Archbishop Murphy quickly dispatched South Whidbey in a 48-12 sound thrashing that saw much of the second half played under the mercy rule of a running clock.

The Wildcats’s first touchdown came just 45 seconds into the game. Archbishop Murphy (2-1 Cascade Conference; 4-1 overall) never looked back and it scored on seven of its 10 possessions in the first half. The home team did not punt until well into the third quarter. By halftime, the Wildcats led 41-6, quite a game for the Everett school’s homecoming night.

South Whidbey, a 1A contender, looked to make a game of the Cascade Conference matchup with the 2A powerhouse early. After a three-and-out punt, the Wildcats fumbled the catch and South Whidbey recovered on the Archbishop Murphy 45-yard line. But South Whidbey was unable to convert a fourth down run and gave up possession.

Archbishop Murphy’s answer came quickly. The Wildcats marched downfield behind a horde of rushers and needed only three plays to get 64 yards to the end zone, capped by a 36-yard touchdown run by Taylor Gipson. Kicker Ryan Henderson’s extra point kick lifted the Wildcats to a 14-0 lead with 7:45 left in the first quarter.

The Falcons put together a long drive on their next possession, starting with a 16-yard kick return by junior Charlie Patterson. Deven Damerau, South Whidbey’s senior running back, powered 42 yards into Wildcat territory with a few jump cuts moving from the sideline back toward the middle of the field. Parker Collins, the Falcons senior quarterback, hit junior Anthony Eveland for a 12-yard catch, followed by another 5-yard dart, which set up a 17-yard strike to sophomore Connor Antich to put South Whidbey on the scoreboard.

Nothing came easy for South Whidbey, however, and the extra point kick snap was low, forcing the holder, Patterson, to attempt a scramble two-point toss that sailed out of bounds, holding South Whidbey to six points.

The Falcons lost junior Xavier Wilson and senior running back/linebacker Maverick Christensen to injuries by halftime.

Several highlights came for South Whidbey, however. Falcon senior lineman Pierce Jackson blocked an extra point kick. Penalties, which have plagued South Whidbey, were way down with only an offside and a false start called.

Collins’ connection with first-year tight end Mo Hamsa, a senior, continued to have its moments. In the second quarter, Collins heaved a 35-yard bomb to Hamsa in double coverage. Hamsa, 6-foot 5 inches tall, leaped between the Wildcats and snagged the ball, bobbled it as he fell, then secured it for a huge gain.

With 5:37 left in the third quarter, Archbishop Murphy replaced its starters and didn’t score again.

South Whidbey rotated in some substitutes, but mostly kept in its starters that resulted in the final score with 8:13 left on a 1-yard run by Collins. Reserve running back Brandon Chapman, a senior, had 22 yards in the drive.

The Falcons host the league’s top team and a fellow 1A contender, the King’s Knights, for South Whidbey’s homecoming game Friday, Oct. 10.