November 7, 2009 in Sports

Ferris breezes

Saxons strike early, hand Wenatchee first loss

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WENATCHEE – The Ferris Saxons played like a team that’s been to the state playoffs before. The Wenatchee Panthers just played like a team that wanted to get there.

Ferris scored three times in the first quarter and was able to hold off Wenatchee’s run-heavy attack to win Friday’s State 4A regional play-in game 21-10, ending both the Panthers’ undefeated season and hopes for a state playoff run.

“Not a good feeling,” Wenatchee coach Scott Devereaux said as he watched his 9-1 Panthers walk off the field for the final time this season. “We played hard. We just got beat.”

“We just got a lot of momentum early,” said Ferris coach Jim Sharkey, who has led the Saxons (7-3) to state play in each of the last three seasons. “I think our (playoff) experience showed up, without a doubt.”

Ferris showed off that experience quickly in the form of a Gage Orosco interception on Wenatchee’s third play from scrimmage. The Saxons’ senior defensive back returned the ball from about midfield to the Panthers’ six. Though a penalty made it fourth and goal from the 24 on Ferris’ first drive, quarterback Connor Halliday connected with Jason Bates for a touchdown pass for the Saxons’ first score.

Ferris surprised the Panthers on the ensuing kickoff with an onside kick, recovering the ball and scoring five plays later on a seven-yard pass from Halliday to Bates.

Wenatchee did itself no favors on its next drive, as Noah Fenhaus fumbled it to the Saxons after a run of 27 yards.

Though Ferris didn’t capitalize on the turnover, Bates did catch a five-yard touchdown strike from Halliday with just more than a minute left in the first quarter for a 21-0 lead.

“Connor was on. He threw the ball well,” Sharkey said.

“The first quarter didn’t go so well,” Devereaux said. “You can’t make mistakes like we made against a good football team in the playoffs.”

Wenatchee finally broke through in the second quarter, with Jacob Sealby busting off a 55-yard touchdown run. . The Panthers added a 24-yard field goal from Rafael Ochoa early in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t sustain their drives long enough to get back within striking distance.

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