With 19 new starters heading into the first game of the season, things were a bit unfamiliar for the Bellevue football team. But by the time the game ended, the result was all too familar: A Wolverine win. Bellevue topped Union 20-6 at Qwest Field Saturday night.
The Wolverines weren’t overly efficient in the first half with four turnovers, but they did head into the half with a 7-6 lead thanks a 40-yard touchdown from Kendrick Van Ackeren to Joey Moore in the second quarter.
“There are a lot of young guys in the first game of the season and we had a litlte bit of jitters,” said senior running back Joey Mangialardi. “Once you get out and start hitting you work those out.”
Bellevue came out in a shotgun four times in the first half and interchanged Van Ackeren with Tyler Hasty at quarterback a number of times to give the Union defense different looks.
Union moved the ball well for much of the first half, but quarterback Tanner Nelson lost two interceptions, one to Van Ackeren and one to Matt Gilbert. Nelson scored the Titans’ only points with a quarterback sneak from a yard out with 14 seconds left in the first half.
“In the first half we were scared to do the wrong thing and in the second half we just came out hard,” Van Ackeren said.
Bellevue got back to it’s roots in the third quarter, producing a drive that lasted over eight minutes and didn’t allow Union’s offense to touch the ball for most of the period. The offense ran on 14 straight plays, with only one game of more than five yards. Mangialardi capped the drive with a three-yard rushing score.
“We just kind of chunked, chunked, chunked,” said Bellevue coach Butch Goncharoff. “That’s kind of the nature of this team. It was a great drive, not turnovers, no penalties.”
For such a young team, the drive was a relif to Goncharoff. He said the Wolverines played at least 15 sophomores on the game.
“Our sophomores are going to be pretty explosive, but they’re not quite ready yet.”
Bellevue’s defense limited the Titans to 31 second-half yards on just two drives. The second ended in four plays with a Union turnover on downs.
Mangialardi finished with 137 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Latrelle Dukes rushed for 78 yards. Van Ackeren completed two of three passes for 55 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
“We’re a long ways from being a really good team,” Goncharoff said. “It’s always nice to win and move on. Next week’s game is a a fun rivalry game.”
Bellevue will face Skyline (0-1) of the KingCo 4A in a non-league game next weekend.
