It was the D.J. May show at Federal Way High School on Thursday night.
May amassed a season-high 233 rushing yards on 16 carries and scored three touchdowns to lead eighth-ranked Federal Way to a 48-20 South Puget Sound League victory over Emerald Ridge.
“He’s a special athlete, a special kid and he had a very special night,” Federal Way coach John Meagher said of the 5-foot-11, 188-pound May. “He had some big runs that were clearly the difference in the game.”
May deflated the visiting Jaguars with backbreaking touchdown runs to close out the first half and the game.
His 59-yard gallop on a counter play with 17.3 seconds to play before halftime ballooned Federal Way’s lead to 34-6.
Then, after Emerald Ridge had shown some life in the third quarter with a couple of touchdowns that trimmed its deficit to 41-20, May raced 38 yards untouched to the end zone with 6:34 remaining in the game.
“We were sputtering in that third quarter,” Meagher said. “We had a blocked punt, lost a fumble and had some bad penalties. But then D.J. kind of put the nail in their coffin with that last touchdown.”
May knew the Eagles (4-0 overall, 4-0 SPSL South) needed a late-game spark and the senior delivered, even though he sprained his ankle in the third quarter.
“I ran hard on that last touchdown play and got some great blocking,” he said.
May wasn’t the only Eagle to generate big plays. Junior Zeek McNeel dazzled the hometown crowd with a 60-yard touchdown run in the second period, and freshman standout Chico McClatcher dashed 39 yards to the end zone for Federal Way’s only third-period score.
The Eagles piled up 416 yards rushing and had 473 yards of total offense.
Quarterback Jake Sommer was 16-for-38 passing for 151 yards and two touchdowns for the Jaguars (2-2, 2-2). Sommer also ran for a touchdown.
Sommer also had two passes intercepted, both by Eagles junior linebacker Albert Havili.
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