Huskies end season on a high note

The team that actually had something to play for showed up in body, but not in spirit on Saturday afternoon at Husky Stadium and Washington trounced the Cal Golden Bears 42-10 sending 15 seniors out with a win in their final game in front of an announced crowd of 62,334.

Washington QB Jake Locker received chants of “One more year” throughout the game from the crowd on hand and had an outstanding night, completing 19 of 23 attempts for 248 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for another 77 yards and two more scores as the Huskies rolled up 463 yards of offense and their defense held the Bears to 301 in the win.

On their first possession of the game, Washington managed to score a touchdown when Locker hit WR Jermaine Kearse, who had a huge night of his own to brag about, for a 40 touchdown pass. The drive moved 75 yards in three plays and saw Kearse haul in a pass from WR Cody Bruns for 38 yards to set up the touchdown pass on the next play.

Kearse finished the night with a career-high 147 yards receiving while hauling in seven receptions and the one touchdown. Dueling him for the top spot on the receiving front was sophomore WR Devin Aguilar who managed to notch five receptions for 72 yards and two scores.

Also hot for the Dawgs was their ground game which managed 177 yards led by RB Chris Polk’s 94 yards and he also chipped in a late touchdown.

Defensively, the Huskies were all over Cal QB Kevin Riley, posting five sacks – including three by DE Daniel Te’o-Nesheim who set a career sack record with 30 – and numerous pressures.

The Huskies also caused three fumbles, recovering two, while their offense was turnover-free.

Sophomore LB Cort Dennison led the way with seven tackles while Te’o-Nesheim chipped in seven more, three sacks and 4.5 tackles-for-loss and the two forced fumbles. True freshman CB Desmond Tufant notched seven tackles as well and appeared to come up with an interception, but it was ruled that he juggled the ball as he landed out of bounds.

Cal missed out on a scoring opportunity with their first drive, driving all the way to the Husky 25, but K Vince D’Amato hooked his kick wide left giving Washington the ball and three plays later, Locker hit Kearse for the first touchdown of the game.

After D’Amato nailed his second attempt, this one coming from 29 yards out, the Huskies then scored on their final two possessions of the first half, getting touchdown runs of 19 and two yards from Locker, sending the teams into the locker room with Washington leading 21-3.

The Huskies then took their first possession of the second half down the field and Locker hit Aguilar in the back corner of the endzone for a 21-yard touchdown.

Cal bounced back with a five-play, 82-yard drive that ended when Riley hit WR Nyan Boateng for a 22-yard score, drawing the Bears to within 18 at 28-10, but the Huskies got another Locker to Aguilar touchdown connection, this one from 13 yards out, and a 10 yard run from Polk to end the scoring.

Washington, which finished 5-7, now heads into the offseason with a two-game winning streak and that momentum could help them as they head into the final phase of the recruiting season.