Before the season began, the Bellevue football team had three goals.
Beat Oaks Christian in an intrastate showdown to open the year, exact a measure of revenge against Skyline, the only team to beat the Wolverines in 2010 and finally, win another 3A state championship.
Mission accomplished.
Bellevue used first-half touchdown runs from junior running backs John Nguyen and Ari Morales to move out to a 14 point margin that would never truly be threatened and held on to defeat O’Dea 36-16 in the Tacoma Dome for their fourth straight 3A state championship and ninth since 2001.
“Our kids played hard,” head coach Butch Goncharoff said. “They deserve it. 14-0 against the schedule we played is damn impressive.”
The Irish got twice moved the ball inside the Wolverines’ 25-yard line in the first half, but came away with only three points on a 27-yard field goal that left only one minute and five seonds on the clock.
That was more than Bellevue would need, throwing a knockout blow when Budda Baker took the ensuing kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown.
Baker, a sophomore, said his primary focus was not letting the moment overwhelm him in his first game inside the building that is now home to six consecutive Wolverines wins.
“I saw the two guys coming up the middle and my two blockers,” Baker said. “I saw a crease and it was all green.”
While Bellevue’s special teams were near-flawless, O’Dea scuffled.
The Irish began a nine-play drive at their own three yard line after fielding a punt inside the five. They were unable to recover either of the two onside kicks attempted late in the game and allowed another huge return to Scotty Whiting that backed them up against the goal line before another Nguyen touchdown run.
“We knew we had a good scheme,” special teams coach Razore said. “But it was all about the kids making plays.”
The defense held up its end of the bargin as well.
A group that allowed only five touchdowns in five playoff games forced a three-and-out to begin the game, got a turnover on downs after a 14-play drive before the Morales score made it 14-0 and capped the performance by swarming O’Dea signal-caller Pierre LaDorze at the three yard line as time expired.
That effort symbolized the feelings of a group of seniors that have been together in some cases for over a decade.
“This feels amazing,” lineman Mike Kneip said. “This is a life goal. Most of us have been playing together for 11 years and it’s been 11 years of my life waiting for this game and it just happened. It’s crazy.”
Hasty, a Bellevue ball boy during elder brother J.R.’s days and O’Dea transfer last year, emphasized the importance of this group leaving a mark on the program’s history.
“We knew we wanted to leave a legacy,” Hasty said. “This is the best way to go out.”
He also talked about the added significance of sharing the experience with his father, defensive coordinator James and J.R., now the running backs coach.
“They’ve been through all of it,” Hasty said of his father and brother, both with the program for the 2002-04 state title years. “They helped me through the process the whole time. I’m just thankful for them.”
Goncharoff, the architect behind the Bellevue dynasty, told his team to enjoy it, adding that winning a state championship is no simple task.
“It’s tough, it’s a grind and it’s hard to win it any year,” Goncharoff said. “The former players do a great job of giving back and showing how to do it.”
