EHS Football

It was standing room only on the Eatonville sidelines during Friday's game in Orting as the Cruiser fans came en mass to support their team (photo by Donny O'Brien)

#10 Ian O'Brien makes a big defensive play in the Cardinal end zone in Friday night's game (photo by Ed Christensen)

#67 Jon Culliton puts a hit on Orting's Chase Reed #70.  Russell Reece is there to help finish sacking the Cardinal QB. (photo by Donny O'Brien)

#26 TJ DeLong fights for extra yardage in Friday Night's heart stopper with Orting. 

(photo by Tony Sirgedas)

Cruisers Fall One Yard short of Victory

      By Donny O’Brien

     The Eatonville/Orting rivalry dates back to the forties and has always been a focal point in the season. If you’re having a bad season and you can beat Orting, it's suddenly a good season. The game is almost without exception, the biggest game on the Eatonville schedule each year. This year was no exception. In fact this year it was the biggest game of the year. The Cruiser's district playoff hopes hinged on a win against Orting.

     Win and a three-way tie creates a mini playoff. Lose and your season ends the following week on the road at Chimacum. This years Eatonville seniors had never beaten an Orting team on a Friday night. In what played out as one of the most exciting games of this season they fell just one yard short of a four- year goal.
     A screen pass at mid-field to Orting's Cory Rexrode turned into a long gain as he wormed his way through the Eatonville secondary. Coming from the opposite side of the field EHS cornerback Ian O'Brien made a touchdown saving tackle on the six-yard line as the first quarter came to an end. The Cruiser defense looked as though the were going to hold, but Orting's Chase Reed scrambled in from the four-yard-line. The PAT kick failed. Unfazed Eatonville fired right back.

     On the second play following Orting's kickoff Eatonville quarterback Kyle Mettler hit David Hamilton over the middle and Hamilton raced to the end zone for an 80-yard touchdown. Hamilton added the extra point to put the Cruisers in the lead. On their next possession Eatonville used their passing game again to move the ball into the red zone. Mettler's target this time was O'Brien who took a pass and raced 57 yards to the 17 yard-line. An unnecessary roughness penalty on the end of the play moved the ball half the distance from the goal from the 17. TJ Delong capped the drive off with a five-yard run up the middle. The PAT kick failed.
     In the third quarter Reed found holes in the Cruiser deep secondary throwing two touchdown passes to Derek Saunders. Both PAT attempts failed.
     Late in the fourth quarter things just got crazy. Orting had just held Eatonville from scoring on four downs on their own ten with a little under four minutes left to play. Orting getting the ball on downs began to run the ball eating up the clock. On Orting's third play of their final drive Dustin Kinzler fumbled the ball. Mettler recovered the ball for the Cruisers on the 22-yard line.

     With less than two minutes left Eatonville had one final shot at a score. Unable to move the ball in their first three attempts The Cruisers tried a double pass play. Mettler threw a lateral pass to O'Brien who threw cross-field to Seth Thompson who caught the ball and was tackled on the two-yard line. A roughing the passer call on Orting moved the ball to the one-yard-line with just 15 seconds remaining to play. With no time outs and four downs Eatonville was in the catbird’s seat. Eatonville elected to run the ball on first down. TJ Delong was held for no gain. Before Mettler could spike the ball and stop the clock, time ran out ending the game and Eatonville's hopes for the playoffs.
     The Cruisers finish their season next Friday night At Chimacum High School playing the Cowboys. That game starts at 7 p.m.

"Pity the poor kids who grow up in a big city. They miss the little things that made growing up in a small town, ah, so wonderful."
~Tom Morrow