BELLINGHAM – After a relatively even first half, the Storm exploded for three unanswered touchdowns in the third quarter, and ultimately defeated Lakewood 35-12 at Civic Stadium on Friday night.
Sophomore running back Marcus Nixon got Squalicum on the board first with a 7-yard touchdown run out of the wildcat formation in the second quarter. The Cougars retaliated with an exciting 70-yard touchdown run down the left sideline for a score, but the two-point conversion failed and the Storm held a 7-6 lead at halftime.
Junior quarterback Josh Leonard had a tough start on the night, completing just four of his first 15 pass attempts, including two interceptions, but he righted the ship in the second half by tossing three touchdown passes to three different receivers in the third quarter alone.
His first was to Joaquin Ortiz-McAlister on a quick push-pass that the speedy sophomore took 34 yards for a touchdown. On the next possession he found Nixon on a deep post pattern into the end zone from 25 yards out, and his third came on a delayed crossing pattern by junior tight end Chase Nelson for an 11-yard score.
Leonard finished with a career-high 217 yards passing on the evening, and he upped his Whatcom County leading total of touchdown passes on the season to 13.
Nixon found the end zone a third time himself in the fourth quarter on a 2-yard run around right end, one play after Leonard connected on a deep pass to senior wide receiver Jacob Sorenson that covered 38 yards.
Nixon finished with 179 yards rushing on 30 carries, and Sorenson caught four passes for 124 yards.
Squalicum was also aided by the return of senior center Blaze Robles, who played in his first game this after recovering from an injury.
The Cougars scored their second touchdown on the final play of the game.
The Storm were led defensively by senior lineman Hayden Hollingsworth who had six tackles, a tackle for loss, forced fumble and a pass batted down at the line of scrimmage. Senior safety Jacob Donnelly also had two interceptions.
Squalicum (4-2) will play host to Anacortes (6-0) on Thursday at 7:00 at Civic Stadium.
Squalicum 35 Lakewood 12 LAK 0 6 0 6 - 12 SQU 0 7 21 7 - 35 SQU - Nixon 7 run (Sonnon kick) LAK - 70 yard touchdown run (run failed) SQU - Ortiz-McAlister 34 pass from Leonard (Sonnon kick) SQU - Nixon 25 pass from Leonard (Sonnon kick) SQU - Nelson 11 pass from Leonard (Sonnon kick) SQU - Nixon 2 run (Sonnon kick) LAK - 23 yard touchdown pass (no conversion attempted) LAK SQU 29-207 Rush Att-Yards 40-196 13-23-1 Comp-Att-Int 11-22-2 112 Passing Yards 217 Individual Leaders RUSHING - LAK: N/A. SQU: Nixon 30-179, Dunmore 4-15, Harden-Murillo 2-6, Smith 2-5, Stewart 1-5, Lamm 1-(-14). PASSING - LAK: N/A. SQU: Leonard 11-22-2-217. RECEIVING - LAK: N/A. SQU: Ortiz-McAlister 5-57, Soresnon 4-124, Nixon 1-25, Nelson 1-11.
