Garfield vs Rainier Beach Recap
Griffin Hintze
The Garfield football team took its first victory of the year in its opening game. They faced rivals Rainier Beach, defeating them is a close contest 28-22.
Rainier beach opened the scoring with a run in an otherwise slow 1st quarter, and got out to an 8-0 lead after a 2-point conversion. Garfield responded with a touchdown of their own: an electric 57 yard catch and run by Quinton Jordan, followed by a 2-point play to tie it up. Beach had the ball near the end of the 2nd quarter, but some bad clock management led to a turnover on downs, setting up kicker Marcus Merkelbach for his 1st career field goal to give Garfield a 11-8 lead at the half.
Beach received the 2nd half kick and opened the 3rd with a quick touchdown, but a missed 2-point try that would have pushed the lead up to 5. The Bulldogs responded with a 43 yard bomb from Merkelbach to tie the game back up at 14, and the momentum quickly went to Garfield after a pick-6 from Amdane Abadoo, one of his two picks in the game. However, Beach quickly followed with a pick of their own, which led to a drive that gave them a 22-21 with just two minutes remaining. On the first play of the Bulldogs next drive, Quinton Jordan exploded again, this time for a 65 yard touchdown grab to put them up 6. Beach had a chance to get back in the game, but a fumble in the last seconds sealed the game for Garfield.
It was a great and exciting start to the season for Garfield football, and the win coming against Rainier Beach made it that much better. The Bulldogs look ahead to next week, where they will face Seattle Prep and look to build a win streak.
Rainier beach opened the scoring with a run in an otherwise slow 1st quarter, and got out to an 8-0 lead after a 2-point conversion. Garfield responded with a touchdown of their own: an electric 57 yard catch and run by Quinton Jordan, followed by a 2-point play to tie it up. Beach had the ball near the end of the 2nd quarter, but some bad clock management led to a turnover on downs, setting up kicker Marcus Merkelbach for his 1st career field goal to give Garfield a 11-8 lead at the half.
Beach received the 2nd half kick and opened the 3rd with a quick touchdown, but a missed 2-point try that would have pushed the lead up to 5. The Bulldogs responded with a 43 yard bomb from Merkelbach to tie the game back up at 14, and the momentum quickly went to Garfield after a pick-6 from Amdane Abadoo, one of his two picks in the game. However, Beach quickly followed with a pick of their own, which led to a drive that gave them a 22-21 with just two minutes remaining. On the first play of the Bulldogs next drive, Quinton Jordan exploded again, this time for a 65 yard touchdown grab to put them up 6. Beach had a chance to get back in the game, but a fumble in the last seconds sealed the game for Garfield.
It was a great and exciting start to the season for Garfield football, and the win coming against Rainier Beach made it that much better. The Bulldogs look ahead to next week, where they will face Seattle Prep and look to build a win streak.