By Tim Clinton

SPORTS EDITOR

Chief Sealth pulled out a win in a penalty-plagued game to make the Metro League playoffs Friday.

The Seahawks overcame 18 penalties for an unofficial 190 yards to beat Bainbridge by a 24-6 score, earning a date with Seattle Prep for 5 p.m. next Friday at Seattle Memorial Stadium.

"It was a big win for Chief Sealth, for the community and for the Westside," said Chief Sealth head coach Ted Rodriguez after Friday's win at the Southwest Athletic Complex. "That was a good win for us. It was kind of sloppy there for a little bit. We had a lot of flags."

The Seahawks finished the regular season with a 6-2 record with a win in a game that stretched from early evening to late evening, lasting over three hours mostly because of the penalties.

Junior running back Dontae McMillan led the way in helping the Seahawks overcome their struggles, scoring three touchdowns and being credited by Rodriguez with stellar defense as well.

"The defense kept us in the game all night," Rodriguez said. "McMillan played well both ways."

McMillan started the scoring off in the game with his first of two 50-yard touchdown runs at 8:08 to play in the first quarter, weaving his way through the Bainbridge defense.

The kick for the extra point was blocked, leaving the score at 6-0.

Chief Sealth had a first and goal at the 10 turn into a fourth and goal for 53 yards as the quarter turned to the second, thanks to two penalties, a 21-yard sack and a run for minus three yards.

Bainbridge found the end zone with 2:30 to go in the first half on a 13-yard left side run by Max McLeod, but had its PAT kick go wide left to leave the score knotted at 6-6.

It stayed that way through halftime until 5:01 left in the third quarter, with a rash of penalties and misfires in mostly the passing game thwarting the Seahawks.

But quarterback Diego Jackson handed off to McMillan on the first play of a drive after Bainbridge turned the ball over on downs at the 50, and he popped through the middle and to the left sideline for a touchdown.

Jackson came up just short of a two-point conversion on a left side run.

But Jackson struck for the next touchdown with 10:18 remaining in the game to give his team an 18-6 cushion, scoring on a 64-yard keeper. He also started off through the middle, went down the right sideline and veered back to the left for the final 10 yards.

McMillan came up short on the two-point conversion try, but scored his third touchdown with 58.7 seconds left on a 3-yard run. The game's final penalty set the Seahawks back five yards on the conversion and McMillan was stopped in a crowd at the goal line, but the win was in hand and Chief Sealth was bound for the playoffs.