The Woodinville Falcons are having their most successful football season in years, with coach Wayne Maxwell leading the team to a 7-2 record heading into a winner-takes-all game at Glacier Peak this week.
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That teamwork was demonstrated decisively in their Oct. 10 defeat of the Lake Washington Kangaroos, where the Falcons trailed 14-3 after the first half before scoring 14 unanswered points in the second half en route to a 17-14 victory.
Maxwell was impressed by his team’s performance against Lake Washington, “Proud of how our team was able to battle back and have trust in both themselves and their teammates to come from behind and work to achieve the victory.”
Since dropping two straight games to Evergreen and Bothell in late September, the Falcons have been surging through their remaining schedule, defeating Redmond 54-7 on Oct. 2 to kick off their five-game winning streak to end the season.
The game against Lake Washington was particularly memorable.
“We had a rough start to the game, but our players kept their composure and chipped away,” Maxwell said.
Lake Washington started the game on offense, putting together a successful drive almost entirely on the ground before sophomore receiver Aiden McClinton took a 21-yard sweep to Woodinville’s end zone, putting the Kangaroos up 7-0.
Excellent defensive play from Woodinville forced a fumble on Lake Washington’s next drive, getting the Falcons on the board with a field goal from senior kicker Jordan Connally.
The Kangaroos proved disruptive on defense as well. Senior safety/receiver Dante Walker forced a fumble on Woodinville’s punt returner, leading to a scoop-and-score touchdown for McClinton early in the second quarter.
The Kangaroos took their 14-3 lead into the half, leaving Woodinville looking scattered on offense.
Things didn’t improve much for Woodinville after the half, as their first possession led to a turnover on downs despite putting together three first downs.
After forcing a punt from Lake Washington, Woodinville finally caught some steam. They drove the ball 60 yards downfield on their next possession, with sophomore quarterback Daylon Gabriel passing to junior wide receiver Jace Bailey-Otis for a beautiful 32-yard pass to get Woodinville in the red zone.
A 6-yard rushing touchdown on that drive brought the Falcons within six, although senior Zacho Dickinson managed to block the extra point for Lake Washington.
Each team exchanged three-and-out drives to bring the game into the fourth quarter, where Woodinville’s defense shined.
Backed up on their own 39-yard line, senior defensive lineman Josiah Keo-Pelagio forced a costly fumble, returning it to Lake Washington’s end zone to put Woodinville up by one. The Falcons were able to convert the two-point play, bringing the score to 17-14.
Woodinville’s defense stole the show in the second half, as they were able to shut down Lake Washington’s next drive. Despite getting pushed to their own 7-yard line, the Falcons were able to shut down the Kangaroos’ run game when it mattered most, forcing a missed field goal.
With 1:16 on the clock, Lake Washington found themselves with possession, pushing their way to Woodinville’s 44-yard line before throwing four straight incompletions, including a swatted pass at the line by junior defensive lineman Jackson Markey to end the game.
Maxwell praised the defense for their fortitude.
“Solid defensive play by Jackson Markey, Josiah Keo, and Lucas Redmond up front helped keep us in the game, and then the big defensive touchdown by Josiah was a big lift for the team,” Maxwell said.
Woodinville won 17-14, using momentum from their comeback victory against the Kangaroos to beat Juanita and North Creek in their final two regular season matches by a combined score of 58-19. They proceeded to hammer Redmond once again in districts, winning 49-7 on Oct. 30.
They are scheduled to play Glacier Peak in Snohomish this week in a crucial play-in match to determine who makes it to the state playoffs.
The Grizzlies are a strong opponent, as they are 6-3 on the season with a 49-0 victory against Mariner last week.
