Vashon Island’s Bryce Hoisington rushed for 573 yards and scored nine touchdowns in a 70-31 win over visiting Coupeville High School Friday, Nov. 6.
No, that is not a misprint, and, yes, it is a state record.
It was a tough way for Coupeville to end a tough season, scoring a season-high 31 points and still losing by 39. The Wolves finished 2015 with a 1-9 record. The Pirates were 4-6.
“Not quite the way we wanted to go out score wise,” first-year coach Brett Smedley said, “but our guys played hard, and that is something that I have been very proud of the entire season. Our seniors continued to fight hard and can be proud of their efforts in their last game as a Wolf.”
He said his club “couldn’t stop” Hoisington: “Their offensive line did a great job of blocking and creating cutback lanes for him.”
Hoisington, a junior, was the first Washington runner to go over the 500-yard mark in an 11-man game. His 573 yards on 51 carries broke the Washington single-game record of 488 set by Brenden Curtis of Yakima’s Eisenhower High School in 2012.
Hoisington finished the year with 2,929 yards in 10 games, also a state single-season record, topping the mark of 2,877 yards set by Austin Urlacher of Pasco’s Chiawana High School in 14 games last year.
Vashon Island’s coach Brynie Robinson said the team targeted the records as a goal to keep motivated after the Pirates were eliminated from playoff contention two weeks ago.
The Pirates scored 28 points in the first quarter and 14 in the second to go up 42-7 at halftime in the win over Coupeville. Hoisington piled up 366 yards in the first two periods.
The Wolves scored single touchdowns in the second and third quarters and two in the fourth.
Lathom Kelley ran 65 yards on a fake punt for one of the TDs; and Jacob Martin, Gabe Eck and Ty Eck rushed for the other scores.
Martin led the rushing attack, gaining 71 yards on eight carries. Wiley Hesselgrave added 47 yards on 19 runs, and Gabe Eck had 29 yards on 16 rushes.
Gabe Eck completed four of 12 passes for 54 yards.
C.J. Smith caught two of the throws for 27 yards, and he also threw a pass, connecting with Hesselgrave for 20 yards.
Zane Bundy kicked an extra point and ran for two points on a fake PAT kick, while Ryan Griggs and Smith scored two-point conversions.
Freshmen Chris Battaglia and Ty Eck led the defense with 11 and 10 tackles, respectively.
Griggs had nine tackles, an interception and caused a fumble.
Uriel Liquidano finished with seven tackles and Hesselgrave had six. Tyler McCalmont also had six tackles, one a sack.
Mitchell Carroll caused a fumble.
