11/2/18 Sehome players get ready for a playoff game at Archbishop Murphy. PHOTO: Jeff Bearden
Can Sehome Keep Rolling Past Liberty?
November 9, 2018
The Sehome football team is looking to keep their turnaround story going as they open up the state playoffs Friday. The Mariners square off with the No. 3 Liberty Patriots at 7:00pm in Renton.
It's another tough match-up, but Sehome is more than prepared. After shocking No. 9 Archbishop Murphy 37-to-9 last week in the district playoffs, the Mariners are looking to pick up their 6th straight victory.
The timing is right. They're playing their best football of the year, especially offensively, where they have averaged 40.2 points per game over their last 5 contests.
Sophomore QB Jacob Kaepernick is leading Whatcom County in passing with 2337 yards, a 60.1% completion rate and 24 touchdowns. Senior running back Dylan Roberts is 3rd in rushing 1041 yards to go along with his 10 touchdowns and senior wideout Brett Meggyesy leads everybody in receptions with 49 and is second with 629 receiving yards.
Eye popping numbers and a far cry from 0 and 10. That was Sehome's recod as recently as 2016. Now at 7-and-3 with a return to the state playoffs for the first time since 2013, second-year coach Kevin Beason deserves plenty of accolades for this quick turnaround.
What did the emotional victory over Archbishop Murphy mean to Beason, a former star player with Sehome in the 1980's?
"It feels absolutely outstanding. I couldn't be happier for these kids and this program and our fans. Everybody involved that loves Sehome football, this is a very, very good time right now, " said Beason.
It won't be easy to keep this feel good story going. The 13th seeded Mariners will have to get past a stout Liberty defense. The 3rd seeded Patriots are surrendering just 12.5 point per game.
"Defensively they're a 40-front, they're going to keep everything in front of them...kind of an umbrella coverage," says Beason. "They're going to make you take those small gains and try to execute 8-9-10 play drives. "
Liberty, held on to beat Sedro-Woolley 31-28 in the district playoffs last week. This perennial 2A powerhouse has only lost to 4A Issaquah and undefeated, 2nd ranked Bellevue out of the 3A.
The winner moves on to the quarterfinals and a match up against the winner of the Ellensburg/West Valley of Spokane game.
- Doug Lange
11/2/18 Sehome coach Kevin Beason oversees his squad during warm-ups at Archbishop Murphy High School PHOTO: Doug Lange
