Oak Harbor tops Shorewood

"It wasn't a cake walk, but the Wildcats got a win. And the way Oak Harbor did it may bode well for the rest of the season.Oak Harbor built a 10-point half time lead and then held tight to defeat Shorewood at Shoreline Stadium on Friday, 26-24. The key to victory was the Oak Harbor running game.Kellen Ward gained 132 yards on 14 carries with a touchdown, Teo Cheeseboro scored two rushing TDs, and Jeremy McLain added 65 yards on the ground. The Wildcats gained 351 yards total offense — 310 yards rushing.“We were committed to running the ball,” Oak Harbor coach Dave Ward said. “We needed a game where we did that.”Wards 19 yard touchdown run was the game’s first score, and the Wildcats went on to build a 20-10 half time lead on two 3-yard rushing scores by Cheeseboro. But Shorewood would not go easily, as Shorewood running back Mose Lyons started the second half with a 3-yard touchdown run to pull his team close at 20-17. That's when the Wildcats’ running game again delivered, as Tony Hall (10 carries, 38 yards) scored on a 3-yard run for Oak Harbor. Shorewood would score once more, but an attempted onside kick with less than two minutes left was covered by the Wildcats. After attempting two dozen passes against Cascade, Oak Harbor quarterback Jay Hartman threw the ball only four times. He completed two, including a key 36 yard completion to Doug Cann.The Wildcat running attack was effective despite Shorewood stacking the line with eight and nine defenders. Ward said the blocking of Matt Wilcox, Brett Waller and Mark Cornelius was key.Oak Harbor, now 3-2 for the season, plays Shorecrest in the homecoming game Friday at Memorial Stadium. The Wildcats will be looking for their first back-to-back wins of the year.Friday’s gameWho: ShorecrestWhere: Memorial StadiumWhen: 7:30 p.m.Records: Oak Harbor 3-2, Shorecrest 1-4Last week: Oak Harbor 26, Shorewood 24; Shorecrest 13, Mountlake Terrace 0OAK HARBOR 26, SHOREWOOD 24 Oak Harbor 6 14 6 0 — 26 Shorewood 7 3 7 7 — 24 First quarter Oak Harbor: Ward 19 run (kick failed) Shorewood: Egan 1 run (Kinzel kick) Second quarter Oak Harbor: Cheeseboro 3 run (Cheeseboro run) Oak Harbor: Cheeseboro 3 run (kick failed) Shorewood: FG Kinzel 36 Third quarter Shorewood: Lyons 3 run (Kinzel kick) Oak Harbor: Hall 3 run (pass failed) Fourth quarter Shorewood: Morris 7 pass from Egan (Kinzel kick)"

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