Starting centers usually don’t switch positions from week-to-week, especially to debut at quarterback as an underclassmen in a rivalry game in wet weather. But Sequim quarterback Lars Wiker had prior experience at the center position from middle school football, and in need of bigger bodies, he filled in on the offensive line to start the season.
He probably won’t be going back to the line if Sequim can help it as Wiker was steady at the tiller, completing 10 of 25 passes for 177 yards and a touchdown and running for another score as Sequim retained the Rainshadow Rumble rivalry trophy by surviving Port Angeles 17-12 on Sept. 17.
Seven of those passes went to junior wideout Isaiah Moore, who totaled 98 receiving yards.
“He’s an athlete and I know that I don’t need to make any crazy pass, I just need to get it to him,” Wiker said. “And he’s a big body, that helps a lot.”
Senior Kobe Applegate caught three passes for 79 yards, including a 46-yard touchdown pass on a wheel route as the Sequim passing game propelled the Wolves to the win.
“We knew that Kobe is fast and athletic and knows the offense, so we thought he would make a good receiver,” Wiker said.
“I think the snap was all right but there was pressure coming from between the center and guard. That route is open a lot against that defense and I just threw it.”
Wiker came into the week feeling good about the opportunity and a solid Thursday practice further boosted his confidence.
“I knew we had a pretty good chance of winning coming into this and I knew the aftermath would be rough if we didn’t win,” Wiker said. “It feels good to beat PA, especially since we didn’t get to play them last year.”
The game hung in the balance after Riders senior Daniel Cable dodged and weaved his way to a 19-yard rushing score late in the third quarter.
Cable ran 12 times for 78 yards, caught four passes for 43 yards, chased down Moore to prevent what would have been a sure touchdown and recovered a fumble.
“Daniel will be Daniel every game,” Riders coach Dustin Clark said. “Every team will try and take him out and we have to continue to do what we do and spread the ball around.”
Port Angeles had three chances at taking the lead late against the Wolves, but the first two possessions ended with turnover on downs deep in Port Angeles territory.
Sequim had its own opportunities to sew the game shut, but a slew of illegal motion and procedure penalties derailed Sequim’s second shot at going up two scores and a 35-yard field goal by Brandon Wagner came up short.
Another possession in Port Angeles territory ended with a high snap over the head of Applegate, who came in for Wiker for one play.
The Riders opened their last possession at their own 43 and advanced just shy of the Sequim 20 when three straight holding penalties pushed Port Angeles back to midfield.
“After watching film a little bit it was clear our penalties hurt us a lot, especially some holding penalties,” Clark said. “That was tough to overcome.”
Port Angeles did force a defensive pass interference penalty on fourth down to get one last chance to move the chains and extend the game, but Parker Nickerson’s pass went through the hands of Riders’ receiver Ty Bradow.
Sequim coach Erik Wiker was proud of his squad for coming together quickly and picking up the win.
“Basically between covid protocols, no offseason and everything else, the first time we had everybody together was Tuesday,” Wiker said.
Sequim was called for 17 penalties totaling 135 yards and had three fumbles. The Roughriders was flagged for nine penalties for 75 yards and had three turnovers of their own.
“Yeah it was sloppy, but we are really at the point where we would be having a scrimmage (and not playing a game),” Erik Wiker said. “So all things considered, we executed well and did lots of things really well.”
Wiker was referring to his team’s defensive line and the connections in the passing game between Wiker and Moore.
“They do have a nice connection,” Wiker said. “He can catch everything, plus we put some of those plays in this week for him. We can throw off the power and it looks like run. The jailbreak (screens) helped a lot.”
Applegate said the key for the Wolves’ win was simple: “Definitely the execution. Execution lot better than Forks (a 56-28 loss on Sept. 3).”
Applegate said Sequim’s defense shone, particularly Aiden Gockerell at free safety and Sam Fitzgerald at linebacker.
Gockerell, new to the team this year after transferring from North Carolina, is fitting in well with the Wolves’ veterans, Applegate said.
“We love him; he’s a great playmaker,” Applegate said.
Port Angeles’ Clark said he thought sophomore quarterback Parker Nickerson played his best game of the season.
“He did well on the roll-outs and made some good decisions,” Clark said. “I was more happy that he did a better job of stepping up and staying in the pocket.”
Blake Peterson also added a new angle to the Port Angeles running game, picking up 20 yards on five carries, including a 1-yard TD plunge, before getting injured in the second half.
“They fought until the end, and that’s all I can ask of them,” Clark said.
During the truncated 2020-2021 season, the rival squads didn’t play. It was the first time they hadn’t met since 2003.
Coming up
Sequim is scheduled to play at Bainbridge on Sept. 24. Last season, the Wolves ran over the Spartans at home, 38-0.
On Sept. 10, Sequim plays at Bremerton; the teams did not face each other in the 2020-2021 season.
Sept. 17 — at Sequim 17, Port Angeles 12
PA 0 6 6 0 — 12
Seq 3 7 7 0 — 17
First quarter
S — Wagner 30 field goal (2:06)
Second quarter
PA — Peterson 1 run (kick failed), 10:11
S — Applegate 46 pass from Wiker (Wagner kick), 7:02
Third Quarter
S — Wiker 1 run (Wagner kick), 5:43
PA — Cable 19 run (pass failed), 2:15
Individual stats:
Passing — Seq: Wiker 10-25-177, TD; Port Angeles: Nickerson 6-15-57, 2 INT
Rushing — Seq: Fitzgerald 3-34; Gockerell 7-(-11); Wiker 10-(-21); Port Angeles: Cable 12-78; Peterson 6-20, Livingston 8-16; Nickerson 8-(-11)
Receiving — Seq: Moore 7-98, Applegate 3-79; Port Angeles: Cable 4-43, Jones 1-10, Peterson 1-4
Sequim quarterback Lars Wiker drops back to pass during the Wolves’ 17-12 Rainshadow Rumble rivalry win over Port Angeles. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell
Sequim’s Kobe Applegate races to the end zone on a 46-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Lars Wiker as Port Angeles’ Beckett Jarnagin looks on. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell
Sequim’s Isaiah Moore adds run-after-catch yardage while Port Angeles’ defenders including Daniel Cable, left, attempt to haul him down during a Rainshadow Rumble rivalry game on Sept. 17. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell
Port Angeles’ Blake Peterson crashes in to score on a 1-yard touchdown run in a Rainshadow Rumble rivalry contest Friday in Sequim. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell
Port Angeles’ Daniel Cable recovers a first-half fumble by Sequim during the Rainshadow Rumble rivalry game Friday. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell
Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell
Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell
Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell
