Timberline pushes Olympic to 0-5 record

Olympic's beleaguered secondary couldn't stop the high-powered Timberline offense on Friday, as the Blazers raced to a 34-20 victory at waterlogged Silverdale Stadium.

The loss pushes Oly to a new low, an 0-5 record.

Timberline (4-1, 3-0) piled up nearly 400 yards of total offense despite rainy conditions and answered every Trojans' score with one its own.

"Ironically, it played against us," Oly coach Eric Allen said of the weather. "I was hoping the rain would slow them down, but it didn't."

Led by junior quarterback Delas Raiford, who completed 7 of 17 passes for 126 yards and rushed 11 times for 59 yards, the Blazers simply wore down Oly's defense — shorthanded thanks to injuries to key players such as defensive back Blake Johnson.

"We gotta get healthy," Allen said. "The lack of health we have right now is scary."

And the injuries aren't limited to the secondary.

Third-string quarterback, sophomore Richie Fesuluai, took snaps on the Trojans' final offensive possession, replacing then-departed second-stringer Danny Sedgebeer, who started in place of Zach Bird.

But given the boatload of injuries, Oly forced Timberline to earn the win.

The Blazers took a 7-0 first quarter lead on a 34-yard Raiford touchdown pass to senior Josh Taylor, who finished with 73 yards receiving. Oly answered in the second quarter on a 57-yard Larry Dixon run to tie the game 7-7 before Raiford put Timberline ahead 14-7 with less than a minute remaining in the first half, finding the end zone on a 1-yard sneak.

The score ballooned to 27-7 midway through the third, proving too much for Oly (0-5, 0-3) to overcome.

Even with junior Larry Dixon running stronger than ever.

Dixon averaged more than 8 yards per run, carrying 27 times for 225 yards and two touchdowns, but received little help from his supporting cast.

"I get all the credit, but it's really (the offensive line)," Dixon said.

Lineman Mike D'Astoli, one of Dixon's anchors, said it's impossible not to give 100 percent with a runner like Dixon in the backfield.

"We just try to do the best we can for him," D'Astoli said.

Dixon's second touchdown, a 27-yard-run on the first play from scrimmage in the fourth quarter, cut the lead to 27-13.

"When he's doing well, it's the offensive line," Allen said. "But he's only one kid. He can't carry the whole team."

The teams exchanged the game's final scores, with Oly having a few chances to whittle down the lead.

After Oly's Garrett Brown took a kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown to make it 34-20, the Trojans recovered the ensuing onside kick in Timberline territory. But after three short gains, a busted play action pass on fourth down gave Timberline the ball back.

Raymond Williams recovered a fumble three plays later to once again put Oly in scoring position, but a fumble at Timberline's 10-yard-line ended all comeback hopes.

While the Trojans remain winless, Allen said his team took a few positives from Friday's game.

"I think there are some wins out there for this team," Allen said. "These kids work so darn hard."

Nollan Quinn rushed five times for 12 yards and Garrett Brown added 19 yards on four carries for Olympic.

The Trojans face Yelm at 7 p.m. on the road Friday.

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