The Friday Harbor football team hit another peak in its roller-coaster season with a 56-0 rout Saturday on the road over Seattle Lutheran.
This one was never close, as the Wolverines led 35-0 at intermission and cruised to victory in the final 24 minutes of play.
Though the Saints, a 25-12 winner over Concrete the week before, proved no match for the Wolverines, managing only 87 yards of total offense, Friday Harbor Head Coach Darrin Scheffer was more pleased perhaps with his team’s effort than the final score.
While the Saints may have been a worthy opponent, Scheffer said they were outmuscled and out-hustled by the Wolverines.
“The kids came out strong from the first whistle and just played real strong all game long,” Scheffer said. “It’s probably the first game that we’ve played that hard from start to finish all season.”
No one had a more impressive game than freshman Micah Powell, who busted into the end zone three times in the first half and gained 66 yards on four carries, all before the break.
Unless, that is, one considers freshman Brett Paul, who nailed all eight point-after attempts to remain perfect so far this season. Since taking over place-kicking duties in the third game, Paul is 16-of-16 in PATs.
It’s the third win over a Division 2B team for Friday Harbor (3-2) this season, two of which have been blowouts. The Wolverines have also been beaten badly by regional 1A rivals, Meridian and Nooksack Valley, both times by wide margins.
Against the Saints, the Wolverines proved nearly unstoppable. They amassed 513 yards of total offense, 233 yards on the ground and 183 through the air.
Junior Roy Taylor, filling in for injured quarterback Tanner Buck, completed 3-of-4 pass attempts for 114 yards, and tossed one touchdown, a 74-yard strike to senior Forest Dayton. Taylor also tallied one TD on the ground and gained 57 yards on eight carries.
Senior Mike Ausilio, like Taylor a former starter at quarterback, proved equally efficient at taking snaps and driving the team up and down the field. He was 3-of-7 on pass attempts for 69 yards and also hooked up with Dayton on a 31-yard touchdown pass. Ausilio, who also tallied a TD on a 45-yard run, tossed one interception.
The Wolverines’ coaching staff shook up the lineup and started several players in new positions against the Saints. Tinkering with the lineup appears to have paid dividends, Scheffer said.
“I feel like the kids stepped up and really played well in the new positions this week,” he said. “I think our team chemistry on the field was much better.”
It might have to be if the Wolverines hope to bag win No. 1 against a Division 1A foe. They face Lynden Christian on the road Friday and Scheffer has no doubt that the team will have a tougher opponent on its hands.
Friday Harbor shocked Lynden Christian on their home field in the season finale a year ago and the Lyncs will undoubtedly be looking to settle the score.
“Lynden Christian is a formidable opponent and they’ll bring it all,” he said. “The kids will need to step it up a notch.”
Next: The Wolverines (3-2) travel to Lynden Christian Friday. Kickoff is 6 p.m.
