There was plenty of fight in the Falcon Pee Wee football team against the Anacortes Seahawks last week.

Trouble was, it came just a bit too late as the Seahawks won a rain-soaked, run-heavy game 18-12 at Mount Vernon High School.

“They’re just a bigger team,” said South Whidbey coach Pat Kelley. “They have 19 kids and physically they’re a little bit bigger kids.”

Through the first quarter, the game remained scoreless. The rain had yet to fall, but fumbles abounded thanks to both teams’ defenses.

“Both teams were fumbling a lot, but I think that had to do with the hard-hitting defenses,” Kelley said.

Two big runs of more than 30 yards each put the Seahawks ahead 12-0 by halftime.

In the second half, the Falcons’ defense piled on the Seahawks’ running game. Anacortes began with possession and South Whidbey forced the Seahawks back almost 40 yards from the original line of scrimmage.

The Falcons then replaced the center and began using a no-huddle offense to wear down the Seahawks. High-yardage plays helped get the Pee Wee Falcons down the field. JJ Germano ran 15 yards through the middle of the line for an important first down. Todd Nikula ran 20 yards on a sweep to the left. Matthew Kelley ran behind his line on right-side sweeps for a touchdown. They moved 65 yards downfield for the first Falcon touchdown of the North Cascade Youth Football League playoff game.

“It was kind of hard running in the rain and we slipped, but they (Anacortes) slipped too,” Matthew said.

South Whidbey’s extra point kick missed and the Falcons trailed the Seahawks 12-6 to end the third quarter.

Then the rain poured on the turf, and the wet ball limited the Falcons’ offense to the ground.

For the first six minutes of the final quarter, both teams stopped the other’s offense. Then, the Seahawks scored on a 70-yard run and missed the extra point to lead 18-6. Matthew blamed his team’s effort for allowing the big play by the Pee Wee Seahawks.

“I don’t think they gave it their all,” Matthew said. “They didn’t give us their best effort.”

With time running out, the Falcons strung together yardage on short runs. A handful of rushes were by first-time ball carrier Shelby Campbell. She also scored on a 2-yard run.

It was the first touchdown she scored all season. Shelby lost 19 pounds during the season to be an eligible ball carrier, and the achievement filled her with pride after the game.

“She worked her butt off all season in order to run that ball,” said Shelby’s mother Tracy Kirby.

“She came home with bruises every single night,” Kirby added.

With less than a minute remaining, the Falcons attempted an onside kick. The Seahawks recovered it and ran out the clock to advance to the league championship game against Lakewood.

Shelby’s touchdown marked the accomplishment of the coaches’ goal to have every Falcon score on offense this season.

Next year’s squad will lose the majority of its team. Ten players are moving up to the Midget team for 9 and 10 year olds.

Kelley said he will coach the Pee Wee Falcons next year and is looking for new players. Interested players and parents can call South Whidbey Youth Football League president Jean Streitler at 360-914-7380.