Bellevue simply drives Union crazy, again

SEATTLE — Union will not give up taking on tough competition. At the same time, forgive the Titans if they don’t mind seeing Bellevue for a while.

For the third consecutive season, the Wolverines topped the Titans on a neutral field.

The first two games had much more significance — the state championship game in 2008, the state semifinals in 2009 — but this one was special, too, as part of the Emerald City Kickoff Classic at Qwest Field.

Bellevue used two time-killing drives in the second half that led to touchdowns and pulled away from the Titans for a 20-6 victory to open the 2010 high school football season for both schools.

“The first year, they handled us,” senior linebacker Zak Browning said. “Last year, we handed it to them. This year, it was pretty even, pretty close. It was kind of like a repeat of last year.”

Only this time, Bellevue’s run-run-run strategy wore down the Titans in the second half.

The Wolverines took their time — more than eight minutes off the game clock — and went 61 yards on 14 plays to open the second half. They took a 14-6 lead when Joey Mangialardi scored from three yards out.

Union responded with three first downs on its next possession, but Bellevue sacked Union quarterback Tanner Nelson on third down to stall the drive.

Bellevue then went to work again on offense, chewing up almost five minutes. Mangialardi scored on a 15-yard run, giving him 131 yards on 17 carries.

The Titans went four-and-out on their next possession and never saw the ball again. The Titans managed 28 yards on two possessions in the second half.

It might look like a rough outing for Union. But the Titans have a lot of new starters this season, and in their first game they were taking on the Team of the Decade. Bellevue has won seven of the past nine Class 3A state championships.

“For as many guys making their first starts, against a program like that, I feel we stood toe-to-toe with them,” Union coach Cale Piland said. “We’re going to be fine.”

Piland said he took this game because of the chance to play at Qwest Field and because his job is to get his new team ready for league play.

“This game is going to help us improve in significant ways,” Piland said.

Union moved the chains on all but its final drive of the game. Penalties and turnovers took the Titans out of scoring opportunities.

Bellevue scored first on a 40-yard touchdown pass from Kendrick Van Ackeren to Joey Moore late in the second quarter.

But the Titans bounced right back, going 77 yards on eight plays. Nelson’s QB sneak from a yard out with 14 seconds left made it a 7-6 game at the half.

Running back Brandon Brody-Heim had five carries for 38 yards on the scoring drive. He finished the game with 94 yards on 17 carries.

“It’s a rush. First start ever, against Bellevue,” Brody-Heim said. “I just wanted to make a statement. Unfortunately, we made too many mistakes as a team. We didn’t come out on top like we should have, I thought.”

But the Titans did gain experience.

“The encouraging thing,” Piland said, “is the stuff we did wrong tonight is all correctable.”

BELLEVUE 20, UNION 6

Union 0 6 0 0—6

Bellevue 0 7 7 6—20

Second quarter

Bel — Joey Moore 40 pass from Kendrick Van Ackeren (Mitch Johnson kick)

U — Tanner Nelson 1 run (run failed)

Third quarter

Bel — Joey Mangialardi 3 run (Johnson kick)

Fourth quarter

Bel — Mangialardi 15 run (kick failed)

Leaders

Rushing — Union — Brandon Brody-Heim 17-94, Nelson 10-33, Zak Browning 3-19; Bellevue — Mangialardi 17-131, Latrelle Dukes 14-79.

Passing — Union — Nelson 4-10-2-34; Bellevue — Van Ackeren 2-3-1-54.

Receiving — Union — T.J. Boatright 2-19, Browning 1-13, Brody-Heim 1-2; Bellevue — Moore 1-40, Evian Richard 1-14.