Takeaways: Explosive plays pave way for Kennedy Catholic’s 21-10 win over Kentwood
For the third straight season, Kennedy Catholic is looking down at the rest of the 4A North Puget Sound League.
The Lancers scored two second-half touchdowns to finally pull away from Kentwood in the schools’ regular-season finale and earned the league title with a 21-10 victory at French Field in Kent on Friday.
“The last three years in a row, it came down to this,” Kennedy coach Sheldon Cross said. “These opponents. They put it last. This is a rivalry game. It’s like our Apple Cup.”
Leading just 7-0 at the half, Kennedy gave up a 12-play drive to open the third quarter. But the Conquerors stalled at the Lancer 10-yard line and settled for a Thomas Allam field goal from 27 yards away to close within four, 7-3, with 6 minutes, 15 seconds left in the third quarter.
It’s as close as Kentwood would get.
Just a Play Away
Through that first third-quarter drive, the Conquerors had dominated the game’s play but couldn’t finish. At that point, Kentwood had run 48 plays to Kennedy’s 29. The Conquerors had outgained the Lancers, 200-133 – and they trailed.
Kennedy had driven right down the field to open the game, going 80 yards in 18 plays capped by Donovan Lowe’s 1-yard scoring plunge with 6:59 to go in the first quarter.
After that first third-quarter drive, Kennedy turned more explosive. On the ensuing possession, Devon Forehand found Lamont Richardson on a post route for 46 yards and the TD that extended the lead to 14-3 with 3:09 left in the third.
“We just know, we’re one big play away always,” said Richardson, who caught both second-half touchdown passes for the Lancers. “So that was the big play we needed to get things clicking.”
Forehand to Richardson for 31 yards with 8:47 left to play made it 21-3.
The Next Big Thing?
Forehand, just a freshman, made his second start at quarterback for the Lancers. The previous starter, Mason Hayes, has moved back to wide receiver where he made five catches on Friday, including four during that opening scoring drive.
“I think you’ve gotta really know, to go to a freshman quarterback,” Cross said. “The last time we did it, it worked out well.”
Cross was referring to Sam Huard, of course, now of the University of Washington after he set Washington high school passing records over four seasons at Kennedy. Cross wasn’t comparing the two by any means.
But Forehand did complete 22 of 26 passes against Kentwood for 244 yards and the two TDs.
Still Looking for a Finish
Other than the game’s first drive, Kentwood dictated play for two and a half quarters. The Conquerors ran 26 plays on Kennedy’s side of the field over five possessions before finally getting on the board with Allam’s field goal at the 6:15 mark of the third quarter.
Yet, until Kamal Hamilton pulled in an 8-yard touchdown catch from Renat Mamikonyan II with 8 seconds left on the clock, the Conquerors couldn’t get in the end zone.
“We’ve gotta do better executing,” Kentwood coach Michael Bush said. “We’ve got to finish drives. It’s kind of been that way this year. The key is just to keep getting better. It’s about reps. With this bye week now, we can get more reps in.”
It’s Wait and See on Next Opponents
Friday marked the end of the regular season for both teams, who each will find out at a seeding meeting next Sunday who they will play when the playoffs begin the first weekend in November.
“For us, that’s good,” Bush said. “We can focus on ourselves, and not somebody else.”