AA Football Playoffs / O'dea 45, Bainbridge 22 -- O'dea Finally Allows Score, But Rolls Past Bainbridge

For the No. 1 O'Dea Fighting Irish, one streak ended while another continued.

Bainbridge became the first team this season to score a touchdown against the Irish when Spartan senior Wayne Timmons returned a kickoff 95 yards in the second quarter.

However, the Irish dejected at the loss of that streak, kept another alive as they won their 23rd consecutive game, a 45-22 victory in the first round of the Class AA state tournament.

Defending state champion O'Dea (10-0) will meet 1993 Kingbowl finalist Gig Harbor (8-2) in the quarterfinals, most likely on Friday at Lakewood Stadium in Tacoma. Aberdeen, which played its game in 15 days, finished with a 9-2 record and the most wins in school history.

As O'Dea players and coaches walked off the turf field at Memorial Stadium last night, perspective wasn't hard to find.

"Twenty-two points for them, Wow, that's a lot, but that's going to happen when you get to the playoffs," Taffera said. "If we score 45 and they score 22, I'm happy every time."

O'Dea Coach Monte Kohler said: "Bainbridge is a good team, a good quality ball club. They played well . . . we had a breakdown on the special teams, but our kids stepped it up and did a nice job tonight."

A nice job in Kohler's perspective is five touchdowns in six first half possessions. It's a 35-7 halftime lead. It's holding the Spartans without a first down and to minus two yards in the first two quarters. Bainbridge longest gain of the half came on Andy Stone's 4-yard run.

The only bright spot early for Bainbridge was Timmons' kickoff return, the first touchdown against the Irish since they played Lake Stevens in last season's state title game.

Spartan Allen McKenzie fielded the kickoff at the 5-yard line and gave the ball to Timmons on a reverse who weaved a path through defenders down the right sideline with Irish safety Devon Johnson in pursuit.

Still the O'Dea defense could claim the scoreless streak until Bainbridge's offensive futility ended in the third quarter.

Timmons carried around right end for 39 yards to key a nine-play, 82-yard, 4 minute and 42 second drive that ended when Bainbridge quarterback Kris Brand found Clancy Wyatt for an 8-yard touchdown pass.

Brand scored with 1:41 left on a 2-yard run.

Despite being outscored 15-0 in the fourth quarter, the Irish controlled the game with a punishing rushing attack and timely passing.

The Irish totaled 386 yards, 270 rushing. Tony Miller had a game high 85 yards on eight carries and Cedric Garner had 67 yards and a touchdown on seven carries. Neil Bresnahan (28 yards) scored on a 1-yard run and Taffera (21 yards) also had a 2-yard touchdown.

Taffera was perfect on four passes for 116 yards and three touchdowns. His first touchdown was a short pass to Johnson who ran 33 yards for a score.

O'Dea's Tim Moriarity had two touchdowns receptions (46 and 4 yards) and finished with three catches for 83 yards.