Tides dominate South Kitsap for third straight win, 23-13

Gig Harbor gets help from kicker, builds confidence

Marques Hunter

of the Gateway

PORT ORCHARD — If confidence were a wave, the Tides football team has built up a big one going into the crosstown rivalry Fish Bowl matchup against the Peninsula Seahawks.

Gig Harbor (3-1 Class 4A Narrows League and overall) won its third straight Friday night, beating the South Kitsap Wolves 23-13 at South Kitsap High School.

Gig Harbor is tied with Foss for second place in the Narrows League behind Olympia (4-0), which has shut out three straight opponents since beating the Tides 21-7 in the season opener.

Gig Harbor plays at Foss in Tacoma on Oct. 10.

Tides kicker Jay Ubben, an all-Narrows League selection last year, connected on a career-high three field goals, the longest of which came from 36 yards that gave Gig Harbor a three-point lead at halftime.

“It felt great to help out my team,” Ubben said. “I visualize the goal post as a window, and I just try and crack the window.”

Ubben’s third field goal from 32 yards out helped the Tides regain the lead with 10:43 to play in the fourth quarter.

“Jay did a great job,” Tides coach Darren McKay said. “We feel anytime we get near the 20-yard line, we should get points.”

Gig Harbor senior quarterback Chet Thompson did most of the work offensively. He threw for 178 yards and rushed for 132 yards, including two touchdowns.

The biggest play came in the fourth when Thompson tossed a 53-yard deep pass to Louis Lanza. It hit him in stride down Gig Harbor’s sideline and set the Tides up at the 10-yard line.

Subsequently, Thompson scored his second touchdown with a 2-yard leap into the end zone with 2:23 remaining.

On the ensuing kickoff, South Kitsap fumbled the ball and Gig Harbor senior running back Nico Youngren recovered it, eliminating any chances of a Wolves comeback.

While the Tides’ offense was able to move the ball, they struggled at times.

It was the defense that consistently held strong. Gig Harbor gave up one touchdown on a 44-yard pass play with 8:24 left in the second quarter.

The Tides limited South Kitsap to three points in the second half.

Gig Harbor senior linebacker Dalton Darmody’s made several tackles in his second game back following an injury.

“I’m happy to go out there and hit,” Darmody said. “I saw significantly more time.”

Against Central Kitsap in his first game back, Darmody said he played about 50 percent. But he didn’t leave the field against South Kitsap.

“I’m sure we feel more together now,” he said.

McKay said South Kitsap was feeling the effects of the Tides’ no-huddle offense in the second and fourth quarters. They didn’t help themselves, either: The Wolves committed eight penalties for 85 yards and had two turnovers.