FERNDALE – Coming off a strong performance against Oak Harbor last week, the Golden Eagles came out firing against the Storm on Friday night. Quarterback Sequoyah Julius connected with three different receivers on the opening drive, including a perfectly thrown 14-yard corner touchdown pass to tight end Colby Tegt.
Squalicum answered back in the second quarter when quarterback Spencer Lloyd lofted a beautiful pass over the safety to Zach Tucker for a 29-yard touchdown pass. The aerial game would continue when Julius launched a ball deep down his left side line and found Watiko Leighton who had out-jumped his defender, and scored on the 47-yard touchdown. Leighton finished with a game-high 95 yards receiving.
Lloyd took over in the second half, and the Strom defense tightened up, and Squalicum scored 21 unanswered to close out the game and beat Ferndale 28-14.
The Golden Eagle defense was bottling Lloyd up, who came into the game as Whatcom County’s leading rusher. But, the muscular 195-pound quarterback kept pounding, and was able to score on a 15-yard touchdown run to tie the game in the third quarter.
A quick three-and-out forced by the Storm defense forced a punt that Mason Lloyd returned 27 yards, deep into Ferndale territory. A few plays later it was Spencer Lloyd who scored on a 3-yard touchdown run when he followed 240-pound left guard Jackson Campbell who pulled to the right and cleared a path for his QB.
Both teams’ defenses did a fantastic job of stopping each others’ run games, which both offenses are known for. Therefor, both offenses went to the air often. In fact, both teams had more yards passing than they did receiving for the first time all season. Lloyd was on target most of the night, completing 14-of-18 passes for 166 yards and two scores. Julius looked much improved as well, completing 10-of-22 passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns. However, the Storm defense was able to intercept three passes that halted big Golden Eagle drives.
The biggest interception of the game came in the fourth quarter when Ferndale had the ball near mid-field. It was third-and-one, and Julius threw deep over the middle of the field, and junior safety Devante Powell picked it off and took it 41 yards. Squalicum would score its final touchdown of the game three plays later when Lloyd found junior tight end Collin McEachran from six yards out.
Squalicum (5-1) will host Stanwood (1-5) this Friday night at Civic Stadium, and Ferndale (1-5) will host Marysville-Pilchuck (5-1) on Friday night.
Squalicum 28
Ferndale 14
SQU 0 7 14 7 – 28
FER 7 7 0 0 – 14
FER – Tegt 14 pass from Julius (Stewart kick)
SQU – Tucker 29 pass from S. Lloyd (M. Lloyd kick)
FERN – Leighton 47 pass from Julius (Stewart kick)
SQU – S. Lloyd 15 run (M. Lloyd kick)
SQU – S. Lloyd 3 run (M. Lloyd kick)
SQU – McEachran 6 pass from S. Lloyd (M. Lloyd kick)
SQU FER
35-155 Rushing Att-Yards 41-128
14-18-0 Comp-Att-Int 10-22-3
166 Passing yards 160
Individual Leaders
RUSHING – SQU: S. Lloyd 21-90, Powers 10-41, Powell 2-21, Mitchell 2-3. FER: Fox 18-68, Ebe 15-35, Broselle 5-24, Julius 2-1.
PASSING – SQU: S. Lloyd 14-18-0-166. FER: Julius 10-22-3-160.
RECEIVING – SQU: Powell 4-55, McEachran 4-40, Mitchell 3-26, Tucker 1-29, Powers 1-11, Gordon 1-5. FER: Leighton 4-95, Lupo 3-28, Fox 1-21, Tegt 1-14, Ebe 1-2.
