Area Sports by Michael Dashiell

The homecoming crown? Nice. But Roman Turner and his Wolves teammates have their eyes on another piece of regalia.

Sequim took a big step toward a Nisqually League championship with a 41-6 thrashing of Eatonville in front of a jam-packed homecoming crowd on Oct. 23.

The Wolves (5-0 in league, 7-1 overall) can clinch an automatic berth in the class 2A playoffs with a win at home Friday against Washington and on Nov. 6 at Fife; or, if North Mason beats Fife this week, by winning one of the final two games.

After giving up one long first-quarter drive for Eatonville's only score, Sequim's defense simply manhandled the Cruiser attack, holding their visitors to a little more than 100 yards in the final three quarters.

Sequim coach Erik Wiker, who celebrated his 50th win as Sequim's head coach since taking the top spot in 2004, said the difference was simple: The Wolves had more talent on their side of the ball.

"I think (Eatonville's players) were playing to the top of their potential, but we have a lot of talent," Wiker said.

Travis Decker gouged the Cruiser defense for 238 rushing yards and two touchdowns while Isaac Yamamoto added 63 yards and a score, helping Sequim rack up 466 total yards.

"The (offensive) line was good but it was our running backs," said Turner, a senior lineman who was crowned SHS's homecoming king at halftime.

"They held on to the ball and did it."

Sequim quarterback Drew Rickerson added 133 passing yards and two touchdown throws, connecting with John Textor in the third quarter and Clancy Catelli in the fourth.

A close game ... for a quarter

Playing in a cold, blustery wind, Sequim opened the contest with a 13-play, 76-yard drive that Decker capped with a 1-yard plunge.

Eatonville responded on the very next drive, an 18-play drive that Cruiser quarterback Nick Fairhart kept alive with three third-down quarterback keepers. Fairhart capped the drive by finding receiver Maurice LaPoint from 11 yards out. Sequim's Frank Catelli blocked the point-after try to maintain a 7-6 Sequim lead.

On the first play from scrimmage, however, Decker raced 58 yards inside the Cruiser 10-yard-line and Yamamoto scored from 2 yards out three plays later for a 13-6 Sequim lead.

The Wolves made it 21-6 with less than two minutes in the first half with a 61-yard drive, consummated by another Decker 1-yard dive.

After Sequim's defense forced Eatonville into a three-downs-and-out to open the third quarter, it was the Travis Decker show once again. The senior running back raced for carries of 7, 20 and 15 yards before Sequim's drive stalled on the 15-yard-line. On third and goal, Rickerson found Textor for the senior receiver's fourth touchdown catch of the season and a 27-6 Sequim lead.

Clancy Catelli bookended Sequim's next score, stopping an Eatonville drive by picking off a Fairhart pass, then taking a short pass from Rickerson 29 yards into the end zone nine plays later. A Rickerson-to-Textor two-point conversion made it 35-6.

Backup quarterback Frank Catelli found receiver Tommy Sund from three yards out with 2:11 on the clock.

Fairhart finished 7-of-19 passing with 75 yards and two interceptions. The senior led the Cruisers with 90 rushing yards.

"(Eatonville), they played hard," Turner said. "The score doesn't reflect that."



Patriots up next

Sequim takes on Washington in the Wolves' final home game of the 2009 season.

The Patriots (1-4, 2-6) are coming off a 49-13 home loss versus North Mason.

Sequim dumped Washington 36-19 on the road last season and crushed the Patriots by 29 points in a state tournament play-in game in 2007.

"They are a very athletic team," Wiker said. "They can break some things open."



Reach Michael Dashiell at miked@sequimgazette.com.