Football team takes third place at state

The Odessa-Harrington Titan football team took third place Saturday in the semi-final game against Neah Bay, a small town on the Olympia peninsula. The trophy was awarded right after the game. Receiving the sportsmanship award for the Titans was Brett Larmer, senior running back from Harrington.

The game ended in the third quarter when the point spread reached 40, dashing the Titans’ hopes for a trip to the championship game at the Tacoma Dome. Neah Bay took the win, 74-34, at Lions Field in Moses Lake.

Players for the Neah Bay Red Devils were bigger and faster than O-H overall. Costly mistakes added to the Titans misery, two fumbles leading to the first two scores and a later interception that also resulted in a score.

Quarterback Jared King was 16 of 22 for 300 yards with an interception and three touchdowns. He also had 48 yards rushing, including two TDs. Wide receiver CAde Weber had eight receptions for 204 yards, and Larmer had 43 yards rushing and another 59 receiving.

Neah Bay’s only completed pass play was good for 59 yards and a touchdown. The Red Devils rushed for 325 yards, however, and were all but unstoppable on the ground.

Four Titan players were on the sidelines, not even suited up, due to injuries incurred in earlier games: Stetson Sanford, still recovering from a concussion, and Jake Tanke, with a broken leg, both of Harrington, and Garrison Schmierer and Steven Braun of Odessa had to watch helplessly as their teammates floundered.

Looking forward to next year, the Titans will lose only one senior – Brett Larmer. But he has been such a consistent workhorse for the team this year, that he will no doubt be sorely missed. Freshman Schmierer will more than likely also not return to the team, as his family is moving to Cheney.

The juniors who make up the bulk of this year’s team will all return, giving the Titans a good shot at another run to the playoffs. The current players will have that much more experience under their belts.

ACH vs. Pomeroy

In the other semi-final game

played Saturday in Pasco, O-H’s league rival Almira/Coulee-Hartline defeated Pomery, 46-6. That game was also ended by the mercy rule in the third quarter. ACH’s Derek Isaak dominated the offensive stats, passing well and running well to keep Pomeroy off balance.

On the other hand, Pomeroy’s only score was a breakaway 80-yard run, coming when they were already down by three touchdowns. The two-point conversion failed and so did every other of Pomeroy’s attempts to score.

ACH will face a much more difficult opponent in Neah Bay. The ACH Warriors will play Neah Bay in the Tacoma Dome this Friday, December 2, beginning at 4 p.m.

ACH/Neah Bay for #1

It looks to be an interesting matchup. ACH is undefeated this season, while Neah Bay has one mid-season loss. ACH has proven to be a versatile team that can mix up its offense. Its running game is equal to its passing game in effectiveness. Neah Bay’s offense, if its gameagainst the Titans is any indication, is focussed on the running game.

ACH has achieved the championship twice since 1973, defeating Colton in 1990 and Odessa in 2007. Neah Bay has never won the championship, although it did place second twice (losing to Odessa in 1989 and to Touchet in 1999). So the Red Devils may well be the hungrier team in Friday’s matchup.

Physically, ACH is much like the Titans in that most team members are on the light side compared to the more robust Neah Bay boys. Several Red Devils weigh in at over 200 pounds. Only one of the Warriors is over 200, with most in the 160 to 180 range. ACH will have to convert every time it has the ball, because stopping NB will be a monumental task.