Unsportsmanlike air horn helps NK upset Bainbridge 14-7

There were so many times on an especially chilly and breezy night Oct. 18 when it felt like things could not get worse for the Bainbridge Spartans.

And yet somehow, they did.

In a 14-7 loss that featured multiple stadium light outages that delayed play, three Spartan quarterbacks, a pair of shirtless men sprinting onto the field and nearby fireworks that nearly drew BI a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty, it was the blare of an air horn coming from the BHS stands during a North Kitsap field goal attempt in the fourth quarter that stood out as the defining moment of disaster for the home team.

The 33-yard field goal try of NK junior Andrew Knott doinked off the upright to give the ball and momentum back to Bainbridge, but the noise of the horn drew an unsportsmanlike penalty that gave the Vikings a fresh set of downs inside the Spartan 10-yard line.

Junior quarterback Dawsyn Anderson pushed his way in for an 8-yard score that led NK to its biggest win of the season and, likewise, the Spartans most-devastating loss.

“Just playing more like our brand of football,” NK coach Jeff Weible said. “We did some stuff tonight which was good, but our kids are just believing and trusting in each other and the coaches, and they play. They’re just getting better each week.”

Spartan coach Dan Schoonmaker said the night came down to an inability to move the ball, but when it came to the officials, he was quick to share his true thoughts on the “unusual” and crucial penalty. “The worst…call I’ve seen in high school sports,” he said. “I’m going to use my own logic against me. There were 100 plays in here, we had 99 other opportunities to do something good, and we didn’t execute on offense tonight. Defense played their asses off, but that call was…ridiculous.”

No amount of rain or wind would cool off the often hot-headed rivalry, but how the night reached its boiling point started with a half-hour delay for the kickoff after multiple stadium lights at Bainbridge High School went dark. The Spartans finally got the ball for the game’s opening possession but gave it away on the second play when senior quarterback Jack Grant was interecepted by NK senior Connor Nauta.

The Vikings, led by senior running back Carter Dungy, took advantage, finishing the short drive with a 1-yard Dungy score. “We just wanted to get three-and-a-half yards a play,” Weible said. “I mean, if we can do that and just keep the clock moving and moving the chains and keep the ball out of their hands.”

BHS got on the board with 5:13 remaining in the half. Facing a fourth down and goal, Grant evened the score with a 1-yard QB sneak.

Grant had to leave the game in the second half after taking a hit while attempting to make a tackle while playing defense. Backup QB sophomore Nate Putman would come in for two series after the Vikings’ go-ahead touchdown, both of which ended in interceptions by senior Lelond Anderson.

After yet another delay cause by a lighting outage and a missed NK field goal, the Spartans’ final drive featured senior QB Luca Scheltens, but he was also intercepted.

“We just never got in the flow,” Schoonmaker said, not wishing to comment further on the injury concerns. “I don’t think we put our kids in the best position to go out there and win. We went out there with a game plan to win, and I don’t think we stuck to it.”

Both teams are now 4-1 in Olympic League play. Bainbridge, 5-2 overall, will travel to Sequim Oct. 25, while NK, 4-3 overall, will remain on the road againstgo to Oak Harbor.