Shaky at the start, the Wolverines put up 28 points in the second quarter, tallied three more touchdowns after the break, and ran away with a 49-12 victory over La Conner Friday at home under the lights.

With the win, Friday Harbor improved to 2-1 overall thanks to its second straight victory over a familiar Division 2B foe. The Wolverines defeated Orcas 21-14 in overtime to open the season with a win, and then fell a week ago to Division 1A regional rival Meridian, 43-6.

They host Nooksack Valley, ranked No. 9 among Division 1A schools in the latest AP coaches’ poll, on Friday; kick off is 7:30 p.m.

The Braves drew first blood as quarterback Lanny James drove into the end zone from three yards out to cap a 85-yard scoring drive on the first play of the second period. Friday Harbor, out of synch earlier on, shook off its malaise, blocked the ensuing point-after-attempt, and tied the score on its next possession by capitalizing on senior Mike Ausilio’s 50-yard kickoff return. Tailback Roy Taylor powered into the end zone on 5-yard TD run to tie the score and freshman Brett Paul, in his debut kicking extra-points, split the uprights with the first of seven successful point-after-attempts to put the Wolverines out in front 7-6.

The teams exchanged touchdowns midway through the second period, and the Wolverines then struck twice with under three minutes left in the half, on TD dashes by Taylor and by sophomore Michael Davis, to take the lead for good before the break.

Taylor tallied three of Friday Harbor’s seven TDs, Ausilio had two, one on a 66-yard catch-and-run, the other on an interception, and Davis and Micah Powell posted a touchdown apiece.

On their heels early in the second period, the Wolverines defensive squad found its footing before the break and picked off three passes, recovered a pair of fumbles (and caused several more), and held La Conner scoreless throughout the second half.