‘Trying to prove what we are,’ Skyview claims third straight victory with win over Kamiak

The Skyview football team felt disrespected and doubted by its peers around the state before the season started.

On paper, the Storm were perceived to be retooling with young players stepping in at multiple positions to fill key roles. They were unproven then, but through four weeks of the season, their young team is growing up fast.

On the heels of a dominant 28-10 road win last Saturday at Bothell, Skyview won big again Friday with a 48-20 triumph over Kamiak at Kiggins Bowl.

First-half touchdown runs by junior running back Trey Jacob and junior quarterback Jake Kennedy, as well as a 34-yard touchdown pass from Kennedy to sophomore Gavin Packer, gave the Storm a 21-0 lead at halftime.

Once Packer took the second-half kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown and Riley Artis scored on a 40-yard pitch and catch from Kennedy, Skyview held a 35-0 lead just two-and-a-half minutes into the third quarter.

“We’re trying to prove what we are,” sophomore receiver and defensive back Gavin Packer said. “We just keep getting better, having better games (and) keep them coming together as a team.”

What exactly is Skyview, you ask? Lately, the team has done it in all three phases. The defense has surrendered zero points in the first halves of the last two weeks allowing the offense to build multi-score leads.

The Storm gave up just two first downs to the Knights over the first two quarters while forcing punts on Kamiak’s first four drives, which also included tackles for loss by Skyview’s Ty Evans and Kellen Wiggins.

Kamiak’s fifth drive, midway through the second quarter, lasted just two plays when Skyview’s Hezechariah Po Ching recovered a Kamiak fumble at the Knights’ 19-yard line. The Storm cashed in with Kennedy tiptoeing inside the pylon for a 5-yard touchdown with 1 minute left until halftime.

The Storm (3-1) have won three straight after dropping the season opener to Jesuit (Ore.). A furious second-half rally in that game was an encouraging sign for a young team, and the next week, after facing a halftime deficit to district rival Columbia River, the Storm rolled in the second half and seemingly haven’t looked back since.

In the last 10 quarters, Skyview has outscored opponents 111-36. From week one to now, the Storm have grown a lot, Packer said.

“We keep getting closer as a team and we’re trying to build a better culture here than it’s been in the past. We keep trying to get each other better,” said the sophomore receiver and defensive back.

Two weeks of non-league games remain for Skyview with Heritage and Kentwood up next. Then comes the 4A Greater St. Helens League opener against Camas on Oct. 14, which could end up deciding a league title.

“It took us a little bit to get going,” Wiggins said of the past four weeks. “We were trying to recognize the positives in our games and we were obviously trying to build on the negatives. We’re just kind of meshing everything together right now with our offense and our defense, even our special teams is playing hard (and) our scout team during the week is amazing. It’s just how we practice and prepare.”

Kennedy threw for 226 yards and three touchdowns on just 12 pass attempts, led by receivers Artis (74 yards, one touchdown) and Packer (83 yards, three touchdowns).

SKYVIEW 48, KAMIAK 20

Kamiak 0 0 6 14—20

Skyview 7 14 21 6—48

First quarter

S — Gavin Packer 34 pass from Jake Kennedy (Ethan McClinton kick)

Second quarter

S — Trey Jacob 21 run (McClinton kick)

S — Kennedy 5 run (McClinton kick)

Third quarter

S — Packer 94 kickoff return (McClinton kick)

S — Riley Artis 40 pass from Kennedy (McClinton kick)

K — Manuel Yniguez 16 pass from Ben’tre Worthy (kick blocked)

S — Packer 49 pass from Kennedy (McClinton kick)

Fourth quarter

K — Jullian Notoa 3 run (T’Andre Waverly pass from Worthy)

S — Eric Botnen 75 run (kick blocked)

K — Waverly 1 run (kick blocked)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Kamiak: Nottoa 19-75, Worthy 8-19, Miles Moffett 4-8, Chance Loudenback 1-1, Zamari Mitchell 1-5, Waverly 1-5, Team 1-(minus 7). Skyview: Jacob 9-34, Levi Webb 6-27, Kennedy 4-27, Eric Botnen 1-75, Team 2-(minus 12).

PASSING — Kamiak: Worthy 16-26-0-169. Skyview: Kennedy 9-12-0-226.

RECEIVING — Kamiak: Waverly 7-74, Loudenback 2-30, Yniguez 2-25, Nottoa 2-7, Onkar Bhangu 2-11, Moffett 1-22. Skyview: Artis 3-74, Packer 2-83, Jonathan Stromberg 1-40, Jacob 1-19, Gavin Poffenroth 1-10.