By RayJaun Stelly, The Seattle Medium
The Seattle Prep Panthers, who have started their season with a 2-0 record by beating Mercer Island 52-32 and Rainier Beach 32-14, put their two-game win streak on the line as they faced Garfield High School on Friday night at West Seattle Stadium. The Bulldogs (1-1), who earned their first win last week against the Lincoln Lynx, came into the game looking to improve to 2-1.
Garfield’s starters only saw one half of football a week ago and coming into this game that would not be the case against Seattle Prep, who looked to get their first win over the Bulldogs in over two seasons.
From the outset, Seattle Prep displayed a high level of aggression, and it paid off tremendously. In the first half, their no-huddle offense found success as Seattle Prep quarterback Beau Oaksmith spread the football across the field to wide receivers Alec Greenwood, Casey Carlesimo, and Win Chandler.
With their offense clicking, Oaksmith gave the Panthers an early 7-0 lead courtesy of his 12-yard touchdown run, despite dropping the snap from his center. This early lead gave the Panthers’ defense some momentum as Greenwood intercepted a Garfield pass on the Panthers’ one-yard line before tiptoeing out of bounds.
Making plays on both sides of the football, the momentum appeared to be favoring Seattle Prep heading into the second quarter. Although Garfield managed to tie the game at 7-7 on a touchdown pass from quarterback EJ Caminong to Reggie Witherspoon III, the Panthers continued to elevate their play.
On defense, they forced a bad snap on a punt by Garfield, which was recovered by Seattle Prep’s Drew Velling, giving them excellent field position on the goal line. Despite giving the Panthers a prime scoring opportunity, Garfield’s defense held firm, allowing Seattle Prep to walk away with only a field goal from Bradyn Buckholtz.
Before heading into the second half, the Panthers defense stopped Garfield from scoring and took a 10-7 lead at halftime.
Momentum and a three-point deficit didn’t seem to faze the Bulldogs. After receiving possession to start the second half, Garfield’s offense found their rhythm, giving the ball to sophomore running back Reylen Witherspoon, as the Bulldogs would go on to score 14 unanswered points.
Behind the efforts of his offensive line, Witherspoon utilized his speed, quickness, and elusive running style to keep the chains moving downfield. Caminong threw a screen pass to Reggie Witherspoon III for 10 yards, then scrambled for 20 yards before Reylen capped the drive with a two-yard touchdown run.
Leading 14-10, Garfield’s defense forced a three-and-out as they were able to adapt to Seattle Prep’s no-huddle offense, and getting the football back quickly after a three-and-out, they did not hesitate to reach the endzone.
Reylen’s rushing continued to lead Garfield’s offense, opening up their playbook to take shots down the field. Caminong found Reggie Witherspoon for a 30-yard gain and then threw a pass to Rahshawn Clark in the flat, resulting in a 20-yard touchdown, as the Bulldogs took a 21-10 lead in the third quarter.
On the following kickoff, Seattle Prep got a much-needed response, as Casey Carlesimo, returned the kick 97 yards for a touchdown, cutting the lead to 21-16.
On the following Bulldog possession, Seattle Prep’s Nico Nedialkov recovered a fumble on a bad snap by Garfield, putting the Panthers in scoring position. But the Bulldogs’ goal-line defense stood firm and forced the Panthers to settle for a field goal, reducing the deficit to 21-19 heading into the fourth quarter.
Both defenses were dominant throughout the final quarter. Seattle Prep’s defense would force an early punt, and the Bulldogs returned the favor by forcing a turnover on downs.
With the teams engaged in a back-and-forth defensive battle, it was obvious that Garfield Head Coach Reggie Witherspoon, Jr. needed his team to secure some breathing room with a touchdown, and his Bulldogs rose to the occasion.
Finding success in their run game, Garfield once again put the football in the hands of Reylen Witherspoon and EJ Caminong. Despite a penalty-plagued drive, the Bulldogs moved the chains and kept the clock running. Garfield converted a crucial fourth down, as Caminong found his brother, Devin Caminong, for a 30-yard completion.
Reylen finished the drive with a two-yard touchdown run, extending the Bulldog lead to 28-19 with under four minutes remaining.
In the final minutes of the game, the Bulldogs’ defense refused to allow Seattle Prep to make any headway down the field, ultimately sealing the game as they forced a three-and-out and regained possession.
Running the clock out until it struck zero, Garfield completed their come-from-behind victory with a 28-19 win, snapping Seattle Prep’s two-game streak and improving to 2-1 on the season.
Caminong finished the game with 218 yards and two touchdowns, Reylen Witherspoon led all rushers with 157 yards and two touchdowns, and Reggie Witherspoon, III finished with five receptions and a touchdown.
The Bulldogs, who now boast a two-game win streak of their own, will face Bishop Blanchet next week, and the Panthers are on the road against undefeated O’Dea.
Pictorial Highlights of Garfield vs Seattle Prep
