Football: Homecoming game spoiled by Charles Wright, 47-13

By JONATHAN KUZMA

For The Beachcomber

The penultimate game of the VHS 2016 football season resulted in another loss, with the Tarriers of Tacoma’s Charles Wright Academy defeating the Pirates at home, 47-13. Vashon is 1-8 for the season.

This being the Homecoming game, the bleachers were packed and the crowd’s spirits were high on the chilly Friday night. The Tarriers are Vashon’s local rivals in the Nisqually League, so the Pirates are always keen to triumph in the yearly matchup. The game quickly turned into another rout with a lopsided score, so familiar this season, due to missed tackles, weak blocking and the fact that there are only two Hoisington brothers. They both suffered from a case of butterfingers in the first half, unfortunately, which the Tarriers gladly exploited.

The brothers, Bryce and Connor, traded off as quarterback throughout the game. Vashon received to start the first quarter. Both teams’ first possessions ended with punts. Connor nearly picked off two passes from CWA’s quarterback, Henry Lenaburg, during the Tarriers’ first possession, but fortune then went against Connor on his turn as quarterback. He threw a pass which was intercepted by Charles Wright’s Ethan Mayer, who ran the ball nearly30 yards for the first touchdown of the game. This began a Tarrier scoring streak, unbroken until the fourth quarter. The Pirates ended their next possession with a punt. The Tarriers scored again seven plays later when Alex Meadowcroft caught a 15-yard pass and toppled into the endzone. The score was 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.

Vashon began the second quarter with the ball, was forced to punt, regained possession with an onside kick recovery, but put no points on the scoreboard for their efforts. Charles Wright, on the other hand, moved the ball swiftly downfield on their turn, and tight end Cooper Cochran ran in a touchdown. Another Pirate punt, then another Tarrier touchdown when Lenaburg connected again with Meadowcroft. With less than 30 seconds left in the first half,Vashon lost the ball due to a fumble. This was soon converted into another touchdown by the Tarrier’s Joe Nunez. The Pirates regained the ball with 10 seconds left, but lost it immediately due to another fumble. Charles Wright had enough time to snap the ball just before the buzzer sounded, ending the quarter. Lenaburg found an open wide receiver, Michael Tucci, who caught his pass and reached the endzone for another six points. The first half score:40-0.

Halftime featured festivities to mark the Vashon High School Homecoming. Student-elected “royalty” were borne in pairs by various open vehicles along the oval track surrounding the grassy field’s rectangle, each couple waving to the crowd as they passed. Two large trucks also made slow laps, both bursting with representatives from each class, the students within waving and shouting, all having a merry time on CoronationDay. Jesters appeared, in the form of two young men on off-road motorcycles, tearing around the track swiftly with neither shirts nor helmets. Their identical costumes, consisting of white capes, white grease paint from the neck down and a black grid drawn on their bellies, were perhaps meant to suggest Halloween ghosts with six-pack abdomens.

The second half began with Charles Wright receiving, and they kept the ball for most of the third quarter. The drive ended with a beautiful 38-yard touchdown run by Meadowcroft. The Pirates were forced to punt on their possession, and the third quarter ended: 47-0.

Everything changed in the fourth quarter. The Tarriers scored no more points in the game, and Bryce worked his magic for the Pirates, showing again what he can do with proper blocking. Vashon’s star running back, in two plays,crossed 65 yards for the first Pirates touchdown of the game. In the first play, he broke one tackle and jumped over another before being pushed out of bounds. In the second play, Bryce dashed straight through the middle, and a briefly-parted sea of Tarriers closed behind him, yet was unable to stop his flight. Grady Earle kicked the extra point: 47-7.

In celebration of this long-awaited touchdown, the Pirates’ cheerleaders threw out what looked like little plastic lemons. Lemons seemed appropriate, judging by those first three quarters, but Bryce was not done making lemonade.

Charles Wright got the ball again, but was forced to punt. On the third play of Vashon’s possession, second down and 15 on the Pirates’ 30-yard line, Connor slipped Bryce the ball as the final second of the game expired. Bryce began his run, cutting right. He eluded one tackle, shook off a second, and spun 360 degrees to shove off a third at the 15-yard line, but never lost his feet nor his speed. He would not let anyone take this moment away from him:his last touchdown run of the final home game of his high school football career. He would not be stopped, folks, and it was a beautiful thing to see. The hometown crowd went wild, taking to their feet and cheering. The final score: 47-13.

Vashon will play their last game of the season at 5 p.m. Saturday, taking on Bellevue Christian. The game will be played at Lake Washington High School in Kirkland.