Prep Football / Pierce County League Playoffs -- Tahoma Wins No. 1 Berth

AUBURN - The Tahoma Bears did what Mike Guglielmelli predicted. The Bears won the Pierce County League's No. 1 seed to the state football playoffs.

The Bears beat White River 14-0 yesterday in the Ridge Division championship "game", which consisted of two 12-minute periods. And the Bears held the decisive tiebreaker over Shore Divison champion Gig Harbor, a regular-season victory.

Guglielmelli scored both touchdowns against White River, one on a 20-yard pass from quarterback Omare Lowe and the other on a 1-yard run that sealed the win.

"We beat them before and everybody was really pumped up," Guglielmelli said. "We haven't won the PCL championship in 10 years and we wanted it real bad. We wanted it more than anyone."

Gig Harbor won the Shore Division by beating Bainbridge 16-6.

The Pierce County League's regular season ended with three-way ties atop both divisions - Tahoma, White River and Eatonville in the Ridge Division; Gig Harbor, Bainbridge and Peninsula in the Shore Division. That neccessitated yesterday's tie-breakers to determine the league's three berths in the Class AA state playoffs.

Tahoma is PCL No. 1. The Bears will play Renton, the No. 2 entry from the Seamount League, Friday night in a first-round game at Kent's French Field.

"We're playing the best we've played all year," said Bryan Kiehl, a wide receiver for Gig Harbor. "Our whole three packages are playing together - offense, defense and special teams."

Bainbridge opened the tiebreaker playoffs yesterday by beating Peninsula 20-14 in overtime.

Gig Harbor is the No. 1 seed from the Shore Division, Bainbridge is the No. 2 seed.

Tahoma beat Eatonville 6-0 in the Ridge Division playoffs.

Tahoma quarterback Omare Lowe ran 5 yards for the Bears' touchdown late in the first half, and Tahoma defensive back Chris Sexton intercepted a pass in the end zone with 3 minutes, 22 seconds to play.

Kiehl sparked Gig Harbor with two touchdowns and three receptions for 69 yards. He said double-team coverage against wide receiver Ole Oleson gave him opportunities.

"Most teams don't let Ole beat them," Kiehl said, noting that opponents gamble by double-teaming Oleson, seeing if anyone else will step up. "Today was my day."

Kiehl's first score was a 22-yard screen pass on which he broke four tackles to give the Tides a 6-0 lead early in the first half. His 35-yard run later in the half increased the Tides' margin to 13-6 and effectively decided the game.

Bainbridge's touchdown came on a 3-yard run by Wayne Timmons, which tied it 6-6.

In a game of big plays, Bainbridge beat Peninsula on the biggest - an interception in the end zone by linebacker Jaris Villanueva.

Bainbridge led 20-14 on Andy Stone's 14-yard run but Michael O'Conner's conversion kick was smothered by lineman Jeff Sweeney and defensive back Brian Lumore.

Five plays later, the Seahawks were at the 2-yard line on second down. Quarterback Leslie Bagley pitched the ball to John Santie, also a quarterback, who lofted a pass into the end zone, which Villanueva intercepted.

"I don't know that I've ever been more exhilarated after a game. I've been here 12 years," Bainbridge Coach Neal White said. "We've had overtime wins, come-from-behind wins and a league-championship win in '87 against Monroe 29-28.

"But not a finish with a pick like that. Last play, it's all over."

Bainbridge's touchdowns during regulation came on big plays, an 84-yard run by Stone on the first play of the game and an interception by linebacker Rob Shipp that led to 9-yard touchdown run by Wayne Timmons. Bainbridge led 14-0 with only 4:45 gone.

Peninsula, too, turned a big, and unusual, play into a touchdown. Bagley hit Ken Via with a short pass, then Via pitched the ball to Jesse Taylor, who was trailing the play. Taylor ran the distance to completed a 66-yard play.

The Seahawks tied the score on another Bagley pass, this one a 4-yarder to running back Brandon Faraday with 3:29 to play.