O'Dea moves on despite playing with heavy heart

A stormy night was a fitting scene in what has been a somber week at O'Dea.

Taking the field for the first time since the death of Irish boys basketball coach Phil Lumpkin, fifth-ranked O'Dea outlasted Bonney Lake 30-16 in the preliminary round of the Class 3A state playoffs on an emotional Friday night at a waterlogged Seattle Memorial Stadium.

"This is just a game. What we got through this week was real," said O'Dea coach Monte Kohler. "We didn't know how we'd play, but we knew we were going to show up, play hard and give it our all. And that's what we did."

After leading 10-7 at halftime, O'Dea (9-1) went on a 20-3 scoring run in the second half to take control. Junior running back Keenan Forch carried the ball 14 times for 124 yards and two third-quarter touchdown runs to lead the Irish.

"We came out and did this for him [Coach Lumpkin]," said Forch. "He always told us to go all-out when we play, and everything we do the rest of the season is dedicated to him."

Forch and many of his Irish teammates had "R.I.P. coach" written on their eye-black.

Quarterback Gabe Lee, who had 129 rushing yards on 23 carries, and fullback Michael Martin added touchdown runs for the Irish.

"Our offensive line stepped up, we just had to execute," said Forch of the running game.

Bonney Lake (6-4) advanced to the Irish 17-yard line on the opening possession of the game but turned the ball over on an interception. O'Dea responded with an 18-play, 89-yard touchdown drive that lasted 8 minutes, 33 seconds.

After a 3-yard touchdown run by Panthers running back Colton Nash tied the score at 7-7, O'Dea kicker Joey Launceford gave the Irish a 10-7 lead with a 30-yard field goal just before halftime.

O'Dea, which was without injured starters Zach Fogerson, Nikolao Manu and Devante Curry, has reached the first round of state in 22 of the last 23 years.

The game started 45 minutes late due to a lightning delay in an earlier game between Mercer Island and Chief Sealth.