5 takeaways from Steilacoom’s statement win over Lincoln
This brisk night in March provided a rare meeting of two of the South Sound’s top high school football programs.
Lincoln and Steilacoom haven’t shared the field in recent memory, but both are perennial contenders in their respective classifications.
The Abes are the defending 3A Pierce County League champion and advanced to the 3A semifinals last season — their best finish in school history.
The Sentinels swept the 2A SPSL a season ago and played for the 2A state title — also a program-best finish.
Friday night at Steilacoom, in this pandemic-shortened season, their paths finally collided. The result? A 37-27 win for the undefeated Sentinels.
Here are five takeaways from the game:
1. Steilacoom led wire-to-wire, but the Abes stuck around until the final moments
The Sentinels took the lead on a 15-yard connection between Chance McDonald and Logan Brady late in the first quarter, and that was the game’s only lead change.
After the programs traded early interceptions — Ace Falenofoa picked off McDonald on Steilacoom’s first drive, and Tre Horner intercepted a Gabarri Johnson pass to get the ball back a few plays later — the Sentinels broke a scoreless tie on the first play of their third drive following a high snap on a Lincoln punt attempt that set them up immediately in the red zone.
The Abes ran into trouble on special teams throughout, and had another wayward punt attempt on the following drive, leading to the first of four touchdown connections between McDonald and DJ Fryar.
Lincoln answered minutes later with the first of Johnson’s four touchdown passes, but the Sentinels scored again on their next drive. The Abes closed the half with another Johnson touchdown pass to make it 19-14, but that was as close as they got.
“We were a few plays away, I thought. … We just came up short,” Lincoln coach Masaki Matsumoto said.
McDonald — who finished 22-of-39 for 314 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions — tossed two more touchdowns in the third quarter, the first set up by another punting snafu, to give Steilacoom a three-score advantage before the Abes started chipping away again.
Johnson threw two more touchdown passes midway through the fourth quarter, but the Sentinels had an answer in between.
Down 37-27 with less than two minutes remaining, Lincoln worked into Sentinels territory, but ultimately ran out of time to put together a late comeback.
In his fourth varsity start, Johnson, a four-star recruit, finished 21-of-49 passing for 330 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions.
He connected with Chance Bogan for a 2-yard score, LaRon Monroe for touchdowns of 15 and 36 yards and Joziah Nixon for a 17-yard score. Nixon led the Abes with 123 yards on six catches, while Monroe had 102 yards on five.
“We’ve got a couple weeks left, and I told them we’ve got to keep growing up,” Matsumoto said. “They’ve made huge strides the last couple weeks and I’ve been super proud of them.
“We just ran into a good team and we can’t make all those mistakes when we’re playing those teams.”
Steilacoom coach Colby Davies said a win like Friday’s over a perennial contender like the Abes “means everything” for Steilacoom’s program.
“In this area, the Tacoma area, being the little 2A school, we wanted to come out and represent today,” he said. “This is a statement game to put everyone on notice around the area that, ‘Hey. We can play.’ We’re not just 2A runners up. This team can play with anyone and they proved that today. It was fun. A lot of fun out there.”
“It’s amazing,” Steilacoom senior Logan Brady said. “It’s a huge confidence boost for the team. Everyone in that locker room is really excited, and I think they’re going to bring that on to the next game.”
2. This win sets up a 2A title game rematch with defending champion Tumwater
There will be no state tournament this year, but the Sentinels will get a chance to play Tumwater next week, after dropping their only loss of last season to the T-Birds in the 2A title game, 48-34.
“We’re excited,” Davies said. “We love playing them. We scrimmaged them earlier this year so we’ve seen each other. We’re very familiar with each other.”
And a win over a program like Lincoln this week gives the Sentinels plenty of confidence heading into that game.
“Huge confidence,” Fryar said. “But, we also know we have to come in and still work hard this week.”
Lincoln, meanwhile, returns home next week for another matchup with a top South Sound program when it hosts Lakes in a 3A PCL clash.
3. Arizona signee Fryar caught four touchdown passes in his return from a shoulder injury
Fryar entered the season expecting to be a playmaker for the Sentinels on both sides of the ball, but a left shoulder injury sidelined him in the second quarter of their season-opener against Enumclaw last month.
Davies said he struggled with range of motion in practice and was tender trying to catch the ball, but showed up for this meeting with the Abes ready to play.
“After the first few catches and maybe the first touchdown or two, you knew he was good,” Davies said. “With him on the field, we’re a different team.”
Each of Fryar’s four catches of 19, 11, 14 and 35 yards resulted in a touchdown.
“I felt great,” Fryar said. “Honestly I was just coming back to do whatever I can to help the team out. I was glad I was able to get the ball as much as I did. I tried to contribute as much as I can, help out and do the best for the team.”
The Sentinels were certainly happy to have him back.
“He’s just a freak athlete,” Brady said. “He can do everything on the field.”
“He’s a huge part of what we do,” Davies said. “Kid’s a ball player.”
4. Brady does it all for the Sentinels
A reliable receiver week in and week out, Brady, a Central Washington signee, led the Sentinels in receiving with 144 yards and a touchdown on 12 catches.
“Logan’s so steady, so consistent,” Davies said. “When we want to take a shot or we want to get yards after catch, we usually go to DJ, but if we’re calling a concept and we need a route run or a double move, it’s Logan Brady.
“He’s the best route runner on our team and the hands are great. We know we want to go to him on third and fourth down when we really need it.”
Brady also hauled in a key interception early in the fourth quarter that stalled a Lincoln red zone drive.
5. Injuries could play into Steilacoom’s meeting with Tumwater
Davies said this pandemic-shortened season has resulted in the most injuries he’s dealt with as a head coach.
And they kept piling up for Steilacoom against the Abes.
The Sentinels were already without defensive end Judah Jackson and linebacker Lance Garcia, and then lost Air Force signee Tre Horner, who starts at both wide receiver and defensive back, midway through the third quarter.
Horner left with an apparent knee injury while attempting a catch in traffic, had it wrapped on the sideline and did not return.
“We’ll see what we get next week and if he will be able to play,” Davies said.
Horner had the interception of Johnson and three catches for 21 yards before the injury.
This story was originally published March 13, 2021 at 12:28 AM.
