Hot start helps keep SK undefeated
Published 12:20 am Sunday, October 18, 2009
Scoring generally hasn’t been an issue for the South Kitsap football team during this undefeated season.
And even a steady downpour couldn’t slow the Wolves much Saturday at Stadium Bowl.
South scored touchdowns on its first four possessions en route to a 39-20 win against Stadium in Narrows League play.
The No. 9-ranked Wolves (7-0 overall, 6-0 league) scored three of their four first-half touchdowns on runs.
Chris Nenninger began the scoring with a 9-yard pass from Gordy Anderson, while Robert Issa had touchdowns on 2- and 26-yard carries.
Anderson added a touchdown on a 1-yard keeper with 2:36 minutes left in the half.
The 5-foot-7 Issa eclipsed the 150-yard mark for the third time this season with 179 yards on a career-high 32 carries.
He rumbled for 242 yards in the season opener against Kennewick and totaled 158 versus Central Kitsap.
“Now that I’ve gotten into a rhythm, things are going to me more,” Issa said. “It’s the coaches’ choice.”
He had two touchdowns and could have finished with a third when he leaped into the end zone late in the second half. But the ball popped out and the Tigers recovered.
“I shouldn’t have jumped,” Issa said. “I left my feet, and I would’ve been fine if I hadn’t. That was all my fault.”
Stadium (2-5, 2-5) scored its lone touchdown in the first half on a 7-yard run by senior DeSean Dixon, who rushed for 109 yards on 15 carries.
The Tigers, who have lost 21 consecutive games against South since their last win in 1976, reduced their deficit to 27-14 midway through the third quarter when Shaquille Palumbo recovered an Issa fumble at the Wolves’ 33-yard line.
Eight plays later, sophomore quarterback Tyler Stumph scored on a 1-yard keeper.
South ended any comeback hopes when Anderson threw a short pass to senior wide receiver Leon La Deaux, who broke a couple of tackles and raced down the right sideline for a 63-yard touchdown.
“He just ran a little arrow,” South coach D.J. Sigurdson said. “He took it and made something happen.”
Stadium coach Jess Nelson felt that score was the turning point in the game.
“That’s what’s great about South Kitsap,” he said. “They take the ball and go down and score. They’re not going to leave that door open very long.”
Anderson, who returned last week against Bellarmine Prep after missing the previous game against Central because of a back injury, completed 15 of 22 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns.
“Last week he was a little excited and those balls were sailing on him a bit,” Sigurdson said. “He was really consistent this time.”
The Wolves’ final score came when Stumph, who completed three of 21 passes for 35 yards, misfired on three straight attempts to turn the ball over on downs on the Stadium 46.
Senior running back Jordan Anderson took four consecutive handoffs that culminated in a 13-yard touchdown run.
South missed its third extra point of the game, but still led 39-14 with 3:19 left.
Dixon scored his second touchdown of the game on an 8-yard run with 26 seconds left, but it still left the Tigers with their biggest loss of the season.
Stadium’s previous four losses came by 10 points or less.
The Wolves had a season-high 523 yards of total offense. Their previous best was 511 against Kennewick.
“It looked like from the sideline that we were playing a lot more consistently than we have the last couple of weeks,” Sigurdson said. “Our execution was really fundamentally sound.”
South Kitsap 39, at Stadium 20
South Kitsap 14 13 6 6 — 39
Stadium 0 7 7 6 — 20
First Quarter
SK: Chris Nenninger 9 pass from Gordy Anderson (Isaiah Davis kick)
SK: Robert Issa 2 run (Davis kick)
Second Quarter
SK: Issa 26 run (Davis kick)
S: DeSean Dixon 8 run (Dominick Vizzare kick)
SK: Anderson 1 run (kick failed)
Third Quarter
S: Tyler Stumph 1 run (Vizzare kick)
SK: Leon La Deaux 63 pass from Anderson (kick failed)
Fourth Quarter
SK: Jordan Anderson 13 run (kick failed)
S: Dixon 8 run (run failed)
Individual statistics
Passing: G. Anderson (SK) 15-22-0-225; Stumph (S) 3-12-1-35.
Rushing: Issa (SK) 32-179; Nenninger (SK) 4-49; Davis (SK) 2-21; Michael Neiner (SK) 1-13; G. Anderson (SK) 2-5; J. Anderson (SK) 4-31; Kendall McNeil (S) 1-2; Chase McLaughlin (S) 2–4; John Collins (S) 17-88; Tyler Olague (S) 1–2; Dixon (S) 15-109; Stumph (S) 2-0.
Receiving: La Deaux (SK) 6-113; Levi Cook (SK) 2-18; Nenninger (SK) 1-9; Davis (SK) 1-25; Greg Pickard (SK) 1-14; Issa (SK) 1-3; Ricky Johnson (SK) 1-13; Vizzare (S) 1-11; Nathan Henley (S) 1-12; Chad Hoober (S) 1-12.
