The “Blue Mamba” moniker will surely stick around another week.
And after its effort Thursday night, maybe the entire Federal Way High football team can adopt it, too.
Big play, after big play, after big play kept Federal Way fueled – and it finally wore down Graham-Kapowsin.
Third-ranked Federal Way won its SPSL South showdown, 62-28, in a home opener at Memorial Stadium.
Spry sophomore Chico McClatcher, who earned that aforementioned nickname for himself (Oregon star De’Anthony Thomas is known as “Black Mamba”) after last week’s regionally televised game, continued to be a blue-colored flash for Federal Way.
His 73-yard punt return for a touchdown 1 minute, 53 seconds into the game started the scoring eruption, giving Federal Way a quick 7-0 lead.
He also scored on a 56-yard pass in the flat from quarterback Evan Elliott later in the quarter.
“I wanted to bring it out,” McClatcher said. “Thanks for the blocking.”
Both teams went up and down the field at will. They exchanged scores on seven consecutive drives. Four times the lead changed hands.
And they gained the kind of yardage usually reserved for video games: They combined for 320 yards after the first quarter, 518 by halftime (with 13 plays of 20 or more yards) – and totaled 703 when both teams pulled their offensive starters with 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
The difference was turnovers, especially in the second quarter. Two of Graham-Kapwosin quarterback Brady Austin’s came on back-to-back drives late in the first half, which gave Federal Way its winning push.
Scoring three touchdowns in a 5:51 span, capped by Albert Havili’s 30-yard interception return, Federal Way grabbed a 41-21 lead with 3:55 to go in the first half.
“That was the nail put in the coffin,” Federal Way coach John Meagher said.
McClatcher, who was sensational, put forth one more highlight-reel play early in the third quarter, even if he fell a yard short of scoring.
He broke a run out left, pulled off a spin move to avoid a tackle along the sideline and broke free – only to try one more twirly-bird move near the goal-line and was tackled. It went as a 67-yard run, and set up Rod Jones Jr.’s 1-yard TD.
“Amazing speed,” Graham-Kapowsin coach Eric Kurle said of Federal Way’s standouts. “They use the talent they have.”
todd.milles@thenewstribune.com 253-597-8442 blogs.thenewstribune.com/preps @ManyHatsMilles
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