SEATTLE – The Bainbridge Spartans lost their regular season football finale against Chief Sealth, 24-6, Friday in Seattle.

The loss put the team’s season record at 3-2 in Metro, 4-4 overall.

Lakeside leads the Metro Valley Division with a flawless 5-0 conference record (7-1 overall).

The 3A District playoffs will begin Friday, Nov. 3, and the state championship is slated for Nov. 10 in Tacoma.

Against Sealth, Bainbridge fell behind 6-0 in the first quarter, but evened things up at the half, scoring a TD in the second stanza to leave things 6-all.

After the half, Sealth came back to put up another six, and Bainbridge didn’t answer, and the Seahawks added 12 points in the final. Bainbridge, again, had no response.

It was the final game of the Spartans’ regular season schedule, and had more at stake than fans may have realized at first.

A “change in approach” to the Metro League play, team spokesman John Bierly said, had given Bainbridge another shot at the playoffs — if they could pull it off against Sealth.

“[The] result is that the winner of Friday’s Bainbridge vs. Sealth game will advance to the Week 9 play-in round with a matchup against Seattle Prep,” he said. “Previously, all 11 teams in the higher ranked Mountain and Sound Divisions advanced along with the winner of the Valley Division (Lakeside 6-1). However, after looking at their seasons results, West Seattle (0-7, the last place Sound Division team) agreed to give their spot to the second place Valley Division team as determined by the winner of our upcoming game.

“Our team, coach, and parent community is thrilled to have this opportunity and deeply appreciates the West Seattle teams decision.”

Alas, it was not to be for Bainbridge. Though the Spartans did celebrate their best season in recent memory.