The Fighting Irish ran into West Seattle last Thursday to establish a dominant first half, which turned into a clear-cut win for O’Dea against Rainier Beach by a lopsided score of 49-6.
September 12th marked the faceoff between the runner-up in the 3A State Championship, the O’Dea Fighting Irish, and the previous 3-6 record, Rainier Beach Vikings. With O’Dea’s heart-crushing end to their season last year and Rainier Beach’s previous below .500 season, both teams hope to achieve a new level of greatness this year.
O’Dea left West Seattle with the victory because of their efficient run game and show stopping defense.
O’Dea was the first to put points on the board, with a 10-yard touchdown run by running back Luther Hill. The run game wouldn’t stop there, the Fighting Irish would score another rushing touchdown with 44 seconds left in the first quarter, increasing the score to 13-0.
A strong defense would also play a part in the win, as O’Dea got an interception near the end of the first quarter. They continued to dominate by adding another rushing touchdown to the board and recovering a fumble in the Vikings’ end zone, ending the third quarter with a 28-0 lead.
There was a glimpse of success for the Vikings when Ray Procter got an interception in the early second quarter. Even with this strong opportunity, the Vikings still couldn’t create anything to offer on offense.
O’Dea capitalized by scoring three more touchdown runs to extend their lead. Near the end of the game, Akeem Murph Jr. would score a touchdown for the Vikings to avoid a shutout, making the final score 49-6.
After the loss, Rainier Beach falls to 0-2 this season. With this game now behind them they have to focus on next week, as they get ready to take on the 1-1 Ballard Beavers, hoping to avoid their third loss in a row.
The now 2-0 O’Dea Fighting Irish will be taking on the 1-1 Seattle Prep Panthers on Friday, hoping to continue their win streak and work their way back to the 3A state championship.
Catch the full broadcast and highlights of the game below:
