Don’t get me wrong: the Wolves are still a very good high school football team. But Cascade was, in many ways, better on Saturday night.

A lot has been made of this year’s SHS football team and its chances for a run in the 2A playoffs — even by me. I had already penned them in for a playoff spot and likely the top 2A team in the Nisqually League.

That being said penned typed, Cascade Christian was rock solid on Saturday and, even though they lost a significant amount of players from last year’s shoulda-woulda-coulda-been 1A championship team (they took second), they were impressive.

Not so much in the running game. Despite giving up a couple of decent runs, the Wolves basically shut down Cascade from the opening kick to the ending horn.

It’s the passing game that gave Sequim’s D fits. Kyle Stennes, a junior who made just two starts on last year’s team replacing starter Ben Johnson, made critical throws when they counted and made Sequim pay for that costly first half turnover.

But even losing by two scores, Sequim was never really out of it. Quarterback Drew Rickerson had a touchdown pass waved off because he threw a pass past the down marker — on a fourth down.

One less step for Drew, a 14-point swing for Wolves-kind. That, according to my liberal arts major-level math, is a 14-14 tie.

So, missing two starters to injury, that’s not too bad.

What has to worry coaches, players and fans alike is how Cascade shut down the Wolves. They bum-rushed the middle to shut down back Travis Decker and, particularly when they had a 14-point lead late, loaded up their defense in the short zone, forcing the Wolves to try to either throw over the top (risking interceptions) or settling for 2- and 3-yard short passes.

Whoever saw the game film on that saw how effective a smart, tough defense can shut down the spread offense.

My guess is we’ll see Sequim run the ball more when teams figure that out. I don’t know how many teams in this league can do it. Steilacoom, Klahowya and Kingston, Sequim’s next three opponents, don’t look strong this season.

But North Mason looms on Oct. 16. The Bulldogs look mighty impressive early on. The 3-0 mark, the win against a very good Eastside Catholic team and state ranking tell me so.

As for Clancy Catelli and Preston McFarlen, Sequim’s two big injured starters on Saturday, time will tell. Catelli’s had ankle problems before. I suspect he’ll tough it out.

But McFarlen had his knee iced up pretty well, and I think it’ll be another few weeks before the junior is back on the gridiron. Best of luck to both of them.