friday night.
Kingston 20, Chimacum 18
Chimacum 12 0 0 6– 18
Kingston 0 7 13 0– 20
First Quarter
C–Manix 32 pass from Moug (kick failed)
C–Settlemire 7 pass from Moug (run failed)
Second Quarter
K–Bowman 72 pass from Byers (Sone kick)
Third Quarter
K–Bowman 14 pass from Byers (pass failed)
K–Hecker 1 run (Stone kick)
Fourth Quarter
C–Toepper 11 pass from Moug (run failed)
Individual Stats
Rushing– Chimacum: McConnell 4-11, Manix 10-23, Settlemire 6-31, Moug 9-15. Kingston: Hecker 21-120, Greene 2-8.
Passing–Chimacum: Moug 9-19-2, 85 yards, Manix 1-3-0, 12 yards. Kingston: Byers 13-28-2, 184 yards.
Receiving–Chimacum: McConnell 3-19, Brown-Bishop 2-17, Toepper 2-20, Manix 1-20, Settlemire 1-7, Moug 1-12. Kingston: Bowman 4-105, Marinan 4-51, Klopp 3-15, Gorman 1-19.