There was no getting around the fact Friday’s opening-round 4A state playoff game was the final home appearance for a large group of Skyline seniors.
They did have control as to whether it would be the final game of their high-school careers — something that certainly appeared plausible after a bumpy first quarter.
“A lot of us just wanted to take in the moment in that first quarter and I think that we just a little carried away with the fans and everything,” senior wide receiver Kasen Williams said. “We just went in the locker room and just relaxed. We said, ‘This is our last (home) game and we want to go out with a bang.'”
Some might describe it as more of a boom.
After allowing a score in the game’s first 36 seconds, the No. 1-ranked Spartans rattled off five unanswered touchdowns to defeat Rogers 34-7 and move into the state quarterfinals against either Issaquah or Marysville-Pilchuck.
“For these seniors, this was the last game on this field this year,” head coach Mat Taylor said. “We had to make sure that we came out on top. I’m very proud of them.”
While happy with the final result, things certainly didn’t start as the Spartans drew them up.
On the second play from scrimmage, Rogers senior quarterback Graham Madland hit receiver Keylin Huddleston on a quick out to the left sideline. Huddleston shed several potential tackles, breaking free 68 yards to the end zone and a 7-0 lead.
Skyline ‘s next four possessions consisted of three punts and an interception.
“For whatever reason, kids don’t have a short as memory as you would like and I think they starting to panic a little bit in that first quarter,” said Taylor, referring to the previous week’s offensive struggles in a narrow two-point victory over Central Kitsap.
Finally, on their fifth series, Skyline’s offense found its groove behind the arm of sophomore quarterback Max Browne. After recovering a Rams’ fumble, the Spartans marched 91 yards on six plays, before Browne hit a leaping Williams for a 25-yard touchdown in the right front corner of the end zone. The touchdown brought the halftime score to 7-7.
The Spartans’ offense came out on fire in the second half, scoring on their first four possessions.
On the first series, Browne found Williams on a short slant and the shifty senior worked his way free of tacklers up the right sideline for his second receiving TD of the game.
Browne, who completed 21 of 30 passes for 301 yards, also connected with Michael Ford for a 4-yard TD and Teran Togia on a 1-yard TD.
Williams, who caught eight passes for 180 yards, scored his third TD of the game running the ball out of the Wildcat formation.
While the offense found its groove, so the did the Spartan defense. Skyline held Rogers to just 37 total yards in the second half, after allowing 226 in the first half.
“We just wanted to shut them out, like always, and play stellar defense and that’s what we did,” said sophomore linebacker Peyton Pelleur, who had one of three Skyline second-half interceptions.
Skyline (10-1) will take to the road to face the winner of Issaquah–Marysville-Pilchuck next week. Those two teams square off 7 p.m., Saturday in Issaquah.
