Red Wolf freshman strand Islanders

Published 10:08 pm Thursday, October 2, 2008

As the nights come earlier and the air gets chillier, it seems as if

football season is just beginning instead of half over.

Yet, the Cedarcrest freshman football game against Mercer Island

on Wednesday, Oct. 6, was a lopsided but fun football game that seemed to

signal the beginning of the end of an already great season. Homecoming

celebrations started early as the freshmen defeated Mercer Island 46-0.

Kyle Pierce started the game by making a diving catch for an

Islander misfire on the kickoff, giving the Wolves possession on the 50. The

offense proceeded to move the ball down field, with Dan Merrick scoring on

a 30-yard around-the-end run. Casey Frey kicked the extra point, making

it Cedarcrest 7, Mercer Island 0.

On the next series, the Cedarcrest “D” held the Islanders at the

35-yard line. A few possessions later, a Cedarcrest drive was stopped short

of the goal line, when a Mercer Island defensive back intercepted a pass

near the end zone. The Islanders eventually gave up the ball and good field

position, which the Cedarcrest offense immediately took advantage of.

Rob Westerman made a first down on a fullback screen but was injured in

the play; his relief, Josh Rosen, subsequently scored. A missed extra

point resulted in a 13-0 score, with the advantage to the C-team Wolves.

Mercer Island executed a lengthy drive to end the half, pushing the

ball all the way to Cedarcrest’s 5-yard line before the defense stiffened. The

half expired, leaving the Islanders with nothing to show for their effort.

In the second stanza, each of the Red-Wolf kickoffs was fraught

with tension, as the Islanders made good returns for good field position.

However, the defense kept up the pressure, and Mercer Island failed to score.

Not so for the Wolves, who racked up another 13 points on

touchdowns by Tom Harding and quarterback Josh Testerman. The latter score came

after an interception by Kyle Eldred.

The Cedarcrest freshman really shined in the fourth quarter, and

even with all the offensive and defensive substitutions, they would not be

denied. Throughout the game, the defense allowed few yards rushing

and little to none passing, and in the fourth quarter, they were even stingier.

Plays by cornerback Brent Sharp, linebacker Alan Shults, and strong

safety Testerman highlighted an outstanding game.

The fourth quarter also saw three different running backs score.

Merrick made his second long run of the night, hiking the score to 33-0. He was

followed by Shults, with a 10-yard run, and Eldred, from 25 yards out.

The Islanders fought bravely, but in the end, the Wolves’ defensive

line wreaked havoc. Ends Garrett Wolf and Pierce, tackles Joe Scott and Vong

Ly and nose guard Rosen kept the Mercer Island offensive line

scrambling. Cornerbacks Tyler Connelly, Sharp, Dan Benson and Frey cleaned up

on the outside and protected against the pass. As for the Cedarcrest

offensive line, it too dominated, allowing six different running backs to score

seven touchdowns.

As always, the Cedarcrest freshmen played as a team with heart

and sportsmanship. And – as is their ritual – they made their parents wait as

they did a couple sprints after the game.