No. 6 Puyallup makes another statement. This time, with a thrilling OT win over No. 1 Graham-Kapowsin
Last week, Puyallup made a statement in the Class 4A SPSL with a 30-point win over Sumner.
This week, the sixth-ranked Vikings showed the state how serious of a contender they are, knocking off top-ranked Graham-Kapowsin in an overtime thriller on its home turf.
“It’s really huge for us,” Puyallup quarterback Jacob Holcomb said. “I think it helps with our confidence. We were already confident before, but a win like this, against a team like that?
“G-K, they’re a great football team, really disciplined. For us to come here and beat them is just huge for us.”
The Vikings (4-0) sped to a three-touchdown lead, forced a crucial turnover in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter after allowing the Eagles (3-1) to climb all the way back, and stymied G-K in the extra period to escape with a 41-34 win Friday night at Art Crate Field in Spanaway.
The Vikings scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 2-yard Kyle Cramer run in the first overtime period, and Ben Rodriguez picked off Washington Huskies commit Dylan Morris on the first play of G-K’s ensuing drive to end the game.
Puyallup’s sideline emptied, and piled on top of the senior cornerback in the south end zone.
“Wow,” Puyallup coach Gary Jeffers said. He paused for a moment to consider what just happened.
“Graham-Kapowsin’s a great football team, and they tested every corner of our will and our determination,” he continued. “There were moments in the second half where I wasn’t sure which way our team was going to turn.
“I just got done telling them in the locker room, the willingness to never quite, the desire to keep going when the odds are not in your favor — those are the things that are going to sustain us for the rest of the year.”
Puyallup, the defending 4A SPSL champion, takes firm control of the league after topping Sumner and G-K in back-to-back weeks for the second consecutive season.
“It just shows the change in our culture, honestly,” said Holcomb, who is in his second season starting. “The guys we have, we’re winners, we know that, and I think we’re proving that.”
For the first several possessions of the game, it appeared Puyallup was on its way to another rout — similar to the 37-7 win it posted over Sumner last week.
The Vikings scored three consecutive touchdowns before the Eagles ever crossed midfield.
Cramer — who led the Vikings with 130 yards on 26 carries — scored the first of his three touchdowns on an 18-yard scamper less than four minutes into the game.
Sermon Wilson picked off Morris on the following drive, setting Puyallup up at the G-K 36. Holcomb hit Darius Morrison for a 1-yard touchdown eight plays later.
And Holcomb connected with Justin Haase — who stumbled past two defenders before regaining his footing for a 43-yard score — on the first play of the Vikings’ next drive.
The Eagles answered with 15 seconds remaining in the first quarter. A 35-yard pass from Morris to Malaki Roberson set G-K up at the 1-yard line, and Aaron Olmos — who consistently punished Puyallup’s defense and led all rushers with 185 yards and two touchdowns on 33 carries — punched in the touchdown.
But, Puyallup pushed its lead back to three possessions on a 17-yard Cramer run on the next drive.
Did Jeffers think this might turn into a rout for the second week in a row?
“No. Aboslutely not,” he said. “G-K has an awful lot of weapons. We watched their film against the Oregon team (Sheldon). The team in Oregon kind of got up on them and G-K battled back.
“They’re a huge, physical football team. We knew we were in for a fight.”
Tommy Loa scored on a 4-yard run for the Eagles with 3:37 remaining in the half after forcing Puyallup to turn the ball over on downs.
Then, the Eagles recovered a short kick at the Puyallup 37, setting up another scoring drive. Morris conected with Roberson for a 6-yard score to cut the deficit to 27-20 at the half.
“You have to keep your head up, keep the guys up, you know, bring them all in,” G-K lineman Ethan Tela-Porter said. “We all have that same mindset of coming back and winning.”
And the Eagles almost pulled it off.
Olmos stretched for a 4-yard score with 5:30 to go in the third, tied the game. And another turnover on downs by the Vikings set up a go-ahead touchdown for the Eagles.
Morris connected with Seth Olmos on a slant less than 30 seconds into the final period, and the junior sprinted by defenders for a 38-yard score.
Puyallup answered on the next drive, with Morrison snagging a 17-yard pass out of the air from Holcomb to knot the score at 34-34.
“We were just trying to bounce back, fight adversity, stay positive, and we came into the locker room and that’s what we talked about,” Holcomb said. “I think we did. Maybe some bumps in the second half, but when it came down to it, the game was on the wire, we stepped up and we made the plays to win.”
G-K was in position to score what could have been the game-winning touchdown with less than two minutes to play.
The Eagles burned five minutes off the clock on a drive that eventually set them up with a first-and-goal at the Puyallup 1, but Aaron Olmos fumbled trying to push his way into the end zone.
“We had our backs against the wall,” said linebacker Danny Uluilakepa, who caused and recovered the fumble. “I was just pushing the boys, telling them to keep going, to keep on fighting. We got to the line, and I knew the fullback dive was coming.”
Puyallup drove to its own 40, but punted back to G-K with 27 seconds remaining in regulation. Morris opted to take a knee to send the game to overtime.
Holcomb finished 16 of 21 for 223 yards and three touchdowns, with Haase (seven catches, 137 yards) and Morrison (five catches, 65 yards) as his top targets.
Morris was 14 of 26 for 196 yards and two touchdowns, and the two interceptions. Roberson led the Eagles in receiving with 11 catches for 135 yards.
NO. 6 PUYALLUP 21 6 0 7 7_41
NO. 1 GRAHAM-KAPOWSIN 7 13 7 7 0_34
P – Kyle Cramer 18 run (Carter Pierce kick)
P – Darius Morrison 1 pass from Jacob Holcomb (Pierce kick)
P – Justin Haase 43 pass from Holcomb (Pierce kick)
GK – Aaron Olmos 1 run (Josh Williams kick)
P – Cramer 17 run (kick failed)
GK – Tommy Loa 4 run (kick failed)
GK – Malaki Roberson 6 pass from Dylan Morris (Williams kick)
GK – Aaron Olmos 4 run (Williams kick)
GK – Seth Olmos 38 pass from Morris (Williams kick)
P – Morrison 17 pass from Holcomb (Pierce kick)
P – Cramer 2 run (Pierce kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATS
Passing: P – Holcomb 16-21-0-223; Morrison 1-1-0-41. GK – Morris 14-26-2-196.
Rushing: P – Cramer 26-130; Holcomb 12-13; Ethan Steward 2-(-1). GK – Aaron Olmos 33-185; Jake Porter 4-22; Morris 3-9; Loa 1-4.
Receiving: P – Haase 7-137; Morrison 5-65; Ethan Steward 3-29; Cramer 1-19; Cohen Cleek 1-14. GK – Roberson 11-135; Seth Olmos 1-38; Eython Daugherty 1-12; Porter 1-11.
This story was originally published September 22, 2018 at 3:02 AM.