Spartans suffer 29-7 setback against Vikings in disappointing debut

Published 11:43 am Friday, September 12, 2014

We got spirit.

Yes we do.

We got spirit.

But we’re short a few touchdowns.

That maybe wasn’t exactly the chant on the sidelines at this year’s football season debut against North Kitsap, but it would have been appropriate as the spirited Bainbridge High Spartans found themselves staring down the wrong end of a disheartening 29-7 finishing score against the North Kitsap Vikings Friday, Sept. 5.

Coaches and players agreed afterwards, the BHS varsity football squad left nothing on the field effort-wise, but they failed to capitalize on several key opportunities, especially in the second half. Though they managed a touchdown in the final minutes of the fourth quarter to barely avoid a shutout, BHS Head Coach Andy Grimm said that the team had simply lost momentum by that point and was ultimately unable to keep pace with the Vikings.

“I think the fourth quarter wasn’t necessarily [lack of] effort, that guys weren’t trying,” Grimm said. “I think they were just out of gas.”

Grimm praised the aggressive, intelligent performance given by the Vikings, and said this year’s NK squad will undoubtedly do well this season.

“They did a nice job,” he said. “They picked our weak spot and ran down on us.”

“I’m a little frustrated with our penalties,” Grimm added. “We’ve got a sophomore center, the kid’s trying hard, but I think the timing was off on his snap. So what was happening was Kyle [Jackson] would make the cadence call — he’d say the hike — but we were a little slow on our snap. So our guys were jumping, ’cause you go on set, go, so we’re jumping — but he hasn’t really started. I bet you when we watch it on film we’ll be able to see, freeze and look at it.”

Ultimately BHS would be given eight offensive movement penalties, one defensive encroachment and two offensive holding penalties.

Jackson split quarterback responsibilities with fellow senior Casey Brink.

Sam Wysong lead the Spartans’ rushing efforts and ended the game with eight carries for 38 yards. He also scored the team’s only touchdown.

Eric Jung managed eight carries for 20 yards, Jackson completed 12 carries in 19 yards, Brink finished the night with four carries for 13 yards. Ben Fisher contributed two carries for six yards.

Max Wickline dominated the team’s receiving efforts with four carries for 73 yards.

Sam Roth had three carries for 67 yards, Carter Daniels managed one carry for 37 yards, Oskar Dieterich contributed two carries for 36 yards, Ben Fisher had one carry for 11 yards and Wysong completed one cary for 1 yard.

Defensively, the team got off to a good start.

Fisher led the efforts, managing six solo tackles and one assisted tackle, including one sack.

Wysong managed five solo and three assisted tackles, BHS junior Gareth Grindeland contributed four solo tackles, Dieterich (2.33-0) shared the credit for one sack with Alex Pickett (4.33-1) and Brink (2.33-0).

Also leaving their mark on the Vikings, Zach Escalante managed four solo and two assisted tackles and Roth also contributed four solo and one assisted tackle.

The Spartan roster is once again not as deep as the coaches would like, Grimm said, and their upperclassmen ranks include only 12 seniors and 13 juniors. Many on the team are forced to learn both offensive and defensive roles, and actively play both parts with little or no downtime.

Simple opportunities for improvement abound, however, Grimm explained, and said that he hopes to use this first game as a learning experience for the team and move forward with increased enthusiasm.

“I thought they fought hard,” he said. “Not an effort issue, just running out of gas. We can condition as much as we want, but football conditioning — the pounding each play — that takes it out of you, too.

“The kids are working hard. It’s not that they’re slacking in their workouts, but when you don’t have the numbers depth-wise, it’s tough on a kid,” Grimm said.

The Spartans will play their next game on the road at noon Saturday, Sept. 13 at Memorial Stadium in Seattle against Cleveland High.

Football action will finally arrive to the island for the team’s first home game against Everett High Friday, Sept. 19.