Jumper, Eatonville run past Orting, 57-35, to secure 2A state tournament berth

With a final scoreline resembling something out of a basketball game, Eatonville High School’s performance against Orting on Friday night might not have impressed the defensive purist. But Caden Jumper made sure that didn’t matter.

The Cruisers’ bruising, do-it-all QB led the offense to eight touchdowns in a 57-35 victory over the Cardinals at Orting High School (6-4), securing Eatonville (6-5) a trip to the 2A state tournament in the win-and-you’re-in, loser-out contest.

“We wanted to be balance, run the ball, throw the football,” head coach Gavin Kralik said. “(Our kids) are definitely the most unselfish group I’ve ever coached. Doesn’t matter who’s playing at quarterback, what roles kids are put in on a given play, they’re just really unselfish and play for each other.”

Jumper, of course, made the surprise move to quarterback this offseason. The versatile three-star tight end recruit split snaps in the backfield with Zach Smith, a multi-threat senior in his own right who threw, ran and caught against Orting. Jumper scored with his legs and with his arms on the evening, and churned through multiple tacklers every time defenders swarmed to take him down.

Jumper completed 10-of-18 passes for 141 yards and two touchdowns in the win. On the ground, he rushed 14 times for 130 yards and two touchdowns.

“Obviously, he’s a great player. We love his toughness,” Kralik said.

The first quarter was a knock-down, drag-out fight that left both teams feeling like they had a shot. Eatonville opened the scoring with a field goal with 8:46 left in the period, then Orting’s Dylan Spader ripped off a 77-yard touchdown sprint on the first Cardinals play from scrimmage to take a 7-3 lead.

The two teams continued to trade punches back and forth as the game opened up. Eatonville’s Alex Brymer went 28 yards to give the lead back to the Cruisers, 9-7, then Jumper threw a 60-yard pass to Job Kralik for the first of his four combined TDs (two passing, two running) to push the lead to 16-7 with 4:10 left in the first quarter. But Orting launched a nine-play, 54-yard drive that was capped by a 7-yard Daniel Hobart scoring run to climb back into it -- then retook the lead, 21-16, on a Taylor Pozniak touchdown run after an Eatonville fumble on the kickoff set up the Cardinals with a short field.

“We knew the last couple times we played them, we beat them, so they kind of had that grudge on us,” Jumper said. “We knew it was going to be a fight.”

But the Cruisers didn’t really look back from there. Brymer and Jumper both scored on touchdown runs to push the Eatonville lead to 30-21. Then a single play swung the game’s momentum for good. After forcing an Orting punt and driving down into the red zone, Jumper threw a 19-yard pass into the right-hand corner of the end zone. Both Orting DB Aiden Herd and Eatonville’s Smith rose to meet it. As the bodies fell to earth, the nearest official signaled interception – a pivotal defensive play that would have kept the Cardinals in the game. But after an extended huddle, the ruling was changed – touchdown, Eatonville. 37-21, and the game was effectively decided.

“It was a good ball, I think, but the defense was right in the spot,” Smith said. “I just wanted the ball more.”

“I mean, I could have made a different ball,” Jumper demurred. “Could have thrown it back shoulder. But Zach made a good play.”

The Cardinals got a second home-run rush from Spader, this one 74 yards long, to cut the deficit to 37-28 with 3:38 left in the second quarter, but the damage was done – and Orting wouldn’t score again until late in garbage time.

Jumper, Nick Sawyer and Job Kralik rounded out the scoring for the Cruisers. Kralik caught three passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns.

Ethan Hobart had the final touchdown for the Cardinals.

Eatonville don’t know who they’ll play next, but they are one of the 16 teams qualified to play in the 2A state tournament. Avoiding injuries is a big reason why the Cruisers are getting to enjoy being a part of that select group.

“Our team’s healthy. This is the first time in my career that (I’ve) gone into Week 11 and got every single kid on the roster healthy and able to play,” he said. “I’m just really excited about what’s ahead of us.”

This story was originally published November 9, 2019 at 9:08 AM.