A bigger and faster Cougar crew proved to be too much for the Spartans to handle as Central Kitsap defeated Bainbridge Island 48-7 in Friday’s non-league football matchup.

The visiting Cougars jumped out to an early lead and went into the half with a 28-0 advantage.

Mistakes and missed opportunities haunted the Spartans. Bainbridge recovered a fumble on the Central Kitsap 24-yard line at the start of the second half, but the Cougars quickly responded with an interception by junior safety Andrew Schwieterman. His ensuing 75-yard touchdown return put Central Kitsap ahead 34-0 with 11:27 left in the third.

The Spartans’ only touchdown came in the fourth quarter after Bainbridge recovered a fumble at the Central Kitsap 22-yard line.

On a grinding series of short runs — Matt Stone carrying the ball and a Cougar defender for two yards, Ben Kussie pushing for three yards, and quarterback Paimon Jaberi on a keeper for another three — the Spartans charged deeper into the red zone with just a little more than five minutes left to play.

Then, on fourth-and-two, Jaberi lofted a floater to Oskar Dieterich for a first down that was a Cougar whisker away from the 10-yard line.

Two carries by Max Wysong, one for four yards, the next for one, put the Spartans on the 5-yard line.

Now at third-and-five, Jaberi rolled out on a pass play and with a Central Kitsap defender in hot pursuit, then threw a desperation heave to Stone in the end zone.

The pass fell incomplete. But on fourth-and-five, Wysong took the handoff and split the line to his left and scampered into the end zone almost untouched.

A penalty for too many men on the field pushed the Spartans back five yards for the point-after attempt, but Sam Kallas nailed the kick for the extra point.

The Spartans travel to Kingston High on Friday, Sept. 7 for their second game of the season.