Strength in adversity: After early lead, Mount Si football falls to Bellevue on homecoming

When the first quarter wrapped up, it looked like Mount Si High School's homecoming crowd might watch the varsity Wildcats be the upsetters to the Bellevue. After all, Mount Si had beat Bellevue onto the boards, using a Wolverine fumble to march downfield and put junior Cameron Van Winkle in position for a 31-yard field goal. The quarter ended with Mount Si in the lead at three, but the Wolverines woke up and began a punishing rhythm in the second.

By Seth Truscott • October 22, 2011 2:12 pm

When the first quarter wrapped up, it looked like Mount Si High School’s homecoming crowd might watch the varsity Wildcats be the upsetters to the Bellevue.

After all, Mount Si had beat Bellevue onto the boards, using a Wolverine fumble to march downfield and put junior Cameron Van Winkle in position for a 31-yard field goal. The quarter ended with Mount Si in the lead at three, but the Wolverines woke up and began a punishing rhythm in the second.

Bellevue got on the board at 10:30 in the second quarter with a touchdown run by Ari Morales. A touchdown pass from quarterback Tyler Hasty to Scott Whiting ended the half 14-3.The third and fourth quarters saw more two more TDs, including a Hasty reception by Joey Moore and a short run by Dakota Jones. Moore caught one more pass at 11:54 in the fourth to score, and the kick sealed the night at 35-3.

Still, Mount Si seniors had a big night.

“Win or lose, I think we played really well,” said senior Connor Deutsch. “In a game like this, there’s nothing to lose.”As running back, Deutsch did a lot of the heavy lifting, providing a number of good carries, until rolling his ankle late in the fourth quarter.

Ankle taped, Deutsch planned to be back in action ASAP, looking forward to Mount Si’s Friday, Oct. 28, matchup with Sammamish, and then the postseason after that.

“We’ve just got to keep fighting, bounce back,” senior lineman Josh Mitchell said. “We’ve done it this whole year. We can’t hang our heads on this loss.

“I feel like I gave my all,” Mitchell added. He pushes everyone to not quit, no matter the score.

His goal for the team: “Be sharp for next week and get better each and every single week.”

Mitchell, a Corvallis signee, was aware that two Oregon State University coaches were in the stands, in town for Saturday’s Washington State-vs.-Beavers matchup in Seattle. Their presence didn’t faze him; Mitchell said they’d want to take a look at his teammates.

“I just play like I normally do,” he said. “That’s all I want to do.”

As for golden-footed kicker Van Winkle, the junior was humble about his role in putting a brief lead over the vaunted Wolverines. Since breaking a pile of school records early in the season, he hasn’t gotten around yet to tallying his new total.

Senior night

The Mount Si varsity football senior class includes:

• Ryan Atkinson, QB

• Chace Carlson, K/P

• Jordyn Buyers, LB

• John Edens, LB

• Connor Deutsch, LB/DB

• Elijah Mayfield, FB/LB

• Justin Henak, TE/LB

• Tyler Hutchinson, LB

• Sherman Hutcherson, OL/DL

• Caymon Granillo, OL/DL