BELLINGHAM – Coming into Saturday’s state quarterfinal game, the Spudders were undefeated and had allowed just 81 points all season. Squalicum wasn’t phased one bit, as it scored gained 564 yards of total offense in a 63-38 win over Ridgefield at Civic Stadium.
The first half saw both teams throw haymakers at each other, with numerous big plays, and the Storm went into halftime with a decent 28-17 lead. The third quarter took a massive swing in one direction, and Squalicum pulled away fast.
The Storm scored 35 points in the third quarter (just as they did last week in the second quarter), and it all started with a dazzling 58-yard touchdown run by senior quarterback Leyton Smithson. It was Smithson’s second touchdown of the game, and he enjoyed his best night of the season as he also completed two touchdown passes in the first half as well.
On the following drive, senior outside linebacker Djouvensky Schlenbaker jumped a passing route, intercepted the pass and took it 34 yards for a touchdown.
The Spudders countered with a touchdown pass of their own, but Schlenbaker and Smithson followed that up with back-to-back rushing touchdowns. Smithson finished the contest with 209 yards rushing, and 189 yards passing, while Schlenbaker rumbled for 145 hard-fought yards on 17 carries to put him over 1,000 yards rushing on the season.
Schlenbaker was able to get one more score before the end of the quarter when he ripped the ball out of the hands of a Ridgefield receiver, and took it 50 yards for the score. It was Schlenbaker’s fourth defensive touchdown of the season, and the fifth of his unbelievable career. And, on that play, he became the first player in Whatcom County history to score four defensive touchdowns in a season, and five defensive touchdowns in a career.
Senior outside linebacker Bryson Lamb continued his stellar play with eight tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a pass deflected. He was aided defensively by sophomore inside linebacker Deandre Dunmore who had six tackles, two passes deflected, one sack, one interception and a fumble recovery.
The Storm will move on the state semifinals for the first time in school history, and they will face number one ranked Tumwater on Saturday at 4:00 at Tumwater High School.
Ridgefield 38 Squalicum 63 RDG 3 14 7 14 - 38 SQU 14 14 35 0 - 63 SQU - Hawkinson 32 pass from Smithson (Smith kick) RDG - 20 yard field goal SQU - Schlenbaker 1 run (Smith kick) SQU - Smithson 1 run (Smith kick) RDG - 2 yard touchdown pass (kick failed) SQU - Posey 41 pass from Smithson (Smith kick) RDG - 26 yard touchdown pass (2-pt run good) SQU - Smithson 58 run (Smith kick) SQU - Schlenbaker 34 interception return (Smith kick) RDG - 16 yard touchdown pass (kick good) SQU - Schlenbaker 2 run (Smith kick) SQU - Smithson 33 run (Smith kick) SQU - Schlenbaker 50 fumble return (Smith kick) RDG - 27 yard touchdown pass (kick good) RDG - 43 yard touchdown pass (kick good)
RDG SQU 19-2 Rush Att-Yards 40-367 31-57-2 Comp-Att-Int 15-18-0 421 Passing Yards 197 Individual Leaders RUSHING - RDG: N/A. SQU: Smithson 15-209, Schlenbaker 17-145, Dunmore 7-13, Leonard 1-0. PASSING - RDG: N/A. SQU: Smithson 13-16-0-189, Heaton 1-1-0-4, Leonard 1-1-0-4. RECEIVING - RDG: N/A. SQU: Hawkinson 5-54, Posey 3-92, Richardson 2-20, Schlenbaker 2-16, Morris 1-8, Takabe 1-7.
Roll Storm!