Oak Harbor Improves Playoff Path with Win Over Meadowdale

Oak Harbor Improves Playoff Path With Win Over Meadowdale
By Steven Dion

A 3A Wesco showdown between the Mavericks of Meadowdale and Oak Harbor Wildcats carried significant playoff implications. This matchup on Friday night at Edmonds Stadium provided the winner with hosting Mount Si next week; the loser to travel to 3A juggernaut Bellevue to take on the Wolverines. Both teams got off to a slow start as no points were put on the board in the first quarter. The field position battle was evident early as big runs by Wildcat tailbacks Dejon Devroe and Julian Faralan and booming punts by Mavericks’ Taylor Linton neutralized one another. Meadowdale was credited with a safety after a Wildcat long snap rolled out of the end zone. However, Oak Harbor responded by turning a Savion Hollins-Passmore interception into a touchdown run by Faralan. Before half, O.H. found the end zone once more on a 52-yard strike from Clay Doughty to Dyllan Harris. Score at the break was 13-2 in favor of the visitors.

When play resumed, the Mavericks quickly brought the game back with one possession on a 1-yard run by Muhleak Braxton. Perhaps the most critical play of the game occurred minutes later and likely decided the victor. Meadowdale drove down the field after forcing a quick three-and-out after the Braxton TD. As a Maverick receiver was diving into the end zone, the ball was jarred loose and recovered by Oak Harbor. This play deflated a Meadowdale squad which began to capture the momentum of the contest. From that point on, the Mavs offense struggled as dropped balls hurt QB Jerremiah Evans’ confidence, who threw a pair of late interceptions. Oak Harbor capitalized on TD scampers by Princeton Lollar and Faralan for the second time. When the final buzzer sounded, the Wildcats walked away with a 27-8 victory.

Top Performers:
Oak Harbor
Julian Faralan – 2 rushing TDs of 6 and 17 yards

Meadowdale
Muhleak Braxton – rushing TD