Saturday, September 22, marked the 3^rd regular-season win for the Friday Harbor Tigers Junior Football Team sponsored by the Friday Harbor Athletic Association (FHAA).  Saturday’s game, played on the team’s home turf, was against Concrete and ended in a victory of 28 to 18. 

Saturday’s game demonstrated how the team is developing as an offensive unit with the Offensive Play of the Game coming early in the second quarter.  In a 3^rd-and-goal situation, Jacob Jackson powered the ball to the right and handed it off to the team’s wide receiver, Kaleb Warner, who scored the first touchdown of the game with a great reverse to the left.  Concrete defense was bamboozled by this well-executed play and nowhere to be seen as Kaleb crossed the goal line.  The Offensive Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for the game went to two players – Jacob Jackson and Jacob Justiniano – for their incredible backfield blocking and great yardage gains while running the ball.

On defense, the team continued to hone their defensive strategy and keep opponent scores low.  The Defensive Play of the Game could not be articulated in a single play, but rather by the aggregate performance of Donald Galt.  On defense, Donald executed nine key defensive tackles.  “Donald heads to the ball carrier like a laser-guided missile,” said Tigers Junior Football Defensive Coach Rick Morris, “It is incredible to watch.” Donald also earned the Defensive MVP award for the game as a result of his stop-them-in-their-tracks tackling performance. 

Special recognition goes to the team’s second-string quarterback, Alec Kurtz, who led the offense the entire game and executed the Tigers offense to perfection.

“I feel real comfortable coming into the second half of our season with such experience and depth” said Tigers Junior Football Coach, Donny Galt.  The team faces the undefeated Anacortes Seahawks Saturday, September 29, in Anacortes and feels prepared for the much-anticipated match up.   There are four more games of regular season play before the payoffs scheduled to start October 27^th.  Please check out the team blog - http://fridayharbortigers.blogware.com/ - for the current schedule.

The Friday Harbor Tiger Junior Football Players, Coaches and the FHAA would like to thank Autumn Hallock and her cheerleaders for their continued support. “They make a huge difference for us on the sidelines,” said Tigers Junior Football Coach Cliff Swirtz.

The Junior team record includes this season’s Island Cup victory over Orcas Island, 33 – 13, on September 15; a 22 - 0 win over Sedro Woolley White at Orcas on September 8, and an undefeated outing comprised of three, three-minute games played at the Monroe Football Jamboree that kicked off the season August 25^th.

The Friday Harbor Tigers Junior team is comprised of players 11 and 12 years of age with a 165-lb weight limit. The team roster includes: Alec Kurtz; Austin MacDiarmid; Austin Hargrove; Carson Brown; CJ Woods; Donald Galt; Dusty West; Dylan Demaris; Dylan Radden; Jacob Jackson; Jacob Justiniano; Jaise Poole; Jonathon Stump; Kaleb Warner; Levi Demaris; Marco Chairez-Aguayo; Marquis Napier; Micah Powell; Nathan Steenkolk; Nick Falls; Riley Rousar; Patrick O'Brian; Tate Brumsickle; and Wyatt Phillips.  The team is led by a stellar coaching staff - Head Coach Donny Galt, Defensive Coach Rick Morris, Coach Cliff Swirtz and Coach John Kurtz.