Skyline Spoils Red-Hot Streak

Ferris’ playoff streak finally comes to an end in the 4A Championship against Skyline

By Ryan Minnerly

The Ferris football season came to a halt Saturday in the Tacoma Dome. The Saxons, who have gone unbeaten since the idea came about that they might not make playoffs, were at last defeated. Most unfortunately, the Saxon train was derailed in the Washington 4A state championship against a worthy Skyline opponent. The Spartans were impressive. They threw the ball well, ran the ball well, and were stout on defense. Yet, as the score may not indicate, Ferris played them well. The 45-21 score is misleading.  The Scarlet and Silver had more than a fighting chance to win that game, going into the fourth quarter down by just ten points. The story of the game was heart. Heck, that was the story of the season for Ferris. They fought and scrapped and stuck around, giving themselves a chance at a 4A state title and coming up just short to a team that had won 4 straight state championships. They fought hard against Skyline in the Dome on Saturday, and made every Ferris fan proud in doing so.

The game started very positively. Ferris received the initial kickoff of the game. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against the Spartans kept the Ferris drive alive. Then, Ferris was held on three straight downs and forced to punt. But a wise Gage Orosco did not settle with giving that ball away. The Saxons set up to punt, and after the ball had been snapped, it seemed like every Spartan defender was blown off the line or dropped back to return the punt. But the punt never came. That’s because Orosco rolled out, considered punting, but then saw all the open real estate ahead of him. He tucked the ball away and ran for a first down, and then some. From there, the Ferris offense moved efficiently with the guidance of Quarterback Connor Halliday. They drove all the way down to the Skyline 3 yard line, and then Halliday hit stud wide receiver Jason Bates in the end zone. Ferris had put the first points up, and had a seven point lead.

Skyline answered. They marched down to the Ferris 15, from where Spartan quarterback Jake Heaps threw a bulls-eye between Saxon defenders to the hands of Kasen Williams for a score. The game was tied, and that was all the scoring of the first quarter. In the second quarter, Nick Washburn scored on a 5 yard run to put Skyline up 14-7, and then a few minutes later, Heaps hit Kasen Williams again from 15 yards out for a score. These three unanswered scores put Ferris at a 21-7 deficit. But with about a minute left in the half, Connor found Jason again. Ferris marched down field, and from 11 yards out this time, Halliday hit Bates for a touchdown, Jason’s second and final touchdown of the game. Skyline ended up getting the ball back and efficiently drove into Saxon territory. Ferris held the Spartans to a field goal. The score at halftime was 24-14. Ferris was still in it.

Skyline scored again in the third quarter. It was the third Heaps-Williams connection for a score in the game, making it 31-14. But, like they have been doing all year, Ferris fought their way back into the game. The Saxons scored on a 1-yard touchdown pass from Halliday to junior Jordan Tonani, bringing Ferris back to within ten points, and a manageable situation. After the score, the Saxon D stopped Jake Heaps and the Spartan offense, and got the ball back in their own territory. However, an unfortunate Connor Halliday got hit while throwing, and the ball was picked off. Connor Brandt of Skyline caught a 15 yard touchdown pass from Heaps on the ensuing drive. The score was now 38-21 late in the fourth quarter. When the Saxons got the ball back, Halliday threw a deep ball that was picked off as Ferris was scrambling to get back in the game. That was all for Ferris. Heaps scored on a 1 yard QB sneak late in the final minutes, making the final score 45-21. Really, the game was much closer than the score indicates, as Ferris had chances. A few unfortunate mishaps and late Spartan scoring resulted in the final score.

Sure, it was a bummer to have lost in the championship. But consider this: Skyline has now won 5 consecutive state championships; Jake Heaps is ranked as the best high school quarterback in the nation, among multiple others on the Skyline roster that are nationally ranked in their respective positions. Also, consider: No Ferris football team since the foundation of Ferris as a high school has EVER made it to the state championship and had a shot at the title. Yet this team did.

Perhaps the worst expression to define this great team of Saxons is “normal.” Normally a team from a competitive GSL would not drop 3 league games and have a chance at playoffs. Normally, a football program from some 4A high school on the south hill of Spokane, Washington would not travel all the way down to Anaheim, California to play some big-time team like Esperanza. And normally they would not win a game like that. Normally a three-game mini-playoff does not decide which team gets the last spot in playoffs from the GSL. Normally a bottom ranked Ferris team would not defeat the undefeated Wenatchee team AT Wenatchee, then beat Kamiakin, and unbeaten Eisenhower and their notoriously spectacular running game AT Yakima. And finally, with heavy odds stacked against them, they knocked off Skyview in the semis. So they lost in the championship. Normally they wouldn’t even be playing in the championship. But this team did.

So really, what’s to be ashamed of? This Ferris football team defined “heart.” They defined “passion.” They showed us what the true meaning of “perseverance” is, and they NEVER gave up. The odds were stacked against them week after week after week in the postseason. But they won, week after week after week. And perhaps one of the most remarkable things was the development of this team. In the beginning of the year, they struggled to put one full good game together. They would turn the ball over a few too many times, or give up a few too many points. But come crunch time, they came together. The Saxon D was top-tier, and the offense not only took care of the ball, but became an offensive juggernaut.  This team was great. And they made history by making it as far as they did.

OLD MAN MINN NOTES: Congratulations to the Saxons for a great season and taking the Ferris community on a great ride....the game could not have started any better for the Saxons, however, the Spartans proved to be terribly resilient and had an answer for everything that Ferris threw at them....third in the GSL but second in state, irony is kinda cool....Good luck to the seniors and thanks for the "years of service", you should be quite proud of yourselves, two third and one second place state finish....

The Shark Tank - Online Edition

Each week in the football program, as most of you know, we have a short Q & A session with Coach Sharkey about the previous and upcoming games and anything that might be happening in the football program.  Read last weeks edition on line here

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