Sitting on one of the front seats of the Lakes High football team bus heading home, coach Dave Miller was greeted with the worst kind of noise.
But his players singing loudly – and off-key – never sounded so good.
The warbling sure beat the sounds of the preseason, though, when the Lancers rode home in stony silence after a 1-3 start.
Lakes is back to playing like a top-10 team as the Lancers overwhelmed host Enumclaw, 60-7, at Pete’s Pool on Friday to improve to 2-0 in the SPSL 3A.
The Lancers have won 28 consecutive league games – and did it convincingly by scoring on their first eight possessions after Caleb Lyons returned the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown.
Lakes led 41-0 after the first quarter, and held Enumclaw’s Mauricio Portillo, the league’s leading rusher, to 5 yards on four carries.
“No question, we came out and played great defense,” Miller said of a Lancers’ defense that forced three turnovers. “The execution was really sharp.”
Miller admitted he was uncertain how his young squad would respond after tough losses to Woodinville, Skyview and Camas – all quality 4A schools.
“It was important to get our confidence back,” Miller said. “We have answered the bell that way, and we are now off and rolling.”
SPSL SOUTH
Federal Way 52, at Beamer 14: The No. 2 Eagles used trickery – a pass by a receiver – to get the offense rolling, and Federal Way cruised at Memorial Stadium.
The Eagles went up 7-0 on D’Londo Tucker’s 21-yard pass to Marcel Morris. Chico McClatcher added a 50-yard punt return for a score in the first quarter.
SPSL NORTH
Tahoma 32, at Kentridge 23: The Bears scored their only offensive touchdown – Shane Nelson’s 4-yard strike to Harold Thordarson – midway through the fourth quarter as the defense carried Tahoma to the victory at French Field.
The Bears scored three times on defense – including fumble returns by Joey Lutton and Dallas Hayes.
NARROWS 4A
At Gig Harbor 48, Stadium 0: Sterling Brown scored five touchdowns – four on short runs, the other on a 51-yard punt return at Roy Anderson Field in Purdy.
SPSL 3A
At Bonney Lake 27, Decatur 14: E.J. Harris rushed for a career-best 276 yards on 29 carries, and Chris Brown tossed a pair of touchdown passes to Zach Zaragoza as the Panthers won at Sunset Chev Stadium in Sumner.
NARROWS 3A
Shelton 34, at Lincoln 28: Jacob Rakes intercepted a J’Maka Love pass with 20 seconds to go for the Highclimbers, then as the backup quarterback Rakes tossed the wining pass to David Ajamu with 6.4 seconds remaining as Shelton stunned the Abes at Lincoln Bowl.
At Wilson 46, Mount Tahoma 0: Devon Phillips ran for 120 yards and three touchdowns for the Rams, who held the Thunderbirds to 60 total yards at Stadium Bowl.
SPSL 2A
Washington 22, at Clover Park 14: The Warriors twice drove into Washington territory in the final 15 minutes to try to tie the game.
The first drive ended on a turnover and the second one, with 20 seconds remaining from the Patriots’ 40, ended when the Washington defense stuffed Clover Park’s Brandon Pritchett on a counter run on fourth-and-2 to get a victory at Harry E. Lang Stadium.
Two Jordan Mezias touchdown passes late in the first half gave the Patriots a 22-8 lead.
White River 17, at Franklin Pierce 14: Dustin France kicked a 32-yard field goal with 2:04 to go as the Hornets won in Parkland.
NISQUALLY
At Charles Wright Academy 44, Vashon 20: Alexander Moore tallied three of the Tarriers’ four first-quarter touchdown, including one on a 65-yard run, and eighth-ranked Charles Wright won in University Place.
OTHERS/NON-LEAGUE
At Bellarmine Prep 24, Capital 14: Garrett McKay’s 59-yard punt return for a score with eight minutes to go gave the Lions (ranked No. 3 in 4A) a 24-7 lead, and the defense did the rest in a non-league victory over the Cougars (No. 3 in 2A) at Memorial Field.
Capital was limited to 194 total yards – with 130 coming from running back Kai Van Sickle.
At Tacoma Baptist 28, Darrington 21: Quarterback Taylor Martindale rushed for a career-high 203 yards, but it was Ben Cooksley’s two second-half interceptions that preserved the Crusaders’ win in University Place.
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