Blazers win ugly

LACEY - Miscues, injuries and penalties - it was not the Narrows League 3A opener that Timberline football coach Nick Mullen was hoping for.

The Blazers offense found enough success throwing the football, and the Blazers defense registered seven sacks, but Timberline’s third consecutive win was colored with plenty of negatives – specifically a sideline-clearing incident during the second half that Mullen said could affect the Blazers next week.

Kevin Russell completed 13 of 17 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown as the Blazers beat the Wilson Rams, 17-9, Friday night at South Sound Stadium.

“That wasn’t us. That’s not characteristic of how this team is,” an obviously frustrated Mullen said. “It’s disappointing.”

The Blazers (3-2 overall, 1-0 Narrows 3A) also suffered a trio of injuries during the game.

Timberline defensive lineman Jose Ortiz was taken off the field by an ambulance late in the first half.

Ortiz complained of back pain but was moving his extremities. He was on the ground for approximately 20 minutes following an incomplete pass with 3 seconds to play in the second quarter before he was placed in the ambulance.

“He’s still being evaluated. We don’t have any word yet,” Mullen said. “He had numbness in his hands. That’s a concern.”

Timberline also lost two-way starters Quinton Sison (knee) and Dale Garcia (stinger) early in the first quarter.

Injuries also affected the Rams (0-5, 0-1) as starting quarterback Tre James and running Devon Trapps (ankle) did not play in the second half.

The game featured numerous penalties, including both teams being issued unsportsmanlike conduct flags following a Wilson defensive touchdown with 31/2 minutes remaining.

The incident occurred after Steven Brown scooped up a Russell fumble and raced 80 yards for a score, cutting the Rams’ deficit to 17-9.

A scuffle around the 20-yard line ensued following the play, drawing virtually every Timberline player onto the field.

“I’m not sure what happened,” Mullen said. “We may be forced to forfeit next week because of players leaving the bench. We’ll have to look at the tape.”

The Blazers looked to finally put the game away on their next possession, but Russell fumbled the ball out of the back of the end zone, resulting in a touchback.

Brandon Wetzel intercepted a Wilson pass with 90 seconds to play – appearing to end the threat, but a Timberline fumble on its next play kept Wilson alive.

The Rams were unable to score the equalizer, however, as Anthony Chaney ended the game with another interception for the Blazers.

Timberline led 10-0 at the half, after scoring on its first two possessions.

Russell hit Douglas Sudberry on a 37-yard touchdown pass with a little less than 5 minutes left in the first quarter to get the Blazers on the scoreboard.

Jakob Lengauer booted a 31-yard field early in the second quarter to produce the first half’s final points.

Defensively, Timberline limited the Rams to just 22 rushing yards in the first half and sacked James four times in the first two quarters.

James, who hit 7 of 15 pass attempts for 89 yards in the first half, did not play in the second half and was seen on the sidelines being checked out – possibly for a concussion – by a trainer.

Despite controlling the tempo for much of the game, Timberline found itself up by only a touchdown with 6 minutes left in the third quarter after Wilson’s Mason Portalski drilled a 32-yard field goal.

Spencer Crump, who had a 53-yard touchdown called back in the fourth quarter, ran for 105 yards on 20 carries for Timberline.

Kalai Cababat and Amosa Oloi each had two sacks for the Blazers.

Timberline, which last defeated Wilson in 1992, has won three consecutive games. Friday marked the first meeting between the two schools since 1998 – the same year that current Seattle Seahawk Marcus Trufant led Wilson to the Class 4A state title game.