By CHERYL PRUETT

For The Beachcomber

It was an improbable outcome from an improbable game last Friday as the Pirates mounted a stunning comeback in the fourth quarter to beat the Charles Wright Academy Tarriers 52-48 at the VHS stadium.

The back-and-forth game ran long, taking almost three hours to complete. Multiple penalties on both sides of the ball had the field looking like a yellow handkerchief convention for much of the game. The Pirate offense continued to give up too many turnovers with one interception and seven fumbles, four of which were recovered by Charles Wright. The Pirate defense struggled to contain hard-throwing Tarriers’ star quarterback Henry Cheney until the fourth quarter.

Vashon’s offense was centered almost exclusively on the dependable running of Bryce Hoisington, who scored five touchdowns and had 41 carries for 376 total yards. Quarterback Connor Hoisington carried the ball 16 times for 70 yards and scored two touchdowns.  Adrian St. Germain got six carries for 71 yards, and senior Arthur Moore, playing in his first game of the season, got a couple carries.

The game started with a quick score early in the first quarter by Bryce Hoisington. The two-point conversion was good, and the Pirates were up 8-0. Charles Wright answered right back, scoring with five minutes to go in the quarter, but Vashon stuffed their extra point attempt. Before the end of the quarter, Vashon managed to hand the ball over twice on fumbles, but senior Edgar Polkat secured an interception.

Vashon’s next score came early in the second quarter with Bryce Hoisington running it in from the 23-yard line. The extra point conversion was no good, and the score was 14-6 Vashon. On the second down play from Charles Wright’s possession, senior Simon Perrin picked up an interception, giving Vashon the ball and good field position. But, four plays later, Vashon turned it over with another fumble, leading to the Tarriers next score, making it 14-13 with almost six minutes to go in the half. After the kickoff, the Tarriers intercepted the ball and headed for a touchdown, which was called back due to a penalty. But, with 32 seconds to go in the half, Tarrier quarterback Cheney was able to throw from the grasp of two defenders, which led to a go ahead touchdown, making it 20-14 at the half.

The first two and a half minutes of the second half were mayhem.  Vashon’s kicker Luis Villa-Senor laced a beauty to the 4-yard line, but the Tarrier receiver managed to dodge 11 Pirates en route to a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. With only 17 seconds off the clock, the score was 14-27, Charles Wright. Vashon’s Zach Adler-Raff received the kickoff, and Vashon started its drive on the 35-yard line. Seven plays later, Bryce Hoisington ran untouched up the middle for a Pirate score and extra point conversion. Score 22-27, Tarriers. Then, in an unfortunate scene straight out of the movie Groundhog Day, Vashon’s kickoff squad gave up another kickoff return for a Tarrier touchdown, this time a 76-yarder. With nine and a half minutes to go in the third quarter, the score was 34-22, Charles Wright.

The Pirates converted three first downs in a solid drive down the field until back-to-back fumbles turned the ball over to the Tarriers. The Tarriers saw their second called-back touchdown of the night, but two plays later got in for six, and the point after was good, putting the Pirates down 41-22 with five minutes to go in the third quarter.

The Pirates woke up and crawled back into the game. Charles Wright attempted an onside kick, but Adler-Raff was able to recover it, giving the Pirates much needed good field position. Connor Hoisington ran in his first score of the night, and with a completed two-point conversion, Vashon was down 41-30. With some Pirate defensive adjustments, Charles Wright was not able to mount much of a return, and the Pirate defense held strong, limiting Charles Wright to just one set of downs. Finally, Adrian St. Germain got the call and ran for a quick 30-yard gain, taking the game to the end of the third quarter.

Bryce Hoisington made the score a tight 38-41 early in the fourth quarter, but the Tarriers weren’t done, and Cheney unleashed a bomb of a pass that led to a huge Charles Wright score and with the extra point good, the score was 48-38, Tarriers.

Vashon then proceeded to march down the field with Bryce Hoisington making three first downs in a row.  He got in for the score, but it was called back due to a costly holding penalty on Vashon. St. Germain got most of the yardage back on his next run, and Connor Hoisington walked into the end zone for his second score of the night. The extra points were good, and the score was 48-46 Charles Wright with seven minutes to go in the game.

With the crowd shaking the grandstand, the Pirate defense rose up and, on the Vashon kickoff, Chester Pruett raced the ball to the receiver, stripping and recovering it for a huge game- changing turnover. Bryce Hoisington quickly scored with a flip over the defensive line. The  Pirates were up 52-48 with the clock at 6:49.

The combined group effort of Anthony Gateman, Logan Nelson, St. Germain, Bryce Hoisington and both Pruetts kept heavy pressure on Cheney, and Charles Wright was off balance under the onslaught.

Amazing pass coverage by St. Germain saved the game, and the Pirates were able to run out the clock from roughly 50 seconds, securing the win 52-48.

The heart attack-inducing Pirates will play South Delta from British Columbia at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, at King’s High School in Shoreline.

— Cheryl Pruett is the parent of two VHS football players.