Squalicum Rides Hot Start To Victory

BELLINGHAM – The Storm erupted for three touchdowns in the first quarter, which helped them defeat Bellingham 39-20 at Civic Stadium on Friday night.

All three touchdowns were on pass plays delivered by junior quarterback Cole Burke, with the first one coming on the initial drive of the game. Burke eluded two different Bayhawks in the backfield, stepped up in the pocket and hit junior wide receiver Ansen Asbjornsen in stride who scored the 30-yard touchdown.

Squalicum junior safety Zack Watt then intercepted a pass near midfield, and the Storm took advantage on the very next play when Burke found senior running back Marcus Nixon, who ran a go pattern down the middle of the field, for a 53-yard strike and six more points.

From there it was Squalicum senior Joaquin Ortiz who returned a punt 37 yards, which set his team up nicely for another scoring opportunity. And the coaching staff rewarded the quick-footed senior by dialing his number at the 1-yard line with a shovel pass from Burke for the score.

Senior running back Malaki Smith rumbled in from five yards out in the second quarter, and Squalicum led 26-0 at the half.

Big plays spilled over into the third quarter for the Storm who got another touchdown pass from Burke to Asbjornsen, and Nixon also sprinted around the right end for an 18-yard touchdown run.

After three quarters, Squalicum led 39-0.

The Bayhawks kept fighting, and was able to make a handful of big plays at the end of the third quarter, which included a 33-yard run by senior Tyler Frost. Senior Gabe VanHofwegen culminated Bellingham’s first big drive of the game with a 1-yard touchdown run to begin the fourth quarter.

Frost scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, and finished with a team-high 83 yards rushing on just nine carries.

Neither team qualified for the state playoffs, but both should have opponents lined up soon for the final week of the regular season.

Squalicum            39
Bellingham           20

BEL     0    0    0   20  -  20
SQU    20    6   13    0  -  39

SQU - Asbjornsen 30 pass from Burke (Kaiser kick)
SQU - Nixon 53 pass from Burke (Kaiser kick)
SQU - Ortiz 1 pass from Burke (run failed)
SQU - Smith 5 run (kick failed)
SQU - Asbjornsen 33 pass from Burke (kick failed)
SQU - Nixon 18 run (Kaiser kick)
BEL - G. VanHofwegen 1 run (Harward pass from Leonard)
BEL - Frost 22 run (pass failed)
BEL - Frost 2 run (kick failed)

BEL                        SQU
17-102  Rush Att-Yards     39-186
19-34-3 Comp-Att-Int       22-30-1
113     Passing Yards      232

Individual Leaders
   RUSHING - BEL: Frost 9-83, Harward 1-19, G. VanHofwegen 2-6, Leonard 1-0, Jackson 4-(-6). SQU: Nixon 19-101, Smith 6-43, Fagaautau 5-22, Burke 3-12, Ortiz 2-9, Feathers 2-2, Knowlton 1-1, Hardin 1-(-4).
   PASSING - BEL: Leonard 19-34-3-113. SQU: Burke 20-27-0-225, Feathers 2-3-1-7.
   RECEIVING - BEL: Henderson 11-55, Harward 5-43, Hanstead 2-6, Wright 1-9. SQU: Asbjornsen 5-100, Ortiz 5-13, Fagaautau 4-24, Nixon 2-59, Binta 2-18, Smith 1-10, Knowlton 1-9, Clark 1-1, Lara 1-(-2).