SEDRO-WOOLLEY - Sehome produced two playoff-caliber touchdown drives, but they weren't enough to move the Mariners into the postseason.

On a night filled with mud and rain, Sedro-Woolley clicked on three scoring drives in the Cubs' 21-13 Northwest Conference victory, clinching a Class 2A playoff position on Friday, Oct. 19.

Burlington's victory over playoff-bound Squalicum, along with Sedro-Woolley's win, sent the Cubs (4-4 overall, 3-3 NWC 3A/2A) into the playoffs. The final spot is still undecided between the Tigers and the Mariners depending on next week's outcomes.

For a while, it looked as though Sehome (2-6 overall, 2-4 NWC 3A/2A) might well have enough muscle and speed to rally for a playoff berth.

Mariners quarterback Austin Rapp, picking his holes expertly, scored on a memorable 64-yard cutback run in the first quarter. That resulted in a 6-6 tie when what began as a conversion kick wound up an unsuccessful pass.

Trailing 14-6 at halftime, Sehome got a 25-yard kickoff return from Forrest Longanecker and then drove 54 yards to score on a 1-yard plunge by Titi Lamositele, who contributed 51 yards on eight carries during the scoring push and finished with 78 yards on 19 carries.

Sam Diehl's conversion kick pulled the Mariners within 14-13 and Bo Banner recovered a fumble on Sedro-Woolley's first play from scrimmage after Cubs sophomore Mason Elms returned the kickoff 59 yards.

Freshman Taylor Rapp gave the Mariners a huge boost when he raced 19 yards with a pitch from Rapp. The Mariners followed with eight rushes, all by Taylor Rapp and Lamositele, on what seemed like it would be a third and go-ahead scoring drive. But Sedro-Woolley freshman Carter Crosby recovered Lamositele's fumble at the Woolley 17-yard-line in a driving rain.

The Cubs responded to the timely fumble recovery by moving 83 yards on 13 plays, including 41 yards by junior fullback Shawn Kennedy, who wound up with 127 yards on 27 carries. Elms scored on a 14-yard run for his second touchdown of the game and Francisco Tovar's conversion kick gave the Cubs the final 21-13 margin with 8:56 remaining to play.

Sehome did not notch another first down on either of its only two fourth-quarter possessions. The Cubs used Kennedy - who improved his season total to 860 yards on 149 carries - to run out the final four minutes.

Elms, one of the league's fastest young prospects, scored on an 8-yard run in the first quarter, capping a nine-play, 60-yard drive.

Following a short Sehome punt in the second quarter, Woolley went 42 yards on five plays, all rushes, and scored on junior Clayton Johnson's 6-yard run. On the conversion, Kyle Morgan hit the ground by caught a 2-point conversion pass from junior quarterback Braden Blouin to produce a 14-6 advantage midway through the second quarter.

Taylor Rapp finished with 55 yards on nine carries to go with Lamositele's 78 yards and Austin Rapp's 64-yard scoring run. But it wasn't a night for passing - the Cubs held Austin Rapp to 1 for 8 for 11 yards. In all, Sehome netted 125 yards on its two scoring drives but otherwise was held to 79 yards.

The Cubs wound up with 273 yards, including 189 on the ground on 51 carries.

Sehome 6 0 7 0- 13

Sedro-Woolley 6 8 0 7- 21

First quarter

Sedro-Woolley - Mason Elms 8 run (kick failed)

Sehome - Austin Rapp 64 run (pass failed)

Second quarter

Sedro-Woolley - Clayton Johnson 6 run (Kyle Morgan pass from Braden Blouin)

Third quarter

Sehome - Titi Lamositele 1 run (Sam Diehl kick)

Fourth quarter

Sedro-Woolley - Elms 14 run (Francisco Tovar kick)

Seh SW

First downs 9 18

Rushing Att-Yards 36-193 51-189

Comp-Att-Int 1-8-0 4-8-0

Passing yards 11 84

Penalties-yards 7-35 8-51

Fumbles-lost 2-1 2-1

Individual leaders

RUSHING - Sehome: Titi Lamositele 18-78, Austin Rapp 5-66, Taylor Rapp 9-55, Willy Lallas 2-(minus 4), Matt Haggen 2-(minus 2). Sedro-Woolley: Shawn Kennedy 27-127, Kyle Morgan 8-24, Clayton Johnson 7-39, Mason Elms 6-42, Braden Blouin 3-(minus 43).

PASSING - Sehome: Austin Rapp 1-8-11-0. Sedro-Woolley: Braden Blouin 4-8-84-0.

RECEIVING - Sehome: Taylor Rapp 1-11. Sedro-Woolley: Mason Elms 3-76, Seth Noble 1-8.