A 96-yard drive by Cedar Park Christian that led to a last-minute touchdown may have decided the North Sound Conference football champion.
The Eagles scored with 52 seconds remaining to defeat South Whidbey 14-7 Saturday, Oct. 12, at Lake Washington High School.
Based upon results of the first half of the season, Cedar Park Christian (2-0, 5-1) and South Whidbey (1-1, 4-2) appear to have the North Sound Conference’s top teams. The game was only the second of four league games, but Cedar Park Christian is not likely to lose its final two conference games against a pair of 1-5 teams — Sultan and King’s, allowing the Falcons, should they win out, to slip into first.
Before South Whidbey completes its North Sound Conference schedule, it will travel up the island to face Coupeville (4-2) at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18, in the traditional Bucket Game.
Coupeville opted out of conference action this year to play an independent schedule. The Wolves have a small and young roster — 10 of its 25 players are freshmen — and decided for safety and competitive reasons to schedule smaller schools or others with struggling programs this season. South Whidbey followed a similar path several years ago.
Cedar Park Christian 14, South Whidbey 7
The defending champion and high-powered Eagles came into the contest averaging nearly 53 points a game.
Sound Whidbey held Cedar Park Christian’s vaunted wing-T running game in check most of the night with a bend-not-break defense. The Eagles, however, broke through at the end, going 96 yards in 12 plays in just under six minutes to overcome a 7-6 deficit with with 52 seconds left in the game.
A Falcon fumble at midfield with 28 seconds remaining stopped their comeback bid.
“The effort was excellent,” South Whidbey coach Mark Hodson said. “They (Cedar Park Christian) have been dropping 50 (points) on the world. Our kids did a great job on defense; they are really good a reading the wing T.”
“It was a great defensive game plan by Andy (Davis),” he added.
Hodson said the Falcon linebackers — Kobe Balora, Kole Nelson, Dexter Jokinen and Aiden Coleman — played exceptionally well.
On offense, the South Whidbey had “three chances to put it in the end zone” but didn’t, according to Hodson. “That is on the coaches.”
The Falcons turned back two early Eagle threats. CPC took the opening kickoff and marched deep into South Whidbey territory before the Falcons caused and recovered a fumble at the 2-yard line.
The Falcons, however, fumbled the ball back at the 24.
This time South Whidbey stopped a fourth-and-goal play at the 2.
The Falcons put together an impressive drive, but it was the Eagles’ turn to stymie a threat. South Whidbey went 92 yards before turning the ball over on downs at the Eagle 6.
Cedar Park Christian responded with the game’s first score when Zach Wilkins bolted 73 yards midway through the second period for a TD. Nelson blocked the PAT kick.
With just 52 seconds left in the half, South Whidbey recovered an Eagle fumble at the CPC 44 and drove to the 3 before time ran out.
South Whidbey received the second-half kickoff and tallied its lone touchdown. The 63-yard drive was aided by a personal foul penalty which was followed by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, after an 11-yard scramble by Nelson. The extra 30 yards placed the ball at the Eagle 18. Four Coleman runs and a Nelson PAT kick gave South Whidbey a 7-6 lead.
An offensive pass interference call deep in Eagle territory midway through the fourth quarter stopped another Falcon threat. South Whidbey was forced to punt, and Nelson’s boot was downed at the Eagle 4, setting up Cedar Park Christian’s long, winning drive.
South Whidbey finished the night with 252 yards of offense.
Nelson completed 10 of 14 passes for 115 yards. Coleman had four catches for 46 yards.
Bodie Hezel was the workhorse, toting the ball 22 times for 95 yards.
The offensive statistics between the teams were even until CPC’s final drive. The Eagles ended with 347 yards, all on the ground. (They attempted only one pass.)
Wilkins ran for 199 yards (more than half of that coming on runs of 73 and 40 yards) on 30 carries. Brandon Parrish added 102 yards on 13 rushes.
Cedar Park Christian ran 60 plays to 38 for the Falcons.
Kole Nelson slips a tackle as he scrambles for extra yardage. (Photo by John Fisken)
Alex Black picks up some yardage for the Falcons. (Photo by John Fisken)
Zain Balora gets ready to snap the ball to quarterback Kole Nelson. (Photo by John Fisken)
Kaidyn Brinks gets ready to catch the ball in Saturday’s game with CPC. (Photo by John Fisken)
Aiden Coleman turns up field after catching a pass Saturday. (Photo by John Fisken)
The Falcons’ Aidyn Frederick brings down Cedar Park Christian’s Isaac Ferguson. (Photo by John Fisken)
Bodie Hezel hits the hole for the Falcons. (Photo by John Fisken)
Defensive end Kieran Birchfield is ready to attack. (Photo by John Fisken)
Kole Nelson blocks the point-after kick attempted by Cedar Park Christian’s Ethan Thomas. (Photo by John Fisken)
