It wasn’t pretty but it served its purpose.

Oak Harbor High School’s 39-7 drubbing of Marysville Getchell Friday, Oct. 7, at Wildcat Memorial Stadium won’t win any football beauty contests but it did have several attractive outcomes.

1. The dominating win helped boost the Wildcats’ bruised psyche after last week’s 49-20 loss at Squalicum.

2. It put Oak Harbor back on the winning track as it heads into a big game at undefeated Ferndale 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14.

3. It allowed the Wildcats to get more healthy. Several key players missed the Squalicum game, among them two-way starter Taeson Hardin, Oak Harbor’s No. 2 rusher, and Mac Carr, a starting DB who leads the Wildcats with four interceptions. In the lopsided win over Marysville Getchell, their services weren’t needed so the Oak Harbor coaches were able limit their snaps and ease them back into action. Hardin entered the game in the second quarter and ran for 45 yards on his first carry. His next touch went for 55 yards and a touchdown.

4. The victory came on Homecoming night in front of a large crowd, adding a positive touch to one of the week’s most important activities.

5. The Oak Harbor students got a chance to continue a longtime tradition after a Homecoming win – dance the Hokey Pokey. The players and their schoolmates circled the large OH at the center of the stadium turf and relived their younger years by performing the childhood dance.

Turnovers (three) and penalties (10) disrupted the rhythm of Oak Harbor’s game, but the Wildcats were able to overcome the setbacks to club the Chargers.

Oak Harbor scored on its first two drives. Princeton Lollar did most of the work, including rushing for 25 and 13 yards for the touchdowns.

After a fumble interrupted the Wildcats’ next possession, they bounced back for a quick score. TJ Hollins-Passmore ran for 26 yards, Hardin 45 and Hollins-Passmore the final 8 to make it 20-0.

The next possession took even less time – one play. Hardin bolted in from 55 yards to make it 27-0 at halftime.

Oak Harbor opened the second half with another score as Lollar raced 42 yards.

Then Marysville Getchell (0-4, 1-5) had its one offensive highlight. The Chargers ground out a 76-yard, 19-play, 10-minute drive to make it 33-7.

Outside of that one drive, the Oak Harbor defense was suffocating, allowing only 30 additional yards.

Midway through the third quarter, Lollar scored his fourth touchdown, this one from the 5.

Lollar continued his impressive season, rushing for 229 yards on 16 carries. Hardin finished with 123 on five rushes. Hollins-Passmore had 48 yards on six carries and had runs of 74 and 44 yards erased because of penalties.

In all, Oak Harbor ran for 416 yards on 34 carries, averaging more than 12 yards per rush.

On the other hand, the Chargers ran for 106 yards on 45 carries, an average of 2.36. They also had zero passing yards, missing on all seven throws. One of the passes was picked off by Gabe Eck.

Oak Harbor’s starting quarterback Gabe Salinger completed two of five passes, both to Lollar, for 35 yards. Caleb Fitzgerald hit two of four passes for 16 yards.

Josh Coe kicked three PATs.

Oak Harbor (2-1, 5-1) now sets its sights on Ferndale (3-0, 6-0). The Golden Eagles are ranked fourth in the AP state 3A poll and fifth by the Seattle Times. Oak Harbor is 12th and ninth, respectively.

Oak Harbor defeated Ferndale in each of the past two seasons in non-league games, but this is “Ferndale’s best team we have seen,” Oak Harbor coach Jay Turner said.

This will be Oak Harbor’s only game on a grass field, but Turner doesn’t see that as a problem.

The Golden Eagles are a traditional power, qualifying for the state playoffs in 15 of the past 20 years.