Bainbridge loses 7-0 to Blanchet, now faces Franklin in crossover game

Published 2:37 pm Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Loss sends BHS into crossover game against Franklin.

The stakes were clear when the Bainbridge High football team hosted Blanchet on Friday night. With both teams tied for third place in the Metro League’s Mountain Division, the winner would be assured of a berth in first-round action of the state playoffs in two weeks.

A combination of bad field position – which became particularly atrocious in the second half, when the Spartans’ average starting position was their own 12 while the Blanchet average was at midfield – and a fumble deep in their own territory midway through the third quarter put Bainbridge on the short end of a 7-0 score.

With the loss, Bainbridge will play a Metro League crossover game Saturday at 5 p.m. against Franklin at Memorial Stadium in Seattle. If the Spartans win, they will play at home in a season-ending game the following week against a Kingco school – most likely Interlake or Mercer Island.

Should the Spartans lose to Franklin, they would travel to the Eastside for their final game.

The Spartans went into the Blanchet game minus two of their top two-way players, Kiyle Playter and Kyle Szarzynski. Playter was on crutches after spraining his knee and ankle in practice, while Szarzynski dislocated a shoulder against Lakeside the previous Saturday.

In what turned out to be their best starting position of the game, the Spartans took the opening kickoff out to their own 36. But after gaining a first down at midfield, the drive stalled when Alex Johnson was held for no gain on a fourth-and-one at the Blanchet 41.

Blanchet responded by driving to the Spartan 10. A holding penalty pushed the Braves back to the 28, where they tried a field goal on fourth down. The ball had plenty of distance but hit the left upright.

Taking over on the 20, Bainbridge moved into Blanchet territory but a fumble halted the drive. Neither team could move the ball consistently until late in the half. The Spartans dodged a couple of bullets when Blanchet quarterback Spencer Marquiss – by far the most prolific passer in the Metro League in pass attempts, completions and total yardage – misfired on several long pass attempts when his receivers broke into the clear behind Bainbridge defenders.

With 1:14 remaining in the first half, Bainbridge used runs by Ross Cobb of 17 and eight yards and a Jason Haley 12-yard rollout to move to the Blanchet 24 with 4.9 seconds left. But Colin Feldtman’s field goal attempt fell short and the teams headed for the locker room in a scoreless tie.

Early in the third quarter, the Spartans found themselves in highly unfavorable field position as a Blanchet punt rolled dead on the Bainbridge 5. After going three and out and punting, the Spartans halted the Braves and forced another punt. This one was downed at the 2.

On the first play, Johnson broke free up the middle, but when he was tackled at the Spartan 18 the ball came free and the Braves took over at the 25. Aided by two Bainbridge penalties, Blanchet moved to a first and goal at the 4. Braves’ running back Cameron Cutter broke free into the end zone with 4:10 remaining in the third quarter.

Bainbridge was unable to move the football and punted. Blanchet mounted a drive down to the Spartan 18, but a field goal attempt was wide left. The Spartans caught another break when Blanchet missed a field goal from the 25 early in the fourth quarter. The ball had plenty of distance but was slightly to the left of the uprights.

On the ensuing possession, the already shorthanded Spartans suffered yet another blow. After twisting in an effort to secure a first down, Johnson crumpled to the turf and lay almost motionless for a couple of minutes before walking off unaided. The Spartans managed to overcome an illegal procedure penalty and get another first down on a Cobb eight-yard run. A Haley scramble put the ball at midfield and set up a fourth and two. But the Spartans, perhaps trying to draw Blanchet offside, instead were flagged for a delay of game penalty. On the next play, Haley’s pass – his first of the game – fell incomplete.

With less than five minutes remaining, Blanchet began working the clock. Somewhat inexplicably, Marquiss passed with just over a minute showing on the clock, but the Spartans were flagged for pass interference to put the ball on the 15.

Needing only to run out the final seconds, Blanchet fumbled on second down. Zane Sackett recovered at the 10 to give the Spartans one final faint hope with 37 seconds remaining. But two Haley passes were incomplete, and a third was picked off. Marquiss took a knee and the game was over.

Cobb led Spartan ball-carriers with 93 yards on 18 carries. Johnson added 61 on 13 carries and Mario McLaughlin had 24 yards in five attempts. Haley chipped in 19 yards on four carries.