Morris throws three TDs as No. 5 Graham-Kapowsin clinches home playoff game

With postseason home-field advantage hanging in the balance, points were at a premium Friday night in Sumner.

Then turnovers turned the tide.

No. 5 Graham-Kapowsin (8-1) forced three Sumner (6-3) second-half fumbles, and turned them into 21 points, running away with a 35-6 victory at Sunset Chev Stadium that secured the 4A SPSL’s No. 2 seed and a playoff game at Art Crate Field next week.

“We were shooting ourselves in the foot a little bit in the first half,” Eagles coach Eric Kurle said. “We know (Sumner’s) so sound on defense, but you know where they’re going to be. … We knew we had to make plays. We had to win physically up front.”

The lines on both sides of the ball were the key to the Eagles’ second-half surge.

The Graham-Kapowsin offense gained 185 yards on the ground at a 4.7 yards-per-carry clip on the hard running of fullback Jake Porter (86 yards and a touchdown) and backup tailback Shabro Johnson (72 yards) — who has filled in for injured Aaron Olmos and Tommy Loa the past two weeks.

“They’re stepping up. We lost two big-time players … but next guy up,” Kurle said. “Shabro had a great game last week and had a good game tonight, and hopefully we can push from there.”

The defense, though, took center stage.

Nasier Ford ripped the ball away from a Sumner player and raced 35 yards for a touchdown with four minutes, 26 seconds remaining in the third quarter to give the Eagles a 21-6 lead, swinging the momentum squarely in the direction of Graham-Kapowsin and effectively sealing the game.

“Feeding off the defense, they had four turnovers — that’s huge for an offense,” said Eagles quarterback Dylan Morris, a UW commit. “Just gives us a boost, we can run it more.”

Morris threw two interceptions and struggled to connect with his receivers in the first half.

But he slung a 46-yard dime to Valentino Hansen for a touchdown to open the third quarter, and the Eagles didn’t look back.

Morris finished 15 of 31 passing for 211 yards, the two picks and three touchdowns.

“We had a nice drive down the field and saw their corner was playing man on our outside receiver, and we thought Val could beat him on a corner route,” Morris said. “And he did just that.”

Hansen also caught a 25-yard score in the fourth quarter to widen the gap, then Porter capped off the affair with a 5-yard touchdown plunge with 7:32 left to close scoring.

The Eagles had taken a 7-3 lead into the break after Malaki Roberson brought in a 10-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter.

Sumner’s only points came on a pair of field goals from freshman Wyatt Redding (34 and 39 yards) in the first and third quarters.

Donovan Clark delivered perhaps the brightest moment for Sumner late in the first half, diving to snag his league-leading eighth interception off a Morris overthrow.

The Spartans would make another heroic stand a few minutes later, this time with Deontrea Stoudemire picking off Morris in the end zone to end the half.

But, Sumner never recovered from Morris’ first touchdown connection with Hansen, and the Eagles closed the game with four unanswered touchdowns.

“Sumner played their hearts out tonight,” Kurle said. “(Looking ahead,) we’re excited for a home game. Our fans are great ... it’s fun to play at home.”

S – Wyatt Redding 34 field goal

GK – Malaki Roberson 10 pass from Dylan Morris (Josh Williams kick)

S – Wyatt Redding 39 field goal

GK – Valentino Hansen 46 pass from Morris (Williams kick)

GK – Nasier Ford 35 fumble recovery (Williams kick)

GK – Hansen 25 pass from Morris (Williams kick)

GK – Jake Porter 7 run (Williams kick)