(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)

The West Seattle High School football season started with the usual exuberance Thursday, as the team burst onto the field at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex flying both a Wildcat flag and American flag, ready to face their visitors from Bainbridge HS. The weather was perfect; supporters were in the stands:

And a sizable cheer team was there to lend their support.

The first quarter was more about defense than offense – a busy night for #13, junior LJ Moody, started with an early stop.

Midway through the quarter, the Spartans were first to score, with a field goal. Late in the quarter, the Wildcats got closer to the end zone than they’d made it previously, thanks in part to a big carry by #2, senior Sam Turner:

But time ran out and the 1st ended with the score still Bainbridge 3, WSHS 0. Head coach Anthony Stordahl‘s team got their one and only touchdown in the second quarter.

Credit that to #12, sophomore Desmond Parkinson:

#34, junior kicker Scott Bremen, got the extra point:

And that gave West Seattle the edge at halftime, 7-3. But they lost the lead with 5:56 left in the third quarter, when Bainbridge got a TD (though the Wildcats kept the Spartans from scoring the point after), followed by another less than half a minute later. Bainbridge added one more midway through the fourth quarter, and the Wildcats just couldn’t get a comeback going; final score was Bainbridge 23, West Seattle 7.

WHAT’S NEXT: The Wildcats host Interlake, 7:30 pm Friday, September 13, at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex.