BY JEFF WOOD – For Whatcom Preps
MOUNT VERNON – On a dry and slightly breezy November evening in Mount Vernon everything that could go wrong did go wrong for Sehome in dropping its last contest of the year 40-3.
The Bulldogs came out after receiving the opening kickoff with a sustained 15-play drive. The Mariners were able to force a punt after a snap over quarterback Michael Johnson’s head. In an uncharacteristic off-night for sophomore Sehome signal caller Nolan Wright, he threw the first of three first-half interceptions on the Mariners first drive.
With a short field, Mount Vernon took the lead with a 4th-and-1 plunge by senior running back Esai Ruiz-Lozano.
Sehome came back with a promising start to its second drive, with Wright hooking up with senior receiver Braddock Duckworth on two completions for 25 yards.
The opportunistic Bulldogs secondary however snagged a second interception on the next play setting up an 83 yard drive for their offense. That drive was punctuated by a 16-yard touchdown reception on 4th-and-goal.
The Mariners would get their only points of the contest on their next drive with a 33-yard field goal by junior Grady Evans. The field goal, Evans’ fifth of the season, closed the Bulldog advantage to 14-3 early in the second quarter.
The Sehome offense couldn’t sustain the momentum, and the lead for Mount Vernon increased to 27-3 by halftime with two more touchdowns. The first was a 56-yard reception by senior wide receiver Dante Brunk. That was followed up later by a 79-yard interception return score by junior linebacker Moises Lucatero.
The turnover theme, and Bulldogs taking advantage of them, continued in the third quarter as a Mariner fumble on their first drive of the third quarter was turned into a 14-yard touchdown reception.
The Mariners kept battling and a nifty double pass had Duckworth on the receiving end of a pass from Evans. That drive ended up with no points for Sehome, however, as the stingy Bulldog defense was physical all night.
It looked like Sehome got into the end zone in the fourth quarter on a 56-yard pass from Wright to fellow sophomore Theo Quiqqle, but that play was negated by a holding penalty. It was that type of night for the Mariners.
A final touchdown run on a fourth and goal from the 2-yard line pushed the winning margin to 40-3 for the hometown Bulldogs.
Sehome finishes 6-4 on the season and will graduate just four seniors.
Mount Vernon 40 Sehome 3 SEH 0 3 0 0 - 3 MV 7 20 13 0 - 40 MV - 1 yard touchdown run (kick good) MV - 16 yard touchdown pass (kick good) SEH - Evans 33 FG MV - 56 yard touchdown pass (kick good) MV - 79 yard interception return for a touchdown (kick blocked) MV - 14 yard touchdown pass (kick blocked) MV - 2 yard touchdown run (kick good) SEH MV 20-37 Rush Att-Yards 38-128 15-39-3 Comp-Att-Int 19-28-1 240 Passing Yards 224 Individual Leaders RUSHING - SEH: McAlister 10-41, Hall 5-10, Wright 5-(-14). MV: N/A. PASSING - SEH: Wright 14-38-3-206, Evans 1-1-0-34. MV: N/A. RECEIVING - SEH: Watson 7-95, B. Duckworth 4-59, Evans 2-65, Quiggle 2-21. MV: N/A.
