After being on the losing side of several lopsided games, the Pirate football team came out on top against Pemberton, B.C., at home last Friday, winning 48-0.
The Pemberton Grizzlies are a new team this year, with players from both Pemberton and Whistler, British Columbia.
Garrett Starr received the opening kickoff, returning the ball to the 30-yard line. Nathan Lawson dominated the first drive with runs for 9, 10 and 30 yards capped by a 10-yard touchdown run to start the scoring, 7-0.
After forcing Pemberton to punt on fourth down, the Pirates drove to the 30-yard line, where Nick Amundsen took a keeper to the 20-yard line.
Later facing fourth down and 8 yards to go, Amundsen hit Starr for a touchdown and a 14-0 lead. Pemberton went on one of its few drives of the night, despite quarterback sacks by Pirates Jason Kruly and Nathan Jones. The Pirates got the ball back on a fourth down stop to end the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Sam Schoenburg came in for the Pirates as quarterback, and Amundsen went to running back, gaining two first downs on the drive.
Schoenburg completed two passes to Starr, and the drive was capped with a touchdown run by Amundsen. The extra point was no good, and the Pirates led 20-0.
Pemberton was unable to move the ball and punted to the Pirates. The Pirates were stopped on fourth down, but a few plays later Lawson intercepted a Pemberton pass. The ensuing drive led to another Lawson touchdown and two point conversion to stretch the Pirate lead to 28-0 as the half ended.
Pirate Owen Brenno intercepted a Pemberton pass on the opening drive of the second half, returning it to the 40-yard line. Again Lawson runs dominated the drive, ending in another Lawson touchdown and a 35-0 score.
Pemberton’s offensive woes continued with a fumble on the next possession with the Pirates recovering. The Pirates gained 20 yards on a Lawson run; then a pass to Ezra Lacina down to the 1-yard line was called back on a Pirate penalty.
Not to be stopped, the Pirates drove down near the goal, where Lawson scored his fourth touchdown of the night on a pass from Schoenburg. The extra point was blocked, leaving the Pirates ahead 41-0.
In the fourth quarter, the Pirates continued to stop Pemberton and ended the game with another touchdown drive featuring a catch by freshman Alex Symbol-Godfrey inside the 20-yard line and ending in a touchdown by Elan Peterson and a final score of 48-0
The Pirates will again take on an American team, Chimacum High School, at home at 7 p.m. Friday.
— Brian Brenno is the president of the Vashon Bounty Club.
