KINGSTON — The team that couldn’t win suddenly doesn’t know how to lose.
In a game that they were outgained 283 yards to 69, the Port Angeles Roughriders escaped with a 14-9 Olympic League victory over the Kingston Buccaneers on Friday night.
Port Angeles moved to 2-0 in league and 4-0 overall with the win, continuing the program’s best start since the 1992 edition won its first six games.
This from a team that entered the season on a 12-game losing streak.
“A win is a win, like [former Rider athletic director] Frank Prince just told me,” first-year coach Tom Wahl said.
“And my dad, who was a pretty good football coach, always said in games like this, it’s better to be lucky than good sometimes.”
Ironman Cody Sullivan once again came up with numerous big plays for the Riders.
The senior scored both Rider touchdowns on back-to-back possessions in the second quarter with a 10-yard run and 25-yard interception return.
He also sealed the win with another turnover late in the fourth, picking off quarterback Sam Byers for a second time on Kingston’s final possession.
Sullivan’s punts, including a 58-yarder that put Kingston at its own 8-yard line to begin its final drive, also loomed large for a team that leaned heavily on its defense for another win.
“Cody’s been doing that all season,” Wahl said. “He’s the big-play guy for us offensively and defensively.
“He just keeps pulling it out for us.”
Kingston (1-1, 2-2) ran the ball well behind its experienced offensive line, racking up 194 yards on 47 carries.
Six-foot-1, 202-pound running back Lou Hecker had 143 of those yards on 34 carries.
Yet as it has during the first four games of the season, Port Angeles’ defense made key stops. That included stops on all three of Kingston’s fourth-and-short conversion attempts.
“I don’t feel like we stopped them really,” Wahl said. “It was bend but don’t break [on defense].
“Their line is very good. Their quarterback said . . . that he had the best offensive line in the league. And right now, they are the best offensive line in the league.”
That comment offered little consolation for Kingston head coach Dan Novick, who faced Port Angeles for the first time since coaching the program in 2001-03.
“If we have the best offensive line in the league, then they have the best defensive line,” Novick said.
“We made too many mistakes to win a football game tonight. That’s the bottom line. Against a good football team like that, they don’t beat themselves.”
Kingston made a pair of costly errors in the second quarter that led to both Port Angeles scores.
A botched punt snap forced Byers to try and run for a first down on fourth-and-12 from inside his own 20.
The Riders dropped Byers after a 3-yard gain, then took the ball 23 yards on three plays, with Sullivan running it in from 10 yards out.
Four plays later, Sullivan picked off Byers’ errant pass at the Bucs 25-yard line and ran left toward the corner of the end zone for another touchdown and a 14-3 lead.
It was the fourth straight game that the Rider defense scored a touchdown.
“Something that coach Wahl is really incorporating into our team is keeping your head level and coming out aggressive, but controlled violence,” Sullivan said.
“We just play together like we’ve always been taught. The chemistry that we have with each other, we’re brothers out there on defense.”
The Bucs’ lone touchdown came on their first drive of the second half, a 12-play, 84-yard march that ended with a Hecker six-yard run.
Kingston made its way into Port Angeles territory seven times yet managed to come away with just nine points.
That included back-to-back drives late in the fourth quarter where Port Angeles’ defense stiffened in short-yardage situations.
Linebacker Eli Fiscalini came up with a tackle for a loss on third-and-2 at the Rider 40 on the first drive.
On the next, the Riders gang-tackled Byers behind the line of scrimmage on fourth-and-3 at its own 36.
Then on Kingston’s last-gasp drive, Sullivan snagged a bobbled pass near midfield for an interception to clinch the win.
“Their kids stepped up on crucial downs,” Novick said. “They are very disciplined.
“They understand second-and-1 isn’t the worst thing in the world, and third-and-3 isn’t the worst thing in the world as long as they aren’t giving up big plays.”
Sullivan was Port Angeles’ top offensive player with 58 yards of offense, including both Rider receptions for 17 yards.
Quarterback Keenan Walker, under pressure most of the night, completed just 2-of-9 passes for 17 yards.
“The defense did a fine job once again. The offense, we’ve got to get better,” Wahl said.
“Kingston is an excellent team. We knew that, and they just came out and played a great game. My hats off to them.
“Dan’s done a great job with them, and they are every bit as good as we figured they would be.”
PORT ANGELES 14, KINGSTON 9
Port Angeles 0 14 0 0– 14
Kingston 3 0 6 0– 9
First Quarter
K–Stone 29 field goal
Second Quarter
PA–Sullivan 10 run (Wahl kick)
PA–Sullivan 25 interception return (Wahl kick)
Third Quarter
K–Hecker 6 run (run failed)
Individual Stats
Rushing– PA: Sullivan 6-41, Cristion 8-17, Sewell 3-9, Martin 2-0, Walker 13-(minus 13). K: Hecker 34-143, Gorman 1-39, Byers 9-6, Delaney 2-5, Zehrung 1-1.
Passing–PA: Walker 2-9-0, 17. K: Byers 8-22-2, 89.
Receiving–PA: Sullivan 2-17. K: Gorman 4-61, Bowman 2-12, Marinan 1-9, Klopp 1-7.