Spartans 3-0 for 1st time in 12 years

By Nicholas Zeller-Singh Bainbridge Island Review • September 15, 2023 1:30 am

The Bainbridge High School football team is 3-0 for the first time since 2011 as the Spartans romped past Sequim 45-17 Sept. 14 at home.

“It feels amazing,” running back Garrett Goade said. “I am very grateful because it’s been twelve years.”

First-year Spartan coach Dan Schoonmaker said: “It was a great win but (we’ve) got plenty to work” on. “I’m happy because when you have easy games you don’t learn who you are.”

Sequim struck first with a couple of passes to put them into the red zone. A few plays later, the Wolves found the endzone to make it 7-0.

“We learned some stuff about us tonight on defense,” Schoonmaker said. “We knew regardless of what happened, they were going to bring a team. They weren’t going to fold or lay down for us.”

The Spartans began their offensive performance with a 37-yard pass to Luca Sheltens, who played in his first game since recovering from an ACL injury.

The Spartans tied the game a few plays later. In the second quarter, Goade picked up a touchdown and two-point conversion to put the Spartans ahead to stay 15-7.

“It’s a brand-new offense, brand-new coaches, and we got a lot of athletes on offense,” Goade said. “Our offensive line is amazing.”

Sequim began to march down the field until Wyndham Kochenash sacked Wolves quarterback Lars Wiker and forced a punt. Bainbridge quarterback Jack Grant marched the Spartans down the field with a few carries then found the endzone to make it 21-7.

Sequim responded with a 65-yard screen pass on the first play of its next drive to cut the lead to 21-14. After Goade ran in for another score the Wolves kicked a field goal but that was their last points of the game as the Spartans held the visitors scoreless the rest of the way.

In the third quarter, Goade found the endzone another time to make it 35-17.

Goade “is only a junior and all over the place,” Schoonmaker said. “He doesn’t avoid hits. He is a great player, high motor and great energy.”

The Spartans began to coast throughout the second half until Owen Sweeny intercepted Wiker’s pass and returned it to Sequim’s 12-yard line. The Spartans earned another field goal and then a touchdown from Grant to Chris Bartell-Ridge to end the game.

The Spartans face Olympic next week and North Kitsap afterward.

“I am very confident,” Goade said. “We have been working on it all year but we need to start fast.”

Schoonmaker added, “We got the lions ahead of us.”