Only three days after their bus overturned on the way to a scheduled semi-final against the Capital Cougars, the bruised and battered Wolverines met a different highway foe, although this time it was welcomed by many of the players: a traffic jam.
“It felt good to go slow,” said Bellevue junior lineman Jake Hiller with a smile on his face.
The traffic – which delayed Bellevue’s arrival at Harry Lang Stadium in Lakewood for Monday’s rescheduled game until only 30 minutes before kickoff – gave the Wolverines plenty of time to visualize what they planned to do to the Cougar defense.
And when they hit the field, they did so running, scoring the game’s first points in six plays, and adding another touchdown on their next offensive play less than two minutes later.
When it was all said and done, no bus accident or defense could hold down the powerful Wolverines, who rushed their way to a 28-6 win over Capital and earned a spot in Saturday’s Class 3A state championship game against Union (13-0).
With a defense that has stymied opponents all season, the quick 14 points were all the Wolverines (13-0) needed to advance to the state championship.
“That was the tone,” said Bellevue senior Jamal Atofau, who scored two touchdowns in the game, including the second of the first two scores. “Yeah, we were in a car crash, but win, lose or draw, we’re not using that as an excuse. We’re coming out and banging.”
Many thought it’d be Bellevue who’d be banged up. Coach Butch Goncharoff said as many as 15 Wolverines were game-time decisions due to various injuries suffered in the crash. Had it been a regular season game, the coach said, as many as nine would not have played.
“They were more sore than they had been after any football game,” said Goncharoff, who suffered a separated shoulder, bruised vertebrae and cuts on his back as a result of flying out a bus window in the crash. “You hit a semi (truck) at 65 mph, roll over and flip, you’re lucky to be here, no matter what. The fact we were walking, let alone playing, was amazing.”
As it has all season, Bellevue handed the ball to 1,000-yard rusher Peter Nguyen, who added another 154 yards to his total on 11 carries. Nguyen scored Bellevue’s first touchdown and also set up Atofau’s first score with a 54-yard punt return to the Capital (9-4) three-yard line.
“He’s the best running back I’ve ever seen in my life,” Atofau said. “At state I’ve gone against Nate Williams, [Kellen] Kiilsgaard, all those big backs, but Peter Nguyen is by far the toughest running back I’ve ever had to go against.”
Bellevue had eight different players run the football and averaged eight yards per carry in the win. The Wolverines defense did its job, limiting Capital senior running back Riley Wall to only 46 yards on 15 carries. When Wall scored Capital’s only touchdown, only three minutes remained in the game.
“We haven’t given up too many big plays,” Goncharoff said. “We haven’t been giving up points either, and that’s the main thing.”
Bellevue now makes a return trip to the Tacoma Dome, a place the Wolverines had made somewhat of a second home since 2001, having won five state titles since that year.
“Friday was definitely a shock that no one expected,” said senior defensive back and quarterback Tommy Castle. “But we came in here ready to put it behind us and recognized how thankful we were that everyone was OK. We did our best to focus on what we were trying to accomplish all year.
“We’re in the Dome for real this week.”
“We’re going to state,” Atofau added. “We’re going back home. The Tacoma Dome, the state championship, that’s our home.”
Joel Willits can be reached at 425-453-5045 or at jwillits@bellevuereporter.com.
