by Paul Moseley

The West Seattle Wildcats held their home opener tonight at SWAC in a non-league game against the Washington High Patriots out of Tacoma. The Wildcats and Patriots both entered the game with an 0-1 record looking for their first win of the season.

It was a heart-breaker for a West Seattle team who started strong but lost their cohesiveness as well as a couple key players along the way, and the Patriots prevailed 32-22 in a hard fought game.

West Seattle struck on their first trip down the field, leaning on their tank, #22 Fynniecko Glover. He rattled off straight runs 10 and 22 yds. Then QB #17 Robert Harrelson completed pass to 20 yard pass to #12 Carter Golgart, setting up a 4 yard scoring run for Glover. The Wildcats sent in big boy #66 William Jones for a 2 point conversion, putting West Seattle up 8-0 early in the first quarter.

Washington charged back when Washington's #10 Kody Martinez intercepted a Wildcat pass and returned it 60 yards for a TD. At the end of the first quarter, West Seattle was up 8-6.
West Seattle put together another great drive in the 2nd quarter. A 15 yard pass to Golgart set up another run by Glover put the Wildcats up 14-6 and sent them into half-time with the lead...but with a limping Glover.

In the 2nd half, Washington got the ball and stumbled with 2 penalties - but then they found their groove. Working their way past mid-field, it was Martinez again with a 42 yard run for a TD bringing the score within two at 14-12.

The Wildcats answered with a kick-off return by #9 Daniel Kemp to the Patriot 13 yard line. Then was the old one-two for West Seattle with a 20 yard pass to Golgart and a 4 yard TD run for Glover making the score 22-12 Wildcats in the third.

West Seattle's defense held the Patriots offense, but it was the Patriot defense making the yards.

The tide of the game turned at 5:14 in the third quarter, when Martinez again got the pick and returned it 60 yards making it 22-18 West Seattle.

In the fourth quarter, Washington picked West Seattle off again, returning it to the Wildcat 7 yard line. Martinez punched in for another score, putting the Patriots up for the first time 24-22 with 6:31 left in the game.

Golgart went off with an injury, and the Wildcats could not put a drive together to overcome the deficit.

Washington created one more drive, mostly up the middle with QB keepers by Golgart and up the middle runs to put the game out of reach 32-22.

West Seattle's Fynniecko Glover had 134 yards and 2 TD's on 20 carries. Carter Golgart had 67 yards on 3 passes and 2 runs.

Washington's Kody Martinez had 2 interceptions and 4 TD's.

West Seattle will look to get their first win next week in their first league game as they play away against Garfield at 5:00 on September 19th.