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Wolverines shred Cardinals 42-14;
advance to state playoffs
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Story by Matt Pranger
Photos by John Stimpson
posted 11/08/2006
Friday Harbor thrashed Orting 42-14 in a state-qualifying contest Tuesday, Nov. 7 in Sumner. The Wolverines (9-1) clinched their third consecutive Class 1A State Tournament berth and play a first-round game against Montesano (9-1) in Tumwater at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 11.
The smaller Wolverines used speed and conditioning to slip past and then wear down the larger Cardinals. Friday Harbor's offense possessed the ball about 10 more minutes than Orting's and compiled more than twice the yards of the Nisqually 2B/1A League champions.
Tyler Hart accounted for more 200 of the Wolverines' 400-plus yards. Hart gained 158 yards on 13 carries and scored four touchdowns. He caught two passes for 61 yards.
Austin Scheffer rushed 18 times for 118 yards.
Cole Franklin completed five of seven passes for 105 yards and ran for two touchdowns.
The Wolverine defense sacked the Orting quarterback several times and shut down the Cardinals on all but a few drives. Orting's powerful running game never got on track and the Cardinals completed only 11 of 24 passes. Trent Roberts and Spencer Satin picked off passes for the Wolverines.
Friday Harbor scored first on Hart's 2-yard run with 4:31 to go in the first quarter. On the Wolverines next possession, Hart ripped off a 57-yard run. Hart kicked his second PAT and the Wolverines led 14-0.
Orting trimmed the lead to 14-7 early in the second period by completing a 19-yard touchdown toss and booting the PAT.
Hart criss-crossed the field on a 76-yard touchdown run with 5:33 to go in the half. The extra-point kick failed.
The Cardinals returned the kickoff to Friday Harbor's 35-yard line but the Roberts' pick stopped the drive.
Scheffer rumbled 44 yards and Hart scored on a 2-yard push up the middle. Franklin threaded the ball to Matt Rothlisberger for the two-point conversion and the Wolverines built a 28-7 lead with about four minutes remaining in the second quarter.
Friday Harbor drove mostly on the ground on their first possession of the third quarter to set up a 4-yard quarterback-keeper by Franklin. The Cardinals blocked the point-after attempt but the Wolverines built a 27-point lead.
Orting scored its second touchdown on a long pass play with 5:14 left in the third period. The PAT was good but that was the last scoring the Cardinals could muster.
The Wolverine defense made their second, successful fourth-down stand, stopping the Cardinals 14 yards shy of the end zone with about a minute to go in the third quarter.
Satin, on a play covering 30 yards, hauled in a Franklin pass and fought to the 1-yard line in the final period. Franklin crossed into the end zone on the next play and scored the two-point conversion to give Friday Harbor a commanding 42-14 lead.
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Orting features power running game
posted 11/06/2006
A large, physical team stands between Friday Harbor High School's football team and a third consecutive Class 1A State Tournament berth. The sixth-ranked Wolverines face eighth-ranked Orting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7 at Chev Sunset Stadium in Sumner.
"Orting is big, mean, tough and aggressive," Friday Harbor coach Richard Ledford of the Cardinals.
The Cardinals (9-1) clinched the Nisqually 2B/1A League conference title by beating Cascade Christian 28-12. Friday Harbor is (8-1) and also defeated Cascade Christian -- 31-14 -- in a non-league contest.
Friday Harbor is averaging 29.4 points a game and has allowed an average of 12.8. Orting is averaging 33.4 points a game and is giving up 12.0.
The Wolverines and Cardinals rely on different running styles for the bulk of their offense, though. Friday Harbor senior running back Tyler Hart zips through defenses using speed and finesse. Orting senior Adam Robinett, a 255-pound fullback, powers through opponents.
Even though light rain is forecast for the game, all the backs should have sure footing on the stadium's artificial surface. Moisture shouldn't dampen the fans' spirits as the home and visitor stands are covered.
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