The Coupeville High School football team watched a fourth-quarter lead slip away, and with it a chance to clinch a playoff spot.
Chimacum proved to be the spoiler. The Cowboys scored with two seconds left in the game to defeat the Wolves 14-9 Friday, Oct. 16, and added to the misery by tainting Coupeville’s homecoming game.
It was Chimacum’s first win after 18 consecutive losses and put the Cowboys in a tie with Coupeville for third place in the Olympic League 1A standings. The top three teams go on to face the top three clubs from the Nisqually League in the playoffs.
First is one more round of conference games. Coupeville (1-4, 1-6) goes to Klahowya (3-2, 4-3) at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23. Chimacum (1-4, 1-6) faces rival Port Townsend (5-0, 7-0).
Klahowya won 29-13 at Coupeville earlier this season.
Coupeville jumped to a 9-0 first half lead over Chimacum, but its offense sputtered in the second half.
The Wolves’ defense was solid much of the evening but “wore down” late, according to coach Brett Smedley, and the Cowboys scored twice in the fourth quarter, including marching 80 yards in the final three minutes to pull out the win.
Chimacum completed a 12.1-yard pass on a fourth-and-12 play moments before tallying the winning score.
Coupeville took a 3-0 lead in the second quarter on a 24-yard field goal by Zane Bundy. Later in the period, Hunter Smith hauled in a 22-yard TD pass from Gabe Eck. Smith made the one-handed grab in spite being interfered with on the play.
A bad snap on the PAT attempt thwarted Bundy’s point after kick, and Coupeville led 9-0.
After the Cowboys scored early in the fourth quarter to make it 9-6, Coupeville drove to the Chimacum 21.
From there, the Wolves went backward with a sack and penalty. That led to a punt that set up the Cowboys’ final, game-winning drive.
Coupeville’s defense produced four turnovers. Smith finished with three interceptions, giving him a school record seven for the season.
Wiley Hesselgrave caused a fumble that Lathom Kelley recovered; Kelley also blocked a PAT kick.
Chris Battaglia recorded eight tackles; Hesselgrave had seven; and Ty Eck, Jacob Martin and Kelley added five each.
Gabe Eck completed 10 of 27 passes for 169 yards. Smith hauled in three for 89 yards, including a 43-yarder and the touchdown. Smith also had 55 return yards on his interceptions.
Ty Eck and Jordan Ford each caught two passes for 27 yards, and Ryan Griggs grabbed two for 23 yards.
Hesselgrave rushed 18 times for 45 yards, Gabe Eck carried the ball seven times for 36 yards and Kelley had 24 yards on four runs.
(Top left, Wiley Hesselgrave causes a Chimacum fumble. Middle, Lathom Kelley looks for yardage. Bottom, Hunter Smith hauls in a pass from Gabe Eck. Photos by John Fisken.)
