Football team wins a wild one

How could a team kick off from the opponent’s 15-yard line? Read the Daily World write up of last night’s North Beach High football victory over Ocosta:

WESTPORT — North Beach overcame its own penalties and a strange ending against Ocosta on Saturday night.

The Wildcats scored on a 72-yard fumble recovery by Kenneth Kautzman then couldn’t convert an onside kick deep inside Hyak territory as North Beach escaped with a 26-20 Pacific League football win at Ocosta.

As Kautzman rumbled into the endzone, North Beach (1-2, 2-3) was assessed three personal-foul penalties during the play that were enforced on the kickoff. Tim Carter ran in a 2-point conversion to bring Ocosta (0-2, 1-5) to within six. The kickoff was spotted, after 45 penalty yards were added, at the Hyak 15-yard line with 1:38 left in the game.

The onside kick went into the endzone for a touchback and the Hyaks ran out the clock.

“The ball had to go 10 yards, but not 15 yards for a touchback (into the endzone),” Ocosta coach Mike Allton said. “That’s tough. That was the most bizarre ending. The kids didn’t give up. They played their hearts out. Turnovers and penalties hurt us in the first half. However, we settled down in the third quarter.”

“That was the oddest ending I’ve ever seen,” added North Beach coach Robin Andrea.

The Hyaks amassed 384 yards of offense against the Wildcats, led by Derek Archer’s 70 yards rushing on 14 carries and two touchdowns, as well as one touchdown pass, a 49-yard bomb, to Jason Fry. Dominic Deibel started the scoring with a 43-yard touchdown run.

Tim Carter rumbled for 124 yards on 14 carries to lead Ocosta. Nathan Krigbaum, cited for all-around play, scored the Wildcats’ first touchdown in the third quarter, a 25-yard scoring run. Sophomore quarterback Kurt Bambauer, replacing injured Shane Titherington behind center, threw a touchdown pass to Jose Campos from 10 yards out.

Kautzman, who stripped the ball from a North Beach runner’s arms to trigger the chain-of-events, led Ocosta with 11 tackles and six assists.

On Friday, North Beach stays home to take on South Bend, while Ocosta hits the road to Raymond.