Frustration was plastered on the faces of the Issaquah coaches and players as they marched into the locker room for halftime of Friday’s home opener against Mount Si.
“I thought we came out pretty flat,” senior quarterback Joey Bradley said. “We probably thought we were a little better than we were with that big win versus Bothell.”
A wake-up call from head coach Chris Bennett provided a much needed spark for Eagles, as they turned a one-point halftime deficit into a 34-20 victory over the Wildcats.
“At halftime we talked about playing with a lot of pride here at home and not getting pushed around in our own building, and it was a lot of gut-check time for some guys,” Bennett said.
Mount Si, which received the ball to start the third quarter, came out the aggressor. The Wildcats marched down the field on their first drive and turned a 14-13 halftime lead into a 20-13 advantage via a 4-yard touchdown run from running back Sean Snead.
Feeding off the momentum of the halftime talk, Issaquah’s offense countered on its first possession of the second half. The Eagles drove 70 yards in six plays, highlighted by an 11-yard TD run from running back Grant Gellatly. The junior had a 35-yard run earlier in the drive on his way to a 129-yard, four-touchdown performance.
“Believe it or not, Grant Gellatly was a game-time decision,” said Bennett, referring Gellatly’s sore shoulder. “He wasn’t going to play. The warrior he is, he wouldn’t be denied.”
After forcing a punt, Issaquah’s offense struck again. This time Bradley found tight end Sean Stuby on a slant route over the middle of the field. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound senior rumbled 64 yards down the left side of the field, breaking free of two tacklers within the 5-yard line.
“I was (tired), I didn’t want to snap the ball for the PAT afterwards,” joked Stuby, who had four catches for 98 yards.
Issaquah’s defense laid the clamps down on Mount Si after retaking the lead. The Eagles held the Wildcats to a punt, two turnovers on downs and an interception over their final four possessions of the game. Snead, who carried the ball 20 times for 139 yards, was limited to 47 yards in the second half.
Bennett said he was impressed with the defense considering the team had a significant amount of players sitting out with injuries, including linebacker Joe Camporeale and defensive end James Bowsher, who went down on the opening kick off.
“We were putting a lot of guys on the field who play (junior varsity) and they got some experience, and they did good,” Bennett said.
Issaquah padded its lead with 2:07 left in the game on a 21-yard TD from Gellatly. The 5-10, 180-pound running back had two 1-yard TD runs earlier in the contest, including a score that put the Eagles up 7-0 with 2:59 left in the first quarter.
Bradley ended the game completing 14 of 29 passes for 236 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.
“We put the ball in his hands a lot tonight and he responded,” Bennett said.
Issaquah plays its final non-league contest Friday against Inglemoor (2-0).
“They have some of the biggest, fastest, toughest linebackers in the state,” Bennett said. “They like to bring a lot of heat. They play that 3-3 stack (defense), they like to bring guys from everywhere.
We’ve got a hard week of practice ahead and that’s going to be another tough one.”
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Pop Keeney Stadium in Bothell.
Issaquah vs. Inglemoor
Kickoff: 7 p.m., Friday at Pop Keeney Stadium
Quick look: Inglemoor brings a strong linebacking core to the field led by 6-foot-1, 220-pound senior Paul Ena. Offensively, the Vikings evenly distribute the ball with the pass and the run behind their 6-foot-5 mobile senior quarterback, Todd Campbell. So far, Inglemoor has defeated Juanita and Garfield. Issaquah has two tougher non-league opponents under its belt in Bothell and Mount Si.
Prediction: Issaquah has battled early-season injury problems, but the Eagles have also displayed depth. The Eagles should pick up their second win in three weeks at Pop Keeney. Final score: 35-20 Issaquah.
