The Vashon Pirates played Cascade Christian on Saturday, Sept. 15, at Sunset Stadium in Sumner, and lost to them in a lopsided game, 63-15.
Cascade received the opening kickoff and scored the first touchdown several plays later to lead 7-0.
The Pirates got the ball, but Cascade intercepted then scored, going ahead 14-0.
The Pirates got the kickoff and their drive ended on a failed fourth down try.
Cascade got the ball back with great field position and scored again to pull ahead 21-0.
On the next possession, the Pirates were forced to punt on fourth down. Cascade was able to drive to the 15-yard line, where they scored to lead 28-0.
The Pirates played a strong, gritty second quarter. After kickoff an interception gave Cascade the ball, leading to their fourth touchdown, going ahead 35-0.
The Pirates then had a sustained drive featuring runs by Nick Amundsen, two catches for first down by Garrett Starr, and a catch at the 3-yard line by Peter Evans. After a personal foul by Cascade, the ball was moved half the distance to the goal line, but instead of an automatic first down, the Pirates faced third and goal. After an incomplete pass and a tackle for loss, Cascade got the ball but was forced to punt.
The Pirates got the ball and Cascade intercepted, only to fumble a few plays later with Owen Brenno recovering. Again the Pirates threw an interception and again Cascade fumbled with Evans recovering. On third and eight, Ezra Lacina caught a first down pass, and on third and goal, a touchdown run by Amundsen made the halftime score 35-7.
In the third quarter, quarterback Amundsen was injured in the lower back and left the game. Freshman Sam Schoenburg replaced Amundsen. Cascade intercepted a deflected pass, then drove for another score to stretch the lead to 42-7.
The Pirates got the ball but were intercepted again, leading to another Cascade score to make it 49-7. Another fruitless drive for the Pirates led to a punt, and another Cascade score stretched the lead to 56-7.
Cascade Christian is by all accounts one of the elite 1A football teams in the state. The team has a roster more than twice the size of the Pirates, and is known for relentlessly grinding on opponents. After scoring their ninth touchdown and ballooning the score to 63–7, they did not seem to substantially substitute for first string players until the fourth quarter.
With Cascade starters out, Vashon was able to sustain a drive with Schoenburg running for a first down and Nathan Lawsen capping the night with a 5-yard touchdown run and then a two-point conversion to end the scoring at 63-15. With .59 seconds left in the game, instead of taking the knee to end the game, Cascade ran and threw as if trying to score again as time ran out.
— Brian Brenno is the president of the Bounty Club.
Vashon’s next game will be at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 21, at home against old-time rival Eatonville, at that is is back in the Nisqually League this year.
