Klahowya football continues major rebound, improves to 4-1
One of the most interesting storylines through the first half of the high school football season in West Sound is the turnaround at Klahowya.
After winning just one football game in 2022, the Eagles remain in the thick of the Class 1A playoff hunt after Thursday's 27-7 home win against Vashon. Senior quarterback Jack Kealoha finished the game 16 of 18 passing for 351 yards and three touchdowns as Klahowya improved to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in Nisqually League play.
It was the Eagles' most thorough victory of the season — and came after a short week of practice.
"I'm so happy to see some of the things we've been working hard on," said Klahowya head coach Jeff Witte, whose team lost to Life Christian on a Saturday game in Week 4.
Stringing together narrow wins against Coupeville (28-25), North Mason (21-20) and Tenino (32-26 in overtime) through the first three weeks of the season, Klahowya felt relieved in being able to put Vashon away early. The Eagles led 13-0 at halftime thanks to touchdown passes to senior receiver Grant Solvie and sophomore receiver Nathan West.
West's score was something football fans don't often see: a 99-yard catch-and-run in the second quarter with the Eagles facing third down from their own 1-yard line. On the play, West lined up wide left and faked a run block before sprinting past a Vashon cornerback. Kealoha found him open at around the 20-yard line and West did the rest.
"I had to turn around and catch the ball," said West, who finished the game with five catches for 149 yards. "And then the safety, I saw him coming in, so I kind of juked him out. Then it's a foot race to the end zone."
West helped keep the game scoreless at halftime by intercepting a deep pass intended for Vashon tight end Sawyer Ranney, who, at 6-foot-5, was easily the tallest player on the field for either team. The 5-11 West outfought Ranney for the ball as both players crashed down toward the turf.
"I jumped up, I caught it," West said. "When we were going down. I'm like, 'I'm not letting you get this ball.'"
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Klahowya upped its lead to 27-0 in the second half on a 33-yard touchdown pass to junior receiver Carson Moore (7 catches, 117 yards) and a 14-yard scoring run by senior running back Corbyn Killoran (14 carries, 71 yards). Vashon avoided the shutout by scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run with 21 seconds remaining in the game against Klahowya's backups.
Witte felt the Eagles put forth a complete performance on both sides of the ball.
"We had some big tackles, we had some big plays on fourth down," he said.
Not only is Witte enjoying what could be his best season at Klahowya since being hired as head coach in 2019, he's getting the opportunity to share the team's successes with family members. His sister, Kim, serves on the team's all-female chain gang at home games, while his father, Bud, films all the Eagles' games.
"It's a family affair," Witte said.
The Eagles are on a bye in Week 6 before returning to league play Oct. 14 at Bellevue Christian. A meeting with defending league champion Cascade Christian awaits on Nov. 3. There's a chance that game will determine Klahowya's playoff fate since the Nisqually League sends its top-two teams into the state playoffs.
This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Klahowya football tops Vashon Island for Nisqually League win
