Wildcats rip MG; showdown with Ferndale next / Football

Friday night the Oak Harbor High School football team did what it was supposed to do, now it needs to accomplish the unexpected.

The Wildcats, unbeaten in six games, demolished winless Marysville Getchell 49-7 at Quil Ceda Stadium on the campus of Marysville-Pilchuck High School last night, Oct. 6.

Next is a clash with Ferndale at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13 (nothing ominous about that date), in Oak Harbor that will likely determine the Wesco North champion.

Ferndale was the preseason favorite to win the division and has been highly ranked all season. The 6-0 Golden Eagles were listed fourth in last week’s 3A state poll. Oak Harbor, picked to finish third in the conference, climbed into the state poll two weeks ago and is ranked ninth.

Oak Harbor 49, Marysville Getchell 7

Sideways rain and high winds dampened the Chargers’ homecoming game, and Oak Harbor helped blunt the celebration by dominating the contest.

The Wildcats used a 28-point second quarter to put the Chargers away, including scoring three touchdowns in a stretch of five Oak Harbor offensive plays.

The Wildcat defense was just as efficient. The starting unit held Marysville Getchell to a negative 24 yards rushing on 10 attempts and surrendered 58 passing yards as two Charger QB’s hit six of 21 passes. Getchell managed only two first downs that weren’t by penalty against the Oak Harbor first team.

The Chargers drove 80 yards against the Wildcat reserves in the fourth quarter for their score.

For the night, MG recorded only 104 yards of total offense; Oak Harbor piled up 502. The Wildcats scored on every possession except when stopped by the clock at the end of each half.

Andrew Miller intercepted a Getchell pass to give Oak Harbor its first possession. The Wildcats then drove 73 yards in 15 plays, converting three fourth downs along the way, to begin the rout.

Mac Nuanez bulled in from the 1-yard line for the TD, and Jordan Bell kicked the point after.

Oak Harbor marched 51 yards in a seven-play drive that bridged the first and second quarters for its second touchdown, a nice 8-yard, one-handed grab by Kyle Nickols on a Bell pass. Bell, again, booted the PAT.

While Getchell was in streak of four consecutive three-and-outs, Oak Harbor was nearly perfect, scoring on drives of one, one, three and two plays.

First Taeson Hardin raced 55 yards for a touchdown. Eric Closson took over the kicking chores and hit the first of five straight PATs.

On Oak Harbor’s next play, Nuanez ran straight through the heart of the Charger defense from 45 yards out.

Then on the third play of the next possession, Hardin scored from 66 yards out. That gave the Wildcats a 35-0 lead at the half.

Two plays into the third quarter, Nuanez scored from the 48-yard line, putting Oak Harbor up 42-0 and putting the mercy rule (running clock) into effect with 11:25 left in the period.

The Wildcat subs took over the offense in the next possession and scored on an 85-yard drive that finished in the final quarter. Shingo Johnston tallied the TD with a 27-yard run.

Coach Jay Turner liked how his club took care of business but noted that two key linemen, Isaac Gomez and Hunter Bos, were injured and could miss the showdown with Ferndale.

Hardin led the Oak Harbor offense with 184 rushing yards on only eight carries; Nuanez added 137 yards on 15 runs. Nine Wildcats had carries as Oak Harbor finished with 465 yards on 44 tries, averaging more than 10.5 yards per tote.

Bell completed two of four passes for 11 yards; Caleb Fitzgerald completed his only pass for six yards.

Four different Chargers had carries in the game and none finished with positive yardage.

Quarterback Caleb Koellmer was 5-for-19 for 51 yards and one interception.

Oak Harbor’s Ozell Jackson pulls down Getchell’s Ryan Hascall. (Photo by John Fisken)

Shingo Johnston takes off on a 27-yard touchdown run for the Wildcats. (Photo by John Fisken)

Darian Matsushita tackles Marysville Getchell quarterback Caleb Koellmer. Matshuita and the Wildcat defense limited the Chargers to only 104 yards of offense. (Photo by John Fisken)