Wolverines Double Up Blanchet in Semis, Championship Game Bound Again

Posted on November 28, 2015 by Steven Dion

Friday	Nov 27th	2015	3A	Boys	Football
Tacoma Dome	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Bellevue	21	14	14	7	56
Bishop Blanchet	14	7	7	0	28

See game recap below

Wolverines Double Up Blanchet in Semis, Championship Game Bound Again
By Steve Dion

Bellevue has become synonymous with championship football in Washington and their appearance at the Tacoma Dome during semifinal week is par for the course. Bishop Blanchet would look to continue their dream season under Coach Kyle Moore on the heels of a 73-28 blowout over Juanita last week.

The Braves demonstrated how green they were literally and figuratively as the first snap of the game was fumbled and recovered for a Wolverine touchdown. Bellevue struck again two minutes late as Isaiah Ifanse punched it in from two yards out to cap off a four-play, seventy-two yard drive and give BHS an early double digit lead. Needing a big play to spark Blanchet, the ever-reliable O’Shea Trujillo made a big play; a 39 yard fumble recovery for touchdown cutting the lead to a single score. This started a back-and-forth game trading touchdowns as the scoreboard read 35-21 in favor of the Wolverines heading into halftime.

Butch Goncharoff certainly reinforced the need to start halves strong because his team found the goal line early in the third on an Ercle Terrell run who finished with three total touchdowns. Once again, Bishop Blanchet answered the call on a trick play which involved a pass from Trujillo to a wide-open Christian Peter. The Braves finally recovered an onside kick afterwards, but failed to turn the momentum into points. This proved to be a backbreaker for Blanchet because Bellevue put the nail in the coffin to secure a 56-28 win. For the fourth consecutive year, the Bellevue Wolverines will face the Eastside Catholic Crusaders for the 3A state title.

The Final Score:
Bellevue 56, Bishop Blanchet 28

Top Performer

Bellevue
Justus Rogers 9/13, 171 yards, TD, 9 rush, 104 yards
Ercle Terrell 12 rush, 68 yards, 3 TDs

Bishop Blanchet
Clinton Allen Jr. 9 rush, 94 yards, 2 TDs

Eastside Catholic Remains Unscathed, Tops Blanchet on Senior Night

Posted on October 9, 2015 by Steven Dion

Friday	Oct 9th	2015	3A	Boys	Football
Acosta Field	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Eastside Catholic	14	21	13	6	54
Bishop Blanchet	6	0	0	0	6

See game recap below

Eastside Catholic Remains Unscathed, Tops Blanchet on Senior Night
By Steve Dion

First year coach of Bishop Blanchet Kyle Moore led his team to one of the biggest wins in program history in week five of the 2015 campaign as they knocked off O’Dea for the first time in over two decades. The Braves were rewarded by putting their 5-0 record on the line against the top team in the state Eastside Catholic at Acosta Field on the plateau. Coach Thielbahr’s Crusaders are firing on all cylinders in the state championship title defense season. Two teams entered the contest undefeated, which record would remain intact?

The home team put their offense on the field following a quick defensive stop and turned the possession into a score by Devon Arbis-Jackson in which the senior wideout shed multiple tackles. The critical drive following this Cru touchdown was highly successful for Blanchet as Alex Freeman marched his team down the field and O’Shea Trujillo closed the deal by crossing the goal line shortly after BBHS converted on a 4th and 21. Minutes later, Harley Kirsch found himself in the endzone after a 4-yard quarterback sneak to put ECHS up by 8. The Crusader defense started to clamp down on the green and yellow clad Braves as linebacker Noah Failauga among others controlled the middle of the field. A 62 yard punt return for touchdown by captain Jonathan Webster extended the Eastside Catholic lead and the blowout was starting to take form.

Missed opportunities for Blanchet such as not recovering a fumble forced on their 1 yard line played into their inability to keep pace with the state champs. Trailing 35-6 at the break, the fate of the game was virtually sealed as Kirsch and Co. entered halftime on a 6-yard touchdown run at the buzzer.

The lopsided matchup continued into the second half as the home squad would log 19 more points for a total of 54. What’s more is the Crusader defense disallowed any second half points for Blanchet. With the win, EC will likely run the table in league play with bigger goals in mind during late November and early December. Blanchet will retain its position in the second tier of Metro and fight for seeding once postseason play begins.

The Final Score: Eastside Catholic 54 Bishop Blanchet 6

Blanchet’s Big Fourth Quarter Earns Braves Fifth Seed, Bulldogs Sixth

Posted on November 1, 2014 by Randall Novak

Friday	Oct. 31st	2014	3A	Boys	Football
Memorial Stadium	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Garfield	0	7	0	0	7
Bishop Blanchet	3	14	0	14	31

Game Recap below

Blanchet’s Big Fourth Quarter Earns Braves Fifth Seed, Bulldogs Sixth
By Steven Dion

For many in attendance at Memorial Stadium, it is probably hard to believe tonight marks the 39th anniversary of arguably the greatest high school football game in the history of the state between Bishop Blanchet and Garfield. Members of both teams from 1975 were the honorary captains during the coin toss including Bruce Harrell and Joe Steele. That game had nearly thirteen thousand fans in attendance and ended in the fourth overtime with BBHS the victor. This playoff game would not replicate the one from four decades ago.

Both squads were determined to run the football into the teeth of the opposition from the start. The Braves’ featured back Oshea Trujillo has racked up nice numbers this season, but the Bulldogs have an improving front seven that kept him at bay early. Blanchet drew first blood on a 27 yard field goal by Liam vanLeynseele after the Braves drive stalled. Garfield had a difficult time moving the chains in the first half and had to continually return the ball to the green and yellow.

Blanchet struck again on a double reverse in which wideout David Gats hurled an 18 yard flair to Jack Sendelbach to put them up by ten. The lead grew when Davine Tullis tossed a dart to Sendelbach for his second score and a 17-0 lead. On the ensuing kickoff with twenty-two ticks remaining, the squib was recovered near midfield to give Garfield a chance to score. At the buzzer, Rashad Jones was in the endzone on a 35 yard post route to give the Bulldogs momentum heading into the locker room.

The third quarter was slightly less eventful as both teams refused to put up points and turnovers continued to pile up. The Bulldogs were trailing by ten heading into the fourth, but they couldn’t take advantage of several scoring chances. A fumble recovery for touchdown at the eleven yard line of Garfield by Gats zapped the Bulldogs energy. Elijah Davis scored late to give BBHS their final points and a 31-7 victory. The Braves have captured the fifth seed and Bulldogs take sixth in Metro heading into playoffs next week.

Top Performers:
Bishop Blanchet
Jack Sendelbach LB/TE
14 Tackles, 2 for Loss – 1 Fumble Recovery
2 Receptions 33 yards, 2 TD’s

David Gats
18 yd TD pass, 11 yd fumble recovery TD

Garfield
Rashad Jones – 35 yard TD Reception

Crusaders Cruise Over Blanchet in Saturday Showdown

Posted on October 12, 2014 by Randall Novak

Saturday	Oct. 11th	2014	3A	Boys	Football
Auburn High School	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Eastside Catholic	7	21	14	7	49
Bishop Blanchet	0	0	6	6	12

Game Recap below

Crusaders Cruise Over Blanchet in Saturday Showdown
By Steven Dion

The high school football season is at the halfway point and the weather has behaved nicely for virtually the entire duration. Saturday would be a surprise at kickoff as rain hit hard an hour before kickoff following morning sunshine. Regardless, there was a game to be played between perennial goliath Eastside Catholic led by Jeremy Thielbahr and Aaron Maul’s up-and-comer Bishop Blanchet.

On the opening drive, ECHS coughed up the football giving Blanchet early momentum. However, minutes later Daniel Carlton picked off Davine Tullis which set up an 18 yard slant to Matt Laris for a touchdown. At this point Harley Kirsch was just getting warmed up. In the second frame, he connected with Laris again and Hunter Bryant for 53 and 7 yard scores respectively. A powerful goal-line run by Dominique Fetui capped off a 21 point second quarter for the Crusaders. Blanchet was yet to score at the break.

The Eastside onslaught continued in the third as Kirsch found Matt Kveck and Jake Jackson in the endzone for two more of his five touchdown passes on the day. Bishop Blanchet played an inspired second half starting with a pick by Oshea Trujillo midway through the quarter. That set up a play which was improvisational brilliance by the Braves’ featured halfback Trujillo. A shotgun snap sailed over BB quarterback Alex Freeman’s head. Trujillo, who was the lone man in the backfield sprinted to the loose ball. As the swarm of defenders rushed to pick up the football, the BB back picked up the pigskin and let it fly toward the endzone. The act of desperation resulted in Blanchet’s first points of the game; a 10 yard touchdown reception for Elijah Davis in the corner of the endzone.

Despite a running clock from a Crusader lead of forty points or more, the home team continued to battle. The final play of the contest was a 20 yard dart through multiple defenders from Freeman to David Gats who moments prior hauled in an extraordinary one-handed grab. However, Eastside Catholic would claim a 49-12 victory heading into next Friday against league powerhouse O’Dea. Maul’s Braves will put this one behind them and build on a much better second half of a runaway contest.

Top Performers:
Eastside Catholic
Harley Kirsch- 5 touchdown passes (7,15,18,36,53)

Bishop Blanchet
Oshea Trujillo- 10 yard touchdown pass, Defensive INT