SEDRO-WOOLLEY — The Burlington-Edison football team dominated the first half.

The Sedro-Woolley Cubs dominated the second half.

In the end, the Tigers managed to do just enough in that first 24 minutes to hang on for the 17-14 Northwest Conference victory Friday night.

“They made a good game out of it,” said Burlington-Edison coach Bruce Shearer. “I’ve got to commend Bryan Alexander — you know the old days of the rivalry between Sedro-Woolley and Burlington is back. It’s been away for quite a long time.”

“I have to hand it to the other coach. They played a state contender from last year to a 17-14 final.”

And Sedro-Woolley coach Bryan Alexander was impressed with his team’s play.

“I was extremely pleased by the heart and character these kids showed tonight,” said Alexander. “They did everything we asked them to. They played hard from whistle to whistle. I am really proud of them.”

The Cubs came out firing in their opening possession of the game. The spread offense keeping the Tigers off balance defensively.

It took the Tigers five plays to settle in. After marching from their own 20-yard line to the Tigers 49-yard line in five plays, Burlington-Edison linebacker Jacob Bates sacked Cubs quarterback Derek Garcia for a 4-yard loss. Garcia was then dropped by Beau Bridgman for a 7-yard loss and then Bates then corralled Garcia again for another 7-yard loss.

Just like that, it was fourth and 28 yards to go.

Following the punt, the Tigers offense drove 55 yards in a mere four plays for the eventual score. Stetson Shearer burst through the middle of the line and bolted 37 yards for the touchdown.

Stetson would end the game with 13 carries for 97 yards.

After a three-and-out on the next series by the Cubs, Burlington-Edison’s offense once again struck quickly thanks to great field position.

Setting up shop at the Sedro-Woolley 30-yard line, it took the Tigers five plays this time before running back Cole Sager plunged in from a yard out to extend the visitors lead to 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.

Burlington-Edison’s Andrew Furney would connect on a 26-yard field goal in the second quarter, after having an earlier attempt from 31 yards blocked by Sedro-Woolley’s Eric Bruckshen.

“We made a few mistakes,” said Alexander. “But we’ll get better at it and we won’t make them next week.

The Tigers lead at halftime was 17-0.

“You could see the spark was there in the first half,” said Shearer.

That spark may have ignited the Cubs in the second half.

“Our whole deal is to believe in each other and believe in ourselves,” said Alexander. “We were under a little adversity and we just needed to keep believing and keep believing. We told them if they did that, we’d get back in this game.”

Alexander needs to bottle that speech. His team certainly took it to heart.

After Robbie Macready recovered a Tiger fumble in the third quarter, Sedro-Woolley found itself on its own 18-yard line.

On the second snap, Garcia burst up the middle for a 67-yard scamper to the Tigers 16-yard line.

Two plays later, he pinballed across the goal line from 4-yards out and the Cubs were on the board down 17-7.

Garcia finished the game with 24 carries for 103 yards to lead all rushers.

Following a Sedro-Woolley missed field goal from 34 yards, the Tiger booted the handoff on an inside reverse and loose ball was recovered by Sedro-Woolley’s Austin Pulver and the home team took over on the Tigers’ 23-yard line.

Four plays later, it was Garcia plowing his way into the end zone to make the score 17-14 following a good extra point.

“The kids just played hard,” Alexander said. “We are in good condition and we were able to play the full 48-minutes.

“Derek (Garcia) is a stud. He makes good decisions and he’s a good leader. But the guys around him did a great job. He’s an outstanding football player.”

The Tigers defense may have bent, but they didn’t break.

As the offense continued to sputter in the third and fourth quarters, the defense made a stand when it counted most. A sack by Corey Kleppe with 2:27 remaining forced the Cubs into a passing a situation on fourth down.

It fell to the ground incomplete.

“Our defense came through,” said Shearer. “They really did. We just tried to finesse it (on offense) in the second half. We will get better at the later. Right now, that’s not our game.”

• Vince Richardson can be reached at 360-416-2181 or by e-mail at