Staff photo/Ian Gleadle
Runs by Jordan Todesco led to a14-0 early lead for Woodinville, which did not hold up in the second half last week in a game against the Eastlake Wolves.

It seemed for a while that Woodinville had figured out how to stop Eastlake and quarterback Ryan Robertson.

After yielding 33 points to them last year – the only team to surpass 18 all season against their defense – through two quarters of football it looked like the adjustments the Falcons made would be enough to win. Sometimes looks can be deceiving though.

Led by QB Peter Roberts and runningbacks Matt Brumfield and Jordan Todesco, the Falcons ran out to an early 14-0 lead that made a boisterous hometown crowd even louder.

However, as the game wore on, mistakes became the unfortunate story. And instead, it was the third-ranked Eastlake Wolves whose defense walked away with their heads held high on Thursday night at Pop Keeney Stadium.

“We did a great job of stopping them when our backs were to the wall,” said Eastlake head coach Gene Dales. “Kids stepped up and made plays and that’s what you need, that’s all you can ask for.”

As much as Eastlake’s defense was the story, early in the game Woodinville had the dominant defense.

Late in the second quarter after their defense had valiantly held their ground on a fourth and 1 play deep inside their own territory, the Woodinville offense took over.

Leading 14-0 with less than five minutes to go in the half a conservative game plan should’ve taken over, especially when a costly 2nd down penalty pushed them back inside their own 20-yard line.

Conservative, schmertative right? On the very next play Roberts, who finished 13 of 26 for 116 yards a TD and an interception, threw a touchdown pass – only it was to the other team.

Wolves’ junior defensive-back Scott Peyton stepped in front of Roberts’ pass and returned it 18 yards down the sideline to make it 14-6 with 4:23 left.

Bolstered by the score, Eastlake’s defense came right out and forced a punt and took over with 2:41 to play. Another costly penalty and a couple of nice pass plays — including a 46-yard catch and run scamper by tight end Easton Fix — and voila, it’s 14-12, two-point conversion unsuccessful.

The momentum from there on out was all Eastlake.

The second half began and on their second possession, Robertson and company used a short field to their advantage, taking the lead 19-14 with 6:04 left in the 3rd quarter. Robertson finished the game 10-18, 171 yards with a TD and an interception.

The game remained close until the final seconds ticked away and certainly Woodinville (2-1, 0-1) will be kicking themselves after this one. A dropped pass over the middle, a fumble after securing the first down on a fourth down play, and more penalties and not even the Falcons faithful could argue that they didn’t have their opportunities.

After the game coach Wayne Maxwell echoed those thoughts:

“We had our chances.”

Indeed they did. On the other hand, Eastlake comes out of this game 3-0 with a big win over one of its main Kingco 4A competitors.

“This puts us in great shape,” said coach Dales.