Mount Si denies Skyview 3-0 start

SNOQUALMIE — As a quarterback and one of the leaders of Skyview’s football team, Yaro Duvalko made sure his message to teammates was heard loud and clear in the closing seconds of a 31-26 road loss to Mount Si on Friday night.

Eyes up, he said, but also stay positive.

“We have to win classy and lose classy,” Duvalko said.

Skyview sought after its first 3-0 start since 2015 when it began 4-0 on its way to the 4A state playoffs. Instead, the Storm dropped to 2-1 to the same team it lost to last season in a shootout at Kiggins Bowl.

In 2018, Oregon-bound quarterback Cale Mullen three seven touchdown passes for Mount Si and more than 400 yards in a 52-28 win. Friday, younger brother Clay Mullen, already with a scholarship offer from the Ducks, threw for 197 yards and helped the Wildcats build a 31-12 lead by the 11:52 mark of the fourth quarter.

Gavin Baskette, Skyview’s leading in receiving yards Friday, viewed it as a revenge game.

“We didn’t execute,” he said, “but hopefully, we’ll see them in the playoffs.”

The Storm treated Friday as a playoff-type atmosphere and experience by leaving Vancouver at 11 a.m. and staying overnight up north.

The defense is what fueled Skyview (2-1) early when the offense punted or had turnovers on downs in all but one first-half possession.

When the offense began clicking most in the fourth quarter, that’s when Skyview pulled within five.

Skyview scored 20 of its 26 points in the final 14 minutes of the game, as Jalynee McGee scored two rushing touchdowns and Baskette’s 26-yard touchdown reception to pull within five with 5:30 to play. That was its closest margin of victory Skyview led 6-0 in the first quarter.

“It really shows what our offense can be capable of,” Duvalko said of that final quarter, “and what it’s going to do for the rest of the year.”

Key moments

• Mount Si, already with a 14-6 halftime lead, used trickery to kickstart the second half. The Wildcats successfully recovered Cole Ramsey’s onside kick to get the ball near midfield to begin the third quarter. Four plays later, Zachary Soliday’s 10-yard touchdown catch made 21-6 by the 9:40 mark and stretched the lead to 24-6 two possessions later.

• After punts or turnovers on downs in all but one first-half possession, Skyview made the most of its fourth quarter. Its final two scoring drives took six plays each — the second of two Jalynnee McGee touchdown runs and Gavin Baskette’s diving catch out of the left side of the end zone. The latter came with 5:30 to play, but Mount Si had four first-down plays to successfully run out the clock.

Key players

Gavin Baskette, Skyview: The Storm receiver had five catches for 82 yards — Duvalko’s first completion of the game, and another four late in the second half. His 26-yard touchdown catch made it a one-score game at 31-26.

Cooper Barnum, Skyview: Like Baskette, Barnum also had five catches totalling 69 yards. His 33-yarder set up the first of McGee’s touchdown runs.

Quotable

“Coming up here and getting that playoff atmosphere,” senior Cooper Barnum said, “we’re going to take this, learn from it, and make a lot of adjustments and correcting ourselves since it’s only Week 3.”

MOUNT SI 31, SKYVIEW 26

Skyview 0 6 6 14–26

Mt. Si 0 14 10 7–31

Second quarter

S — Yaro Duvalko 5 run (kick blocked)

MS — Brayden Holt 23 pass from Clay Millen (Colby Ramsey kick)

MS — Kevin Corder 9 pass from Millen (Ramsey kick)

Third quarter

MS — Zach Soliday 10 pass from Millen (Ramsey kick)

S — Jalynnee McGee 3 run (conversion failed)

MS — Ramsley 23 FG

Fourth quarter

MS — Daniel Harrison 4 run (Ramsey kick)

S — McGee 5 run (Micah Baylous pass from Duvalko)

S — Gavin Baskette 26 pass from Duvalko (conversion failed)

Individual statistics

RUSHING — Skyview: Jalynnee McGee 18-89, Yaro Duvalko 3-12; Mount Si: Clay Millen 6-34, Guy Brucchieri 8-21, Brayden Holt 2-7, Daniel Harrison 6-69, Kevin Corder 2-4, Colby Botten 1-17.

PASSING — Skyview: Yaro Duvalko 18-26-0-211, Clark Coleman 1-1-0-(minus-2). Mount Si: Clay Millen 16-28-0-197

RECEIVING — Skyview: Gavin Baskette: 5-82, Cooper Barnum 5-69, Mason Wheeler 3-21, Jalynnee McGee 4-22, Xavier Owens 1-11.