PREP FOOTBALL: Kentridge puts clamps on Kentlake, 34-7

They wanted to send a message.

And on Friday night at French Field, Kentridge High linebackers Dylan Zylstra and Axl Snure did just that. Behind a defensive performance for the ages, Zylstra, Snure and the rest of the Chargers put the clamps on Kentlake, rolling past the Falcons 34-7 in the South Puget Sound League North Division opener for both teams.

The 6-foot-5, 223-pound Zylstra collected a pair of sacks and spent much of the evening in Kentlake’s backfield while teammate Snure added two interceptions, helping the Chargers put an exclamation point on an impressive defensive performance.

“We came out wanting to make a statement, wanting to show the rest of the league that we’re for real,” said Zylstra. “We had something to prove and I think we did.”

Indeed the Chargers did, especially on the defensive end. Kentlake didn’t find the end zone until late in the fourth quarter, when quarterback Tyler Borgen connected with Austin Pernell for a 23-yard touchdown. By that time, the Chargers (1-0) already had pushed its lead to 34-0 and done enough defensively to demoralize the Falcons (0-1).

How good was the Kentridge defense?

Kentlake managed just 71 yards of total offense, 70 of which came in the final eight minutes. More telling, however, was Kentridge’s run defense, which yielded negative-21 yards on 31 carries. Of Kentlake’s 43 plays from scrimmage, 26 went for three or fewer yards and 12 went for negative yardage.

“Our (offensive) line got decimated,” said Kentlake coach Mike Shepard. “I think their blitz overwhelmed us.”

Kentridge sacked Borgen four times on the night. The biggest indicator with how good the Chargers were on defense Friday night came early in the third quarter, when the Falcons were staring at a 1st-and-goal at Kentridge’s 7-yard line. Kentlake pushed the ball to the 3-yard line on a pair of carries from Latrelle Dukes, then lost five yards on the next two runs combined.

“(The defense) came out and made things happen,” said Kentridge coach Marty Osborn. “There were a lot of tackles for losses.”

Thanks to its defense, the Kentridge offense was the beneficiary of a short field much of the night. Kentlake coughed up the ball on its first possession, giving the Chargers possession on the 36-yard line just moments into the game. Kentridge quarterback Caleb Smith turned the gift into a 1-yard touchdown plunge and a 7-0 lead. Kentlake gave Kentridge the ball at midfield for the Chargers next possession, which resulted in an 18-yard touchdown run from Cameron McKernan and a 14-0 lead before the first quarter was finished.

Snure then intercepted an errant pass from Borgen on Kentlake’s following possession, leading to a 1-yard touchdown run by Alex Tyson as Kentridge’s lead ballooned to 21-0 at the end of the first quarter.

“They couldn’t run anywhere, which set me up my picks,” said Snure.

On its second possession of the second quarter, Kentridge was forced to go 73 yards, but the results remained the same as Tyson punched it in from 7-yards out. Kentridge’s Smith iced the game early in the third quarter, connecting with Jason Didis for a 43-yard touchdown.

McKernan led Kentridge’s new-look, I-formation rushing attack, going for 78 yards on five carries. Tyson added 60 yards and the two touchdowns on 11 carries. In all, Kentridge finished the night with 269 yards rushing on 42 carries and 14 first downs.

“It’s a good way to start the season,” Zylstra smiled.

Kentridge 34, Kentlake 7

Kentridge 21 6 7 0 — 34

Kentlake 0 0 0 7 — 7

FIRST QUARTER

KR: Caleb Smith 1 run (Wes Concepcion kick)

KR: Cameron McKernan 18 run (Concepcion kick)

KR: Alex Tyson 1 run (Concepcion kick)

SECOND QUARTER

KR: Tyson 7 run (kick blocked)

THIRD QUARTER

KR: Jason Didis 43 pass from Smith (Concepcion kick)

FOURTH QUARTER

KL: Austin Pernell 23 pass from Tyler Borgen