by Eric Francis
Everett’s Lucas Sontra (top) tackles Sedro-Woolley running back Ian O’Bryan in the first quarter. Photo by Jennifer Buchanan / The (Everett) Herald
EVERETT — A season that began with tragedy and was marred by injury ended quietly Tuesday night for the Sedro-Woolley football team.
The Cubs were unable to match the speed and strength of the Everett Seagulls, losing a tie-breaker for a district playoff berth 41-6 at Everett Memorial Stadium.
Sedro-Woolley finishes the season at 4-6, but the 2009 Cubs’ season won’t be remembered for the wins and losses.
The players on this team will remember the pain surrounding the death of coach Denny Engberg just before the third game of the season. It will be for losing star quarterback, defensive back and kicker Derek Garcia early in Game 5 after the team had rallied around itself to win two straight.
“There have been a lot of ups and downs,” Cubs coach Bryan Alexander said. “I’m proud of every one of these guys for the way they responded to adversity. I hope this makes them better people in whatever they go on to do in their lives.”
Whether Engberg’s presence, or Garcia’s health, would have been enough to overcome an athletic and diverse Everett team is another story. The Seagulls brought out a variety of weapons and used them in different ways.
Chase Herrick returned an interception for a touchdown, ran for a touchdown and threw for a touchdown. Six different backs had at least four carries, and none more than nine. The only Everett running back to top 50 yards was reserve Ty Sissel, and only because he scored on a 55-yard touchdown run with six seconds left in the game.
Still, the Seagulls gained 226 yards on 42 rushes.
“They were able to get to the edge on us,” Alexander said.
“That worked out well for us,” Everett coach Will Soren said. “We came out and played well. I was happy with our offense, defense and special teams.”
The biggest factor for the Cubs was the turnovers. Herrick’s interception went 32 yards for the first score of the game. A fumble at their own 1 in the second quarter led to Everett’s third touchdown. An interception just before the half kept the Cubs off the scoreboard.
Ian O’Bryan led Sedro-Woolley with 65 yards rushing, though 36 of that came on a pitch from Kellen Engberg on a hook-and-ladder play. Another 14 came on the Cubs’ only touchdown of the game, on a fourth-and-1 play late in the contest.
Engberg caught nine passes from Joe Janicki for 106 yards. Janicki completed 14-of-27 for 133 yards.
Everett’s reward for the victory is a Saturday matchup with undefeated Lakes, the top-ranked Class 3A team in the state.
