Football: Grizzlies edge Wolves in battle of unbeatens

Olympic League standings

Team Lg. Over.

Sequim 5-0 7-1

North Kitsap 4-1 7-1

Olympic 3-2 3-5

Bremerton 2-3 3-5

North Mason 2-3 4-4

Port Angeles 2-3 2-6

Kingston 0-6 1-7

This time around, with less on the line, Hoquiam still had Sequim’s number.

The Grizzlies, ranked No. 4 in the 1A classification, outlasted the 2A Wolves in a matchup of unbeaten teams Oct. 19 in Hoquaim.

The last time the teams played, Hoquiam knocked Sequim out of the first round of the state playoffs 21-0, Sequim’s first postseason appearance.

On Friday night Sequim (5-0 in Olympic League play, 7-1 overall) was balanced offensively, rushing for 245 yards — 180 of them from sophomore Taig Wiker — while senior quarterback Riley Cowan threw for 235 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.

Sequim jumped out to a 13-0 lead on the strength of a Cowan 1-yard plunge and a Cowan-to-Kyler Rollness 22-yard score.

Hoquiam (3-0 in Evergreen League, 8-0 overall) cut the lead when quarterback Payton Quintanilla found receiver Cameron Bumstead for a 21-yard TD pass.

Sequim built on its lead after Wiker scored from three yards out, but Matt Brown rumbled in from 18-yards out to trim the Wolves’ lead to 21-14. Hoquiam made a goal-line stand just before half to keep it a one-score game heading into halftime.

Grizzly first-year player Antonio Garcia took a handoff from Quintanilla on a draw play 64 yards for a score, tying the game at 21-21.

The Grizzlies’ Ben Estes then returned an interception for a touchdown on the next drive as Hoquiam took a 35-28 lead into the fourth quarter.

Sequim knotted the game in the fourth, with Cowan capping a drive with a 1-yard score, but Quintanilla scored on an 8-yard run to put the Grizzlies back on top, 42-35

The Wolves had one last possession in the final minute, but Cowan was intercepted inside the Grizzlies 10-yard line.

Rollness led Sequim with five receptions for 72 yards while Joey Oliver had five catches for 61 yards.

Looking ahead

The Wolves finish the regular season Friday, Oct. 26, at Bremerton.

The Knights (2-3 in league, 3-5 overall) are coming off a 34-27 loss to Olympic on Oct. 19.

Last season, Bremerton topped Sequim 30-22.

With the Olympic League’s top seed, Sequim will host a West Central District playoff game at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 2, at Silverdale Stdium, against the South Puget Sound League’s No. 7 seed — either Franklin Pierce (4-4) or Orting (3-5), who play this week for seeding purposes.

Postseason games require artificial turf, so the Wolves’ home game would not be played in Sequim. Previous SHS postseason home football games have been played in Silverdale and Poulsbo.

at Hoquiam 42, Sequim 35

Sequim 13 8 7 7 — 35

Hoquiam 6 8 21 7 — 42

Scoring:

First quarter

S — Cowan 1 run (Cowan kick)

S — Rollness 22 pass from Cowan (run failed)

H — Bumstead 18 pass from Quintanilla (kick failed)

Second quarter

S — Wiker 3 run (Wiker run)

H — Brown 18 run (Brown run)

Third quarter