Bothell Cougars win after a tight matchup against Eastlake Wolves
The Bothell Cougars came out on top against the Eastlake Wolves, with a final score of 30-21, on Friday, Oct 24 at Eastlake High School.
A rough start for the Cougars made for a great beginning for the Wolves. A bad snap over the quarterback’s head allowed Jack Steiner to recover the ball in the end zone for an early 7-0 Eastlake lead.
But Bothell quickly made up for their mistake, chewing up the field on downs on their next possession. A leap over the goal line into the end zone by Mylez Welch put the Cougars on the board. In an attempt to take the lead, Bothell decided to risk it and go for two. The plan, botched by the Eastlake defense, forced the visitors to settle for a score of 7-6, Eastlake.
As time ticked off the clock in the first half, the Cougars found a rhythm as well as the end zone one more time on a hand-off to Cyion Soeum for another Bothell touchdown. The Cougars found themselves with a 13-7 lead to end the first half.
Following the break, Soeum kept the pressure on as he scored on a handoff to give the Cougars a more comfortable 20-7 lead.
A quick offensive response from the Wolves breathed new life into their game when Ryder Barrysmith found tight-end James Ort. A wide-open corner route to Ort added a touchdown for Eastlake for a 20-14 score, giving the Wolves new-found energy and hope for a lead change.
Sensing a possible comeback, Bothell played it safe this time and kicked a field goal on fourth down, extending their lead to 23-14.
But Eastlake was not ready to give up. Barrysmith faked a handoff and ran in for a touchdown, cutting the lead to 23-21. Now the Wolves had a chance, and the Cougars knew it.
With the game on the line and aggressive play from both teams, Bothell not only needed to play safe but smart. In the final minute, Welch found a gap in Eastlake’s defense and broke free for a 30-yard rushing touchdown, sealing the deal with a 30-21 victory for the Cougars.
The Eastlake Wolves play the Newport Knights at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31 at Eastlake High School.
