Issaquah pulls away from Wildcats
September 18, 2008
By Ryan Piersol
A pair of Mount Si defenders, including Zach Kirchmeyer (44), chase an Issaquah ball carrier during the Wildcats’ 34-20 loss last week. Photo Contributed
Sean Snead had more yards.
Grant Gellatly had more touchdowns — and the win.A pair of standout running backs squared off in a non-league football matchup between Mount Si and Issaquah Friday night. The Wildcats’ Sean Snead finished with 165 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but Grant Gellatly romped to 133 yards and four touchdowns — including a lengthy one that sealed the deal — to lead his Eagles to a 34-20 win.
Mount Si, which fell to 0-2 with the loss, rushed for 183 yards as a team. The Wildcats also had a lead late in the third quarter and still found themselves down just 27-20 with the ball and more than four minutes left. But Mount Si turned the ball over on downs and Gellatly put the game away with a 21-yard touchdown scamper.
“You give him a seam, and he is gone,” Issaquah head coach Chris Bennett said of his standout running back. “He’s running the ball really well right now.”
A week earlier, in a loss to Eastlake, the Wildcat rushing attack struggled to get on track. This time, Mount Si got going early with a three-yard touchdown plunge from quarterback Tyson Riley and a one-yard scoring dive by Snead to grasp a 14-13 lead at halftime.
The Wildcats were locked in a 20-20 tie entering the fourth when Issaquah got a 64-yard touchdown reception by tight end Sean Stuby. That gave the Eagles the lead for good.
“We gave up the long ball and we gave up some long runs, and that kind of set us on our heels. But I think we improved, as well,” Mount Si head coach Charlie Kinnune said. “We need to continue to run the ball well. If we run the ball well, we’re going to do well.
“We felt better about our assignments. We felt, up front, that we were strong. Our running game did not get off very well against Eastlake and it was imperative that we improve. And I think we did.”
Tight end Alex Hiebert hauled in seven catches to lead the Wildcat passing attack.
Issaquah, which is ranked in the top five in Class 4A, was coming off a season-opening win against two-time defending 4A state runner-up Bothell.
Reach editor Ryan Piersol at 392-6434, ext. 246, or editor@snovalleystar.com.
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