Bears blank Bellarmine for third consecutive shutout

By Meg Wochnick | The Olympian • Published September 27, 2008

OLYMPIA – Fourteen and counting.

That's how many consecutive quarters the Olympia Bears have played without allowing a single point.

The Bellarmine Prep Lions were the latest victims Friday night, as the Bears' tough-nosed defense held the Lions to 122 yards of total offense in Olympia's 31-0 Narrows League win at Ingersoll Stadium.

Olympia, which is ranked No. 5 in the first Associated Press statewide football poll released this week, gave up one touchdown in the second quarter of its 21-7 season-opening win against Gig Harbor.

Since then, the Bears have haven't allowed any points. Along with the Lions, the Bears have shut out Capital (7-0) and Wilson (34-0).

In four games, Olympia has outscored its opponents 93-7.

“It’s a great feeling,” Olympia senior linebacker Andrew Lankow said. “It comes down to heart and determination and hard work.”

Early on in Friday’s game, it was the Bears’ offense that made big noise. Olympia jumped out to a quick, 21-0 lead in the first quarter. Dylan Parsons ran for a 48-yard touchdown down the left sideline on the first play of Olympia’s second offensive series to put the Bears ahead at the 9-minute, 27-second mark.

He later followed up with a 2-yard touchdown run with 1:30 left in the quarter, but not before Kramer Skidmore’s 20-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Willie Willard. In the first half alone, Parsons had runs of 48, 50, and 55 yards and amassed 173 yards on the ground. Parsons finished with 220 yards on 16 carries. The Bears also held the Lions to 67 total yards in the first half, compared to Olympia’s 252.

“What can’t you say about our defense,” Olympia coach Bill Beattie said. “The assistant coaches do one heck of a job preparing the kids and the kids pay attention.”

Despite being shut out, Bellarmine (1-3, 1-2) showed it had offense the week before. The Lions amassed more than 300 rushing yards and trampled over Shelton last week, 55-6, for its first victory of the season.

Quarterback Lucas Schindele, who not only is a threat on the ground but also through the air, managed to pass for only 48 yards on 2 of 6 completions against the Bears. He also ran for 23 yards on seven carries but was sacked once and intercepted twice. Lions running back Kyle Able led the team’s rushing game with 33 yards, but had four carries for negative yardage.

“We know they’re a good program and they can score, but you have to get yourself prepared to play,” Beattie said. “It’s all about taking care of ourselves.”

The Bears’ shutout streak looked to be in jeopardy minutes into the third quarter. Willard had an attempted pass intercepted by Bellarmine’s Alec Soran, which set up a fourth-and-goal situation at the 5-yard line. But the 22-yard field-goal attempt by Robert Guemsey was tipped by Lankow and missed wide left.

Both teams failed to score in the second and third quarters, with Olympia having two turnovers and a few 10-yard penalties.

“We lost a little focus,” Beattie said. We had a lot of penalties, and we need to clean that part up.”

Olympia had a 10-point fourth quarter, led by Sam Bingaman’s 33-yard field goal and Brandon Maguire’s 8-yard touchdown catch. Maguire was wearing a soft cast on his hand and forearm after partially tearing a thumb ligament in the Bears’ win over Wilson last week.

Olympia finished with 340 yards of total offense, and its third shutout in as many games.

“It’s like a big tidal wave,” Lankow said. “We’re feeding off it and we have that attitude that we know we can do it. That definitely helps the confidence level.”