Football: Lakewood sinks Coupeville

Lakewood combined a pounding ground game with the aerial antics of quarterback Justin Lane to defeat the Coupeville football team 48-14 Friday, Sept. 17, on the Cougars’ field.

Lane, a four-year starter who has thrown for over 6,000 yards in his career, was expected to be the center of the offense, but he received plenty of help from his rushing attack on a night when steady rain made passing dicey.

The Cougars jumped to an 8-0 lead in the first quarter, but Coupeville’s Mitch Pelroy returned the ensuing kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown and the Wolves narrowed the gap to 8-6. It was the second week in a row Pelroy has returned a kickoff for a score.

Sticking mainly with it running game, the Cougars pounded out another score. Again the Wolves responded, this time on a scoring strike from Ian Smith to Pelroy and Coupeville trailed 16-14 at the quarter.

Lakewood went to the air in the second quarter as Lane threw 20 of his 33 passes during the period and lifted the Cougars to a 35-14 halftime bulge. Lane finished the game 18 for 33 for 199 yards; however the Wolves grabbed three interceptions, all by Smith.

As the game worn on, the Wolves wore out, according to coach Jay Silver and the Lakewood running game became more effective and ate up the clock.

Silver said the game was closer than the score might indicate. He said, “Change six or seven plays, and it would have been a different game.”

Lakewood recovered three onside kicks and stopped Coupeville five times on fourth and short situations to keep control of the game. The Wolves also dropped two passes in the end zone and lost a fumble.

Smith finished the game 13 for 36 for 124 yards and a touchdown, and he ran 10 times for 75 yards. Pelroy led the receivers with five catches for 72 yards and the score. Dalton Engle added 43 yards on the ground on nine carries.

Coupeville’s pass defense was shaky last week at King’s, but Silver said “it was much better; we didn’t give up a lot of big plays.”

Silver said, “We still got some positives from the game. It was a hard hitting game and we were very physical.”

The Wolves will try to get back on the winning track this Friday, Sept. 24, when they host Sultan (0-3) at 7 p.m.

Contact Whidbey News Times Sports editor Jim Waller at jwaller@whidbeynewsgroup.com or 360-675-6611 ext. 5060.

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