Eastlake powers past Inglemoor into state-qualifying round | Football

Defenders be warned — when Eastlake running back Cam Hunt releases his off-arm he is ready to inflict pain. The 6-foot, 196-pound senior used his patented stiff-arm time after time Saturday afternoon as the Wolves beat Inglemoor 34-20 at Pop Keeney Stadium.

By Kevin Endejan • November 2, 2009 4:46 pm
Eastlake's Cam Hunt 192 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns in Eastlake's 34-20 win over Inglemoor Saturday afternoon.
Eastlake's Cam Hunt 192 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns in Eastlake's 34-20 win over Inglemoor Saturday afternoon.

Defenders be warned — when Eastlake running back Cam Hunt releases his off-arm he is ready to inflict pain. The 6-foot, 196-pound senior used his patented stiff-arm time after time Saturday afternoon as the Wolves beat Inglemoor 34-20 at Pop Keeney Stadium.

“That’s just my favorite move, I just like doing that,” Hunt said, noting he started fending off would-be tacklers at a young age. “I was probably watching the pros too much.”

Hunt carried the ball 25 times for 94 yards and three touchdowns Halloween afternoon, but it was his one receiving touchdown that helped the Wolves secure the fourth and final KingCo playoff berth.

Taking a swing pass from quarterback Kelby McCorkle, Hunt shoved two Viking defenders out of the way with his left arm, before turning up the right sideline. He provided one last stiff arm to a member of Inglemoor’s secondary, breaking free for a 79-yard score, and a 28-14 lead, with 10 seconds left in the third quarter.

Hunt ended the game with four catches for 99 yards.

“He usually doesn’t go down on first contact, and that’s been his M.O. all year,” Eastlake head coach Gene Dales said.

Eastlake, which has been plagued with injuries all season, clinched a state-qualifying matchup with the WesCo South No. 1 team, Jackson. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 7 at Everett Memorial Stadium. The winner enters the 4A state tournament as the No. 1 seed from District 1.

“It’s been our goal since the end of last season to get to the playoffs, so it just feels really good,” Hunt said.

Inglemoor jumped out to the initial lead Saturday. A trick play for 48 yards, followed by an 18-yard pass from Derek Wagner to Craig Jacbosen gave the Vikings a 7-0 lead at the 9:46 mark of the first quarter.

Eastlake answered 6 minutes later via a 2-yard TD from Hunt. A fumbled return on the ensuing kickoff, followed by a 20-yard TD run from Hunt bumped the Eastlake’s advantage to 14-7. The Wolves struck again early in the second quarter when McCorkle returned a fumble 55 yards for a 21-7 lead. Inglemoor answered, pushing the score to 21-14 before halftime, via a 13-yard TD run from Tanner Sellman. The play came six plays after the Vikings intercepted McCorkle.

Between the two teams there were eight turnovers. Inglemoor committed five miscues, including three fumbles and two interceptions.

“I thought we played well, but we just kept putting it on the ground,” Viking coach Frank Naish said.

For Dales, his team’s ability to overcome injury after injury and make the playoffs is a great feat.

“We have had some tough times,” he said, noting his team has cycled through six offensive tackles this season. “You can call them ugly wins, but you know what, in our situation just making sure we have 11 guys on the field in the right spots right now and playing well is a compliment to our kids.”

Eastlake, which won a three-team tiebreaker with Newport and Redmond on Tuesday to get into Saturday’s game, improved to 6-3 on the season. Saturday’s opponent, Jackson, is 9-0.

“They’re very similar to some of the spread teams we have in our league,” Dales said. “They’re very quick. It will be an athletic game and we’ll have play extremely well to contain those guys.”