Spartans win but playoff rules have changed

By Nicholas Zeller-Singh Kitsap News Group • October 21, 2023 1:30 am

Bainbridge came into the game Oct. 20 believing a win would nearly lock them into the postseason, and the Spartans won the must-win game against Bremerton 21-6.

Since the Spartans won, they believed they were destined for the postseason. Before the season began, head coach Dan Schoonmaker was told the Spartans needed to finish in the Top 3 in the Olympic League and have a higher RPI than the third-place team in the Pierce County League to qualify.

But the PCL teams appealed and have forced Bainbridge into a sticky situation. The Spartans must finish in second place or better and have a play-in game to qualify. Schoonmaker plans to appeal the new ruling.

“We would (have to) play Friday, Tuesday and Saturday, which is absolutely unsafe,” Schoonmaker said. “I’d rather do a coin flip than risk injuries to their kids or our kids.”

The Spartans, 5-2, are tied for second place after the win against Bremerton, which dropped to 6-2. BHS plays at Kingston Oct. 27.

In Friday’s game at Bremerton, Jalin Littleraven-Oliver gave the Knights the first opportunity to score when he blocked a Bainbridge punt and recovered it on the Spartan 32-yard line. But the Knights turned the ball over on downs.

Spartan Hugh O’Neill led them to midfield with a handful of carries. A few plays later, Jack Grant ran a quarterback draw into the red zone. Grant faked the handoff on the next play and threw to Logan Sweeny for a 5-yard touchdown to make it 7-0.

The Knights began to march down the field in the second quarter until Littleraven-Oliver fumbled and Spartan Isaiah Beyer recovered. Grant marched the Spartans again and scrambled into the endzone himself to make it 14-0. “Our defense played amazing tonight,” Grant said. “It was great to win on Homecoming and Senior Night.”

Bremerton finally found the endzone in the third quarter when Madden Benson threw a 12-yard pass to Trenton Bulmer. But the extra point was blocked, making it 14-6.

Bremerton marched again in the fourth quarter but failed to convert on a 4th and 12 until a Spartan facemask penalty was called. The Knights later converted on another fourth down. But Bainbridge’s defense held strong and forced a turnover on a 4th and 2 at the Spartan 5-yard line.

Bainbridge then went on a 95-yard drive. Garrett Goade broke through the Knight defense for a 27-yard TD run to make it 21-6.

The Knights had a final shot to score at the Spartan 2-yard line with 25 seconds left. But Benson fumbled, and Goade recovered to clinch the win.

“This is our team but we need to be like this every week,” BHS coach Dan Schoonmaker said. “This is what we expect, and that is a great team.”