After a challenging start to the season, the Bears were victorious at last with a dominant 41-21 win over South Kitsap. This win came on a special night with a highly packed and even higher-spirited student section. Three games in, Olympia had played one of the toughest schedules in the state with all 3 teams (Curtis, Emerald Ridge, and Graham Kapowsin) ranked in the top 10 for all of 4A in Washington.
Following their tough start, the team was ready to put on a show in front of an energetic crowd. When asked if he could feel the crowd’s energy, Olympia cornerback Canon Betts answered, “Yes, I could. [It was] very motivational.” Olympia got the first two scores of the game after Drew Carlson caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Cale Allen on the first drive and a rushing touchdown in the second quarter.
Senior receiver and quarterback, Drew Carlson, stated “It felt great putting us on the scoreboard first because it set the tone for the game.” Even with an electric start from Olympia, South Kitsap found rhythm in their game and scored 2 touchdowns which killed the energy around the stadium. Despite this, the crowd refused to lose their spirit. To end the first half, the Bears found themselves in a one-point deficit and were hungry to bring the electric energy back around the packed stadium.
As the second half began, Olympia got off to a good start on the defensive side of things while recovering a fumble on the South Kitsap 32-yard line. The Bears drove down the field and capped their offensive possession with a one-yard touchdown run. Things were now going Olympia’s way as they were leading 27-14 at the end of the third quarter. Throughout the second half, the student section never stopped cheering. Drew Carlson noted, “The crowd always brings extra energy and they are a huge factor for us in the game.”
With only one quarter of the game remaining, all the Bears needed to was hold down the fort, which is exactly what the Bears did. Defensively, they only let up one more touchdown and forced a turnover. Offensively, they put two more touchdowns on the board.
With less than 30 seconds, sophomore cornerback Cannon Betts caught an interception to seal the game and bring the Bears their first win of the season, 41-21.
