SEDRO-WOOLLEY – The Golden Eagles forced two late turnovers which helped lead them to a 43-36 victory over the Cubs at Tom Mullen Memorial Stadium on Friday night.
Ferndale got off to a fast start, thanks to a few long runs by senior Wyatt Broyles on the opening drive, which ended with a 1-yard touchdown run by senior Elliot Lenssen. It was his 20th touchdown of the season.
The Golden Eagles then forced a punt, got the ball back, and Broyles sprung another long run, but this time it went for a touchdown from 42-yards out and Ferndale held a 14-0 lead after one quarter of play.
Sedro-Woolley then elected to go to the air, and lofted a deep pass down the home sidelines which was hauled in for a 54-yard touchdown as the home team cut the lead in half.
Broyles responded once again with multiple runs that resulted in first downs, including a 31-yard scamper that brought his team down to the 1-yard line. Lenssen muscled his way in once again to give Ferndale a two-score lead.
Three plays later it was another deep touchdown pass for the Cubs, and the snap on the extra point was bobbled, and the holder was able to take it himself and score the two-point conversion.
The Golden Eagles nearly scored again before the half, but were turned over on downs at the one-inch line.
Sedro-Woolley then took its opening drive of the third quarter down the field and eventually scored on a seven-yard touchdown pass. The extra point was good, which gave the Cubs a slim 22-21 lead.
Ferndale countered with more of its usual strong run game, and on a third-and-goal run from the 2-yard line, Broyles appeared to be stopped just short of the goal line, and when he reached out to put the football over the goal line, the ball was popped loose and snagged out of the air in the end zone by junior Chance Hatchett.
The Golden Eagles then elected to go for two points, and when Lenssen crossed the goal line it gave the visitors a 29-22 lead.
On the very next play from scrimmage, Sedro-Woolley dialed long distance once again and scored on a 71-yard touchdown pass, and the extra point tied the game which was now headed to the fourth quarter.
Without panicking, Ferndale kept the ball on the ground behind its uber-talented offensive line, and were able to score once again on a 6-yard run by Lenssen, but the Cubs wouldn’t go away as a long run put them into the red zone, and moments later they connected on their fifth touchdown pass of the game to tie it up once again.
The Cub defense stepped it up on the following drive, and Ferndale was forced to punt for the first time of the game, and Alvarez struck it well for a 48-yard boot into Sedro-Woolley territory.
The Golden Eagle defense then got Sedro-Woolley to punt it back, but the Cubs called a fake punt at their own 26-yard line, and were able to move the chains with an extremely gutsy call. However, two plays later, Mason Butenschoen and Trevor Kudsk combined to force a fumble which was recovered by junior Hank Whitaker.
Ferndale now had possession on its own 38-yard line with less than five minutes left in the game, which was tied at 36-36.
Junior quarterback Sawyer Saab went to the air during the drive and picked up first downs on passes to Broyles and Hatchett. Hatchett’s reception was followed by a 23-yard touchdown run by Lenssen which gave Ferndale a 43-36 lead with 28 seconds left in the game.
On Sedro-Woolley’s next play from scrimmage, while trying to keep a play alive, Kudsk knocked the ball out of the quarterback’s hands and when Butenschoen recovered it near midfield it put the final nail in the coffin.
Broyles finished the game with a career-high 289 yards rushing on 28 carries, and Lenssen added 151 yards on 26 carries.
The Golden Eagles (6-2) will now host Oak Harbor (2-6) on Friday at 7:00 for a chance to get into the 3A Round-of-32.
Ferndale 43
Sedro-Woolley 36
FER 14 7 8 14 - 43
S-W 0 15 14 7 - 36
FER - Lenssen 1 run (Alvarez kick)
FER - Broyles 42 run (Alvarez kick)
S-W - 54 yard touchdown pass (kick good)
FER - Lenssen 1 run (Alvarez kick)
S-W - 53 yard touchdown pass (2pt run good)
S-W - 7 yard touchdown pass (kick good)
FER - Hatchett 2 run (Lenssen run)
S-W - 71 yard touchdown pass (kick good)
FER - Lenssen 6 run (Alvarez kick)
S-W - 3 yard touchdown pass (kick good)
FER - Lenssen 23 run (Alvarez kick)
FER S-W
58-458 Rush Att-Yards 21-157
2-3-0 Comp-Att-Int 12-19-0
30 Passing Yards 229
Individual Leaders
RUSHING - FER: Broyles 28-289, Lenssen 26-151, Mahaffey 2-13, Hatchett 2-8, Saab 2-(-3). STA: N/A.
PASSING - FER: Saab 2-3-0-30. S-W: N/A.
RECEIVING - FER: Hatchett 1-17, Broyles 1-13. S-W: N/A.
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