EVERETT – Just two seasons ago, the Sehome football team was winless in 10 games. It scored 115 points and gave up 413 points. MaxPreps had the Mariners ranked 242nd in the state, and 11,351st in the nation. Also two years ago, the Archbishop Murphy football team was undefeated, 14-0. It scored 463 points and gave up just 44. The Wildcats won the 2A State Championship in a landslide, and was ranked by MaxPreps as the 5th best overall team in the state, and 231st in the nation.
Two years later, Sehome coach Kevin Beason has infused belief and a winning attitude at his alma mater, as the Mariners handedly defeated the Wildcats 37-9 at Archbishop Murphy High School on Friday night.
ATM came out strong, and put together a long, time-consuming drive to begin the game. Powerful runs and pinpoint passes led the Wildcats down the field, and they would score when quarterback Victor Gabalis hit tight end Jack Barnes on a 5-yard strike.
That would be Archbishop’s finest moment of the game, as the Mariners collectively dominated after that.
Senior running back Dylan Roberts ran extremely hard on the following drive, darting through defenders, breaking tackles and running past other would-be tacklers. His capped the drive with a spectacular 37-yard touchdown run.
The Mariners would score again in the first quarter when the sophomore connection of Jacob Kaepernick and Tim Malo hooked up for a 44-yard touchdown. The strong run game opened up the pass game, and Malo’s route was ran perfectly towards the middle of the field and Kaepernick found him in stride.
Senior wide receiver Brett Meggyesy had a pair of catches in the first quarter, and both ended up being milestones. His first reception, a 12-yarder down the right sideline, put him past current Washington Husky Taylor Rapp as the Sehome career leader in receptions. His second catch, a spectacular 22-yarder, was his 45th on the season, which became the new school record for receptions in a season, breaking Evan Miksovsky’s record from 2013. Meggyesy finished with a game-high six catches for 111 yards.
Roberts finished with 78 yards rushing on 17 carries, which put him over 1,000 yards rushing on the season, and junior running back Dawson Smith scored on a nine-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
Sehome began the third quarter with a with a drive that featured Roberts running the ball, as well as Kaepernick hitting Meggyesy and Malo, but the Mariners were held near the goal line and settled for a 22-yard field goal by junior Melloy Nelson.
The Wildcats were forced to pass the ball for the remainder of the game, and that was music to the ears of the Mariner secondary. Senior safety Jay Travier was able to roam free in the middle of the field and survey the quarterback’s eyes. He intercepted two more passes, giving him an astounding nine interceptions on the season. Senior defensive back Austin Roberts also had an interception. The turnovers led to touchdown passes from Kaepernick to senior tight end Christian Knudtson and senior wide receiver Michael McLin.
Malo picked off his second pass of the season late in the fourth quarter.
The defensive front of the Mariners were also extremely active, with defensive ends Bryce Andrews and Rylie Bair putting extreme pressure on Gabalis.
The victory by Sehome (7-3) puts the Mariners in the state tournament for the first time since 2013 when they lost to Tumwater in the first round. The Mariners were in the state tournament four times in the 1990’s. It will be announced on Sunday morning who Sehome will play, and where.
Sehome 37
Archbishop Murphy 9
SE 14 7 9 7 – 37
ATM 7 0 0 2 – 9
ATM – Barnes 5 pass from Gabalis (Henderson kick)
SE – D. Roberts 37 run (Nelson kick)
SE – Malo 44 pass from Kaepernick (Nelson kick)
SE – Smith 9 run (Nelson kick)
SE – Nelson 22 FG
SE – Knudtson 4 pass from Kaepernick (kick blocked)
SE – McLin 10 pass from Kaepernick (Nelson kick)
ATM – Safety, Kaepernick ran out of the end zone
SE ATM
33-111 Rushing Att-Yards 19-25
15-28-2 Comp-Att-Int 12-29-4
241 Passing yards 85
Individual Leaders
RUSHING – SE: D. Roberts 17-78, Smith 8-32, Knudtson 2-5, Kaepernick 6-(-4). ATM: Mathis 10-25, Ennis 4-2, Gabalis 2-0, Guerrero 2-(-1), Riojas 1-(-1).
PASSING – SE: Kaepernick 15-28-2-241. ATM: Gabalis 12-29-4-85.
RECEIVING – SE : Meggyesy 6-111, Malo 3-89, Knudtson 3-22, McLin 1-10, Travier 1-6, D. Roberts 1-3. ATM: Ennis 3-32, Mathis 3-8, Halpin 2-16, Hines 2-12, Van Rensum 1-12, Barnes 1-5.
