Sports - High Schools

POSTED: Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

PREP FOOTBALL: Golden Eagles advance to state

BELLINGHAM - Less than a year earlier, Ferndale made it look easy when West Seattle came to Civic Stadium for a postseason game.

But nothing came easy for the Golden Eagles on Saturday, Nov. 7, when the teams met again, this time in the Class 3A Northwest District playoffs - at least not until Brandon Maarhuis broke through the line on a fourth-and-inches play early in the fourth quarter

Maarhuis found daylight in the West Seattle defensive backfield and rumbled 31-yards for his third touchdown of the game, giving Ferndale a lead it would not relinquish in a 28-21 victory.

The play was the highlight of a 148-yard night for Maarhuis on 19 carries. Willy Scott also had a big night for the Golden Eagles, rushing for 154 yards on 19 attempts. Scott also caught 38-yard TD pass from Jacob Frost in the first quarter.

With the win, Ferndale (8-2) receives the Northwest District's No. 2 seed and moves on to the Class 3A State Playoffs for the seventh straight year and the 12th time in 13 years. The Golden Eagles will travel to face Lindbergh (9-1), which beat Bainbridge 44-6 on Friday, Nov. 6.

Saturday's win marked the second time Ferndale has eliminated West Seattle in the postseason in as many seasons. The Golden Eagles opened the 3A state playoffs with a 42-3 first-round victory over the Wildcats in 2008 in a game that saw West Seattle pick up only four first downs.

The story was a bit different Saturday, when Ferndale miscues not only kept West Seattle in the game in the first half, but helped give the Wildcats a 21-14 lead at the break.

The teams traded touchdowns on their opening possessions, and Ferndale took a 14-7 lead on a 1-yard run by Maarhuis early in the second quarter.

But West Seattle tied the game 14-14 two plays after Willy Scott muffed a punt at the Golden Eagles' 22.

Ferndale's attempt to retake the lead ended in the red zone, when Jacob Frost fumbled at the Wildcats' 13 and West Seattle recovered.

Ferndale thought it would at least escape the half tied when Ellison Tran's pass attempt on third-and-9 near midfield fell incomplete, but a personal foul penalty against the Golden Eagles prolonged the West Seattle drive. Tran found Montez McGee at the Ferndale 4 on the next play, and then sprinted around the left end to give the Wildcats the halftime advantage.

The miscues continued in the second half, as the teams traded fumbles in each others' territory on their first possessions of the half.

But Ferndale managed to put together a four-play, 46-yard drive after holding West Seattle deep in its own territory. Maarhuis capped off the drive with a 7-yard touchdown ride behind the left side of the line to tie the game at 21-21.

Scott then came up with an interception at the West Seattle 45 on the Wildcats' ensuing possession. The play set up Maarhuis' go-ahead TD run with 10:03 to play.

Ferndale had a chance to put the game away, but Jake Dunn missed a 21-yard field goal, giving the ball back to West Seattle with 2:53 to play.

But the Golden Eagles defense made the lead stand when Nick Morris and Tanner Dawson sacked Tran on third-and-6, and Tran's pass attempt on fourth down floated out of bounds.

West Seattle 7 14 0 0- 21

Ferndale 7 7 7 7- 28

First quarter

Fern - Willy Scott 38 pass from Jacob Scott (Jake Dunn kick)

WS - Ellison Tran 6 run (Markeem Adams kick)

Second quarter

Fern - Brandon Maarhuis 1 run (Dunn kick)

WS - Danny Phan 9 run (Adams kick)

WS - Tran 4 run (Adams kick)

Third quarter

Fern - Maarhuis 7 run (Dunn kick)

Fourth quarter

Fern - Maarhuis 31 run (Dunn kick)

WS Fern

First downs 12 18

Rushing Att-Yards 23-64 51-319

Comp-Att-Int 8-17-1 4-9-0

Passing yards 135 116

Penalties-yards 6-35 9-73

Fumbles-lost 4-2 3-3

Individual leaders

RUSHING - West Seattle: Ellison Tran 13-28, Danny Pahn 7-32, Nikko Emm 1-1, George Edwards 1-(-2), Charlie Johnson 1-5. Ferndale: Jacob Frost 8-(-3), Brandon Maarhuis 19-148, Williy Scott 19-154, Jake Hoelzle 4-16, Logan Locker 1-4.

PASSING - West Seattle: Ellison Train 8-17-1-135. Ferndale: Jacob Frost 4-9-0-116.

RECEIVING - West Seattle: Markeem Adams 3-81, Montez McGee 2-50, Nikko Emm 1-4, Benny Saeteurn 1-(-4), George Edwards 1-4. Ferndale: Jeff Frost 2-31, Willy Scott 2-84.