South Sound football state quarterfinals roundup: Eastlake tops Sumner, advances to 4A semis

EASTLAKE 46, SUMNER 29

Sumner held a lead in the second quarter, but Eastlake rallied for 16 unanswered points and held on for a win in the 4A state quarterfinals on Saturday.

If anything, the Spartans never went away. Their title hopes are no longer, but Sumner trailed by only nine at the half. They entered the fourth quarter trailing by a dozen, and couldn’t make up the ground at Eastlake High School.

The Wolves scored the game’s first points, but Sumner scored the first touchdown when Bo Carlson found Isaiah Watkins for a 59-yard touchdown pass. That put the Spartans ahead in the second quarter — if only for a brief moment — by a score of 7-3.

Before the intermission, Eastlake stormed back. Wolves QB Parker Barrysmith connected with Will Eaton for a 28-yard touchdown that put second-seeded Eastlake back in front.

And that lead wouldn’t change again. Wolves kicker Noah Weintraub added two field goals from 22 and 31 yards that put Eastlake ahead, 16-7, at the break.

In the third, Weintraub was good again on a 25-yard field goal that pushed Eastlake’s lead to 19-7.

Even if Sumner couldn’t catch the Wolves, they’d stay within striking distance. Carlson punched in a one-yard touchdown run, and brought Eastlake’s lead to 19-14 in the third quarter.

Then, Eastlake took those points right back. Barrysmith added another touchdown pass, and brought the Wolves lead back to 12.

Before the end of the quarter, Sumner’s Eric Buck would add a one-yard touchdown rush, and Eastlake’s Barrysmith would find Weintraub for a 99-yard touchdown pass.

Seconds later, Weintraub helped the cause with his foot, banging through the extra point.

Sumner trailed by 12 with a quarter to play, but Eastlake would play add-on. Barrysmith threw his fourth touchdown, this time to Will Woodard, and Colby Marsh picked off Carlson for a 90-yard interception return.

The Spartans scored again — on a three-yard rush from Buck — but their deficit was too great, and their season ended there.

Carlson completed 25 of his 44 passes for 297 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions. Watkins grabbed 10 balls for 147 yards and a score, and Buck’s two rushing scores led the team.

BOX SCORE

E: 3-13-17-13--46

S: 0-7-14-8--29

No. 3 NORTH KITSAP 28, No. 6 STEILACOOM 13

Although there was some positive movement for the Sentinels during the game, they just could not capitalize on red-zone trips.

That was at least the case for them in the first half of the game. The Vikings held the Sentinels out of the end zone in the first half of their game as their defense forced turnovers and made the Steilacoom offense stall on drives. North Kitsap held a 13-0 lead entering halftime.

The third quarter saw the Sentinels get into a bit of an offensive groove that paid off when senior quarterback Caleb Crider hit senior receiver Ashton Dilley for a 34-yard touchdown. The two were able to connect off a run-play-option play where Dilly made his move to get open and Crider took care of the rest.

Within one score of the Vikings, the Sentinels kept it close until midway through the fourth quarter when North Kitsap scored a touchdown and converted for two more points going up 21-7.

Facing a ticking clock and season, the Sentinels offense decided to take what was given to them and complete the easy passes that were in front of them. However, that would be their undoing in the fourth quarter as a late pick-six would seal the Sentinels’ fate and give the Vikings their 28-7 lead.

Senior running back De’Andre Napier would get a garbage time touchdown for the Sentinels last score of the season.

BOX SCORE

S: 0-0-7-6--13

NK: 3-10-0-15--28

This story was originally published November 20, 2021 at 8:32 PM.