EDMONDS — Mariner’s dynamic duo of Josh Williamson and Kiante Ahmad-Woods attacked Lynnwood in a number of ways as the Marauders remained unbeaten in Wesco South 4A play wit ha 49-23 win over the Royals at Edmonds Stadium on Friday night.
Williamson and Ahmad-Woods combined to score six of Mariner’s seven touchdowns as the Marauders won their second league game in a row to remain tied with Jackson for first place in the standings.
After a fluke safety in which the ball went off a Mariner player and out of the back of the end zone early in the game, the Marauders responded with a quick-strike score by Josh Williamson, who took a handoff and ran 60 yards for the score.
It was just the beginning for the junior back and it was the beginning of the end for the Royals. Williamson would go on to score on runs of 19 and 42 yards and also catch a 47-yard touchdown to lead a potent Mariner offense. Ahmad-Woods would add scores of 15 and 12 yards on the ground and had a number of good punt returns, including a 63-yarder in the second quarter.
Ahead 28-17 at halftime, Mariner reeled off 21 unanswered points behind some strong running to put the game away.
“Our kids really played well in the second half,” said Mariner coach John Ondriezek. “We did OK first half but we just weren’t consistent enough offensively and defensively. Second half they just went out and played football and improved upon the mistakes we made in the first half.”
The game was close at halftime due to an outstanding circus catch in the end zone by the Royals’ Andrew Katzenberger. With 23 seconds remaining in the first half, Lynnwood quarterback Morgan Skelton lofted a pass to the end zone, only to have a Mariner defender jump and deflect it. The ball then bounced off the outstretched hands of another Mariner defender and into the arms of Katzenberger for the score, trimming Mariner’s lead to 11.
With Cascade and Lynnwood in the rearview mirror, Mariner gets into the heart of its schedule with Jackson, Kamiak and Edmonds-Woodway over the next three weeks.
“This is an important win for us because the Lynnwood kids play hard,” Ondriezek said. “Each week is important. If you lose one conference game it’s tough to come back.”
At Edmonds Stadium
Mariner1414147—49
Lynnwood21506—23
L—Safety, ball goes out back of end zone off Mariner
M—Williamson 60 run (Manson kick)
M—Ahmad-Woods 15 run (Manson kick)
L—Smith 8 pass from Skelton (Smith run)
M—Williamson 19 run (Manson kick)
M—Williamson 47 pass from Nadat (Manson kick)
L—Katzenberger 23 pass from Skelton (Drommiah kick)
M—Aird 1 run (Manson kick)
M—Ahmad-Woods 12 run (Manson kick)
M—Williamson 42 run (Manson kick)
L—Smith 19 run (kick blocked)
Records—Mariner 2-0 league, 4-1 overall. Lynnwood 0-2, 1-4.
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