The first 13 minutes were a nightmare.
In the season opener for the Oak Harbor High School football team, Mountlake Terrace returned the opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, tacked on two more scores, then ran back an interception 33 yards for a TD in those unlucky opening 13 minutes.
Just one minute into the second quarter, Oak Harbor was down 27-0 and the 2010 season was officially off to a bad start.
The Hawks defeated the Wildcats 41-13 at Edmonds Stadium Friday, Sept. 3.
Oak Harbor recorded just one first down in its first four possessions and couldn’t wrestle the momentum from Terrace.
The Wildcats also suffered three turnovers, all interceptions thrown by Matt Burgoyne, making his first start at QB for the Wildcats. Burgoyne also had his shining moments and threw for 175 yards on 16 completions in 30 attempts. He got little help from the Wildcat ground game.
The stout Mountlake Terrace defense held Oak Harbor to just 22 rushing yards on 17 carries. Josiah Miller ran for 21 yards on six carries to lead the ‘Cats.
Meanwhile, Terrace punched out 209 yards on the ground on 50 tries. The Hawks didn’t throw often, just nine times, but completed seven for 117 yards.
Justin Counts threw two passes for Oak Harbor and completed one for 39 yards.
Miller caught eight passes for 107 yards, and Mike Washington grabbed five for 55 yards and a touchdown.
Oak Harbor scored with just under three minutes left in the half when Burgoyne dove in from three yards out. Peter Franssen kicked the extra point.
The Wildcats trailed 35-7 at the break.
Oak Harbor’s other score came in the final three minutes of the game when Burgoyne connected with Washington from 28 yards out.
Next Friday, Oak Harbor could face even a stronger challenge when it hosts preseason favorite Glacier Peak at 7 p.m. at Wildcat Memorial Stadium.
The Grizzlies finished 2009 with a 9-3 record, falling to perennial state power Bellevue in the quarterfinals.
Glacier Peak welcomes back it leading rusher, Alex Stepanchenko, who finished fourth in 3A rushing last year with 867 yards on 133 carries for a 6.1 average.
The pass-first Grizzlies are breaking in a new quarterback, Kevin Campbell, but return their top two receivers, Tanner Southard and Jack Bonner, who finished 2-3 in Wesco 3A receiving last fall. Both are big and talented. Southard, 6-3, 200 pounds, grabbed 43 passes for 788 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2009. Bonner, 6-4, 200, snared 50 passes for 774 yards and five TD’s.
Glacier Peak started 2010 by blowing by Lynnwood 52-20 Friday. Campbell threw three first-quarter touchdowns and Stepanchenko returned a kickoff 85 yards as the Grizzles rolled up 35 first-quarter points.
