DEMING – The Storm played their final football game of the year at Bob Tisdale Field, and they survived a second half comeback from Mount Baker and pulled out a 21-14 victory.
It was all Squalicum early, even as early as the first play from scrimmage when senior running back Deandre Dunmore ripped off a 57-yard run. That play set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Dunmore just moments later to give the Storm a 7-0 lead.
The Mountaineers were able to get past midfield on their first possession, but were forced to punt shortly after that.
Squalicum then drove 87 yards on 13 plays behind a strong rushing attack, which culminated with a 6-yard score from Dunmore.
The Storm were able to get one last touchdown just before the half, but this one came in rather dramatic fashion.
With 1:32 left in the second quarter, Storm junior safety Joaquin Ortiz stopped Mount Baker junior quarterback Luke Smith on a bootleg to the right side of the field, and that turned the ball over on downs at the Squalicum 26-yard line.
Moments later, three straight pass completions from junior quarterback Marcus Nixon to Ortiz got the ball into the end zone with eight seconds to go until halftime. The touchdown pass covered 38 yards, and when freshman Slade Kaiser booted his third extra point of the evening, the Storm led 21-0.
The rain picked up during halftime, and down by three scores, the Mountaineers made some adjustments that began to take place in a positive way in the third quarter.
Mount Baker inserted senior Bryson Moa at wingback, who would shift back in motion before becoming a lead blocker up the middle for his cousin Dylan Moa. This play was ran over and over again, with slight variations from time to time, and the Mountaineers were moving the ball down the field at a successful rate. The opening drive of the second half resulted in a 1-yard touchdown run by Dylan Moa, and when Smith hit junior tight end Caden Mosher with a pass on the point-after try, Baker had trimmed the lead to 21-8.
The Mountaineers then turned Squalicum over on downs, and took possession in their own territory. It was much of the same for Mount Baker on their next drive, again with Bryson Moa at wingback as a lead blocker, as the third quarter shifted into the fourth quarter.
Another rushing touchdown by Dylan Moa ensued, this time from two yards out, and the Storm then held a 21-14 lead.
The Mountaineers forced a Squalicum punt, and Mount Baker took over at its own 30-yard line with 5:35 left in the game.
The Storm defense picked up, and was able to stop the Baker rushing attack, but Smith completed a first-down pass to senior wide receiver Tanyen Staton on fourth down to keep the drive alive.
With 2:26 left in the game, the Mountaineers were faced with their second 4th down of the drive, and this time they needed to pick up nine yards. Smith faked a handoff, rolled to his left and connected on a deep pass to Staton to keep Mount Baker’s chances alive.
As the rain poured even harder, Mount Baker needed another conversion on fourth down, but Smith’s pass went off the receiver’s hands, was tipped by a defender and intercepted by sophomore Rhys Knowlton which essentially ended the game.
The Storm were led defensively by Dunmore who led his team with 10.5 tackles to go along with his two tackles for loss and one quarterback sack. The Mountaineers were led by senior defensive end Vance Lawrence who finished with 5.5 tackles, one tackle for loss, one quarterback sack and a forced fumble. Senior defensive back Hayden Rosse had a team-high eight tackles and a pass defended.
Squalicum finished its season at 4-6, and Mount Baker closed out its season with a 3-7 record.
Squalicum 21 Mount Baker 14 SQU 14 7 0 0 - 21 MB 0 0 8 6 - 14 SQU - Dunmore 1 run (Kaiser kick) SQU - Dunmore 6 run (Kaiser kick) SQU - Ortiz 38 pass from Nixon (Kaiser kick) MB - D. Moa 1 run (Mosher pass from Smith) MB - D. Moa 2 run (run failed) SQU MB 41-217 Rush Att-Yards 38-148 6-9-0 Comp-Att-Int 6-14-1 124 Passing Yards 61 Individual Leaders RUSHING - SQU: Dunmore 9-114, Ortiz 6-49, Smith 5-25, Nixon 19-29, Lamm 2-0. MB: D. Moa 24-109, Bruland 8-38, B. Moa 2-13, Hanstead 1-0, Smith 4-(-12). PASSING - SQU: Nixon 6-9-0-124. MB: Smith 6-14-1-61. RECEIVING - SQU: Ortiz 4-106, Smith 1-15, Nelson 1-3. MB: Staton 3-43, Hanstead 3-18.
