BELLINGHAM – In the final game of the late season inner-city rivalries Squalicum shut out Bellingham 44-0 on Thursday night at Civic Stadium.
It started out with a bang when Storm senior Rhys Knowlton returned the opening kickoff 69 yards, and on the first play from scrimmage it was senior quarterback Cole Burke who found senior wide receiver Ansen Asbjornsen on a 20-yard touchdown pass.
Squalicum went on to score two more touchdowns in the first quarter on the ground. Sophomore Asher Asbjornsen darted through the Bayhawk defense from six yards out, and senior Avery Weener punched one in from the five-yard line.
The younger Asbjornsen went on to score three more touchdowns, including a 3-yard pass from Burke, and sophomore kicker Elias Larranaga booted a 23-yard field goal.
Weener led the defensive for the Storm from his inside linebacker spot, as he finished with 5.5 tackles and half tackle for loss. Asher Asbjornsen also had 5.5 tackles, while Knowlton and senior cornerback Khalil Binta each had two passes defended.
Squalicum also got interceptions from seniors Zack Watt and Max Phillips.
Ansen Asbjornsen finished with seven receptions for 79 yards, which gives him 60 receptions on the season. Hitting that milestone tied him with Ben Peterson for the most receptions in a season in school history.
Bellingham was led on the ground by senior Sonny Powell who finished with 44 yards on 12 carries, and senior wide receiver Joe Harward caught four passes for 64 yards.
The Storm (5-4) have not scheduled their week 10 game as of yet, while the Bayhawks (4-5) will close their season on Thursday at Civic Stadium at 7:00 against Oak Harbor (2-7).
Squalicum 44 Bellingham 0 SQU 20 7 17 0 - 44 BEL 0 0 0 0 - 0 SQU - Ans. Asbjornsen 20 pass from Burke (kick failed) SQU - Ash. Asbjornsen 6 run (Larranaga kick) SQU - Weener 5 run (Larranaga kick) SQU - Ash. Asbjornsen 3 pass from Burke (Larranaga kick) SQU - Larranaga 23 FG SQU - Ash. Asbjornsen 9 run (Larranaga kick) SQU - Ash. Asbjornsen 16 run (Larranaga kick) SQU BEL 25-142 Rush Att-Yards 17-57 13-19-0 Comp-Att-Int 11-28-2 161 Passing Yards 119 Individual Leaders RUSHING - SQU: Ash. Asbjornsen 13-81, Knowlton 1-27, Weener 4-17, Burke 3-11, Price 1-6, Hofstedt 2-3, Ans. Asbjornsen 1-(-3). BEL: Powell 12-44, Hanstead 4-11, Leonard 1-2. PASSING - SQU: Burke 13-19-0-161. BEL: Leonard 11-28-2-119. RECEIVING - SQU: Ans. Asbjornsen 7-79, Ash. Asbjornsen 2-35, Scammell 2-8, Binta 1-27, Watt 1-12. BEL: Harward 4-64, Wright 3-30, VanHofwegen 3-24, Powell 1-1.
