EVERETT - The 6:24 mark of the first quarter in a game pitting Glendale and Everett, brought about a stoppage in play due to lightning in the area.
While no lightning appeared to strike anything in the vicinity, it still took an hour and 18 minutes for play to resume.
And in a game that was solely a defensive battle from start-to-finish, it was a quick strike on a 60-yard touchdown run by the Vikings' Doug Twigg that ultimately decided the contest, 7-6, in favor of the Vikes on Friday night at Everett Warrior Stadium.
"It was a great run. He [Twigg] never stopped his feet, never slowed down," Glendale coach Matt Irvine said. "I told my kids all week that arm tackles turn into missed tackles, and that's really what we got [by Everett] on that play."
Facing a fourth-and-1 on their own 37, Irvine's gamble paid off as quarterback Gary Witherow fought for and merged ahead for a 3-yard gain, and a first down.
On the very next play and with two minutes left before the half, Twigg started to run right, then quickly changed course and darted left where he found room to run up the middle - 60 yards and many missed Warrior tackles later, the Vikes were finally on the board after being stopped on fourth-and-4 on their two previous possessions.
"It [the play] was supposed to be to the right, I cut back left and my line just got on their man and opened up the hole for me. I slipped through some tackles, off into the secondary and I burned them," Twigg said. "Mental mistakes will get you. Arm tackling - just run right through them."
Damon Braniff, who was bottled up all night for just 45 rushing yards on 20 carries, made good on what would turn out to be the game-winning extra point.
"When your defense is on the field as long as ours was in the first half, in the high school game, that's [missed tackles] going to happen occasionally," Everett coach Mark Kirk said.
The second half proved to be even more of a defensive battle as both punters got plenty of work as the two squads combined for seven punts that sailed for 259 yards [an average of 37 yards per punt].
While the defenses dominated the entire night, the Warrior offense kept shooting themselves in the foot as they stalled on several promising drives only to be backed up by penalties or plays that resulted in yardage lost.
However, with the game on the line and time running out in the fourth, Everett made one final push for points as they got the Vikings back on their heels with a 52-yard drive that Jacob Jay capped off with a 19-yard jolt up the middle to paydirt at the 2:21 mark.
While Kirk debated whether to go for the two-point conversion, he confidently sent kicker Kyle Droz out to tie the game up. Unfortunately for the Warriors and their fans who stuck around during the delay, Droz' extra point attempt hooked left.
"I was on the sidelines talking to Witherow getting the two-minute drill ready just in case he [Droz] did make it," Irvine said. "Thankfully, he didn't. It was just a hard fought game on both sides."
Glendale picked up the one needed first down on Twigg's 7-yard run that enabled them to run the clock out and give Irvine his first career coaching victory.
"We are just so inconsistent offensively. We shoot ourselves in the foot so many times," Kirk said. "We sure as heck are having a hard time executing. We couldn't finish any sustained drives."
SCORE?BY?QUARTERS
Glendale0 7 0 0 - 7
Everett0 0 0 6 - 6
Second quarter
G-Twigg 60 run (Braniff kick), 2:21.
Fourth quarter
E-Jay 19 run (kick failed), 2:00.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Glendale-Braniff 20-45, Witherow 14-(-11), Twigg 9-93. Everett-Rhoat 6-39, Jays 12-54, McInroy 8-15, C. Weist 1-0, Jay 7-25, Sheaffer 2-17, TEAM 1-(-1).
PASSING: Glendale-Witherow 7-10-0-89. Everett-McInroy 4-15-0-27.
RECEIVING: Glendale-Twigg 1-43, Hommer 2-16, Bantly 2-23, Braniff 2-7. Everett-Droz 2-17, Jay 1-4, Ritchey 1-6.
INTERCEPTIONS: None
TEAM STATISTICSGE
First downs1010
Rushes-yards43-12737-149
Passing (comp.-att.-int.)7-10-04-15-0
Yards passing8927
Total yards216176
Fumbles-lost0-03-1
Penalties-yards1-54-35
Punts-avg.5-34.66-33.2
