Emerald Ridge denies Olympia’s comeback bid, topping Bears 28-26

A tale of two halves turned into a story of two missed conversions as Olympia High School staged a comeback but fell short of visiting Emerald Ridge on Saturday afternoon at Ingersoll Stadium, 28-26.

The Jaguars led the 4A SPSL match-up, 14-0, after a rain-spattered first half which featured little of the Bears’ vaunted passing attack.

Olympia head coach Nick Mullen said the weather had nothing to do with his choice to run first and run often during the first half.

With the weather turning dry after intermission, the Bears, still riding a 149-yard rushing performance by junior Kenyatta McNeese, Jr. but mixing in more of its usual air attack, rallied to within 21-20 on a 17-yard run from McNeese.

“We can run the ball,” he said. “We just don’t sling it. We’ve got a gem in Kenyatta.”

“We haven’t played a strong second half yet,” said coach Adam Schakel of his 2-1 Jaguars. “That’s something we have to work at.”

But with the momentum about to shift, it didn’t.

Olympia kicker Cale Allen had blasted his first two PAT tries through easily and boomed a couple of kickoffs into the end zone. But, this time, the Jaguars’ University of Washington-bound receiver Denzel Boston made his mark on special teams, rushing through to block the attempt, leaving Olympia a point short.

“That was huge. Denzel’s a long, tall kid. That’s why he’s in there on those for us,” Schakel said

After Emerald Ridge extended its lead to 28-20 on a clutch fourth down touchdown pass from 14 yards out by quarterback Jake Schakel to Tony Harste, Olympia again had its work cut out for it.

“That was a big play on a fourth down,” Adam Schakel said.

The Bears indeed responded.

After suffering a three-and-out on its immediately previous possession, Olympia marched from its own 23 to the Emerald Ridge 45, fueled by passes from junior quarterback Gabe Downing to Jack Rieger and Logan Matthews.

Then it was time for McNeese, carrying the ball 24 times and grabbing four passes while also playing defense, to step up yet again. Snagging a short pass from Downing, he picked his way through tacklers up the left sideline for a 45-yard touchdown that brought the Bears to within 28-26 with just under two minutes to play.

On the two-point conversion try, Downing rolled to his right while one of Olympia’s two returning all-league receivers, Parker Fouts, broke open in the end zone… and slipped to the wet turf.

Mullen was encouraged by his team’s comeback. Suiting up just 30 players, the Bears are focused on establishing new methods in his first fall season as head coach, after coming over from Timberline in time for the short spring season, during which Olympia played at the 3A level.

“We want our kids to show heart, show resolve and play tough,” Mullen said. “All I asked them to do was come out and win the third quarter. They did and then came out and won the fourth quarter. What makes me proud of these kids is they don’t quit, they fight the whole time.”

Schakel said the Bears resilience showed as his defense had trouble “getting off the field” against Olympia.

“They did a good job running the football and Gabe’s a great player,” Schakel said of the Bears.

Emerald Ridge had taken the first lead, 6-0, early in the second quarter on a run into the right corner of the end zone by Schakel and extended to 14-0 on an 86-yard touchdown pass from Schakel to Preston Landeis.

Olympia’s first two touchdowns came on a nine-yard pass from Downing to Mason Juergens, who would lead the Bears with five catches for 46 yards, and a one-yard run by McNeese.

Mullen knows the Bears still have a realistic road to the district playoff round despite an 0-3 record, with the top six 4A SPSL teams earning a berth.

“Losing can expose your character or it can build your character. It’s going to build our character.”

This story was originally published September 18, 2021 at 5:54 PM.