5 takeaways from Graham-Kapowsin’s 4A SPSL title-clinching win over Sumner
The annual showdown between South Sound powerhouse programs Graham-Kapowsin and Sumner on Wednesday capped what has been a short, but telling spring season in the Class 4A South Puget Sound League.
How did it end?
The Eagles wrapped up their second consecutive undefeated run through one of the state’s top leagues with a 34-14 win over the Spartans — but not without a bit of drama in the second half on a rainy night at Sunset Chev Stadium.
Here are five takeaways from the game:
1. Graham-Kapowsin is still the team to beat in the 4A SPSL
Make that 18 consecutive wins spanning three seasons for Graham-Kapowsin in 4A SPSL play.
The last time the Eagles lost a league contest? That would be back on Sept. 21, 2018, when they dropped an overtime thriller to eventual league champion Puyallup at Art Crate Field in Spanaway.
Graham-Kapowsin has gone unmatched since, and wrapped up this undefeated run with a convincing win over an always-competitive Sumner team.
Here’s a quick look at the rest of the Eagles’ schedule:
Week 1 — 27-0 win over Bellarmine Prep.
Week 2 — Game against Gig Harbor canceled.
Week 3 — 41-7 win over Bethel.
Week 4 — 35-17 win over Puyallup.
Week 5 — 49-24 win over Peninsula.
But, this win over the Spartans was the crowning achievement.
“I couldn’t be more proud,” Eagles coach Eric Kurle said. “Probably one of the best wins I’ve had in a while because we had key kids gone and we started out really, really fast.”
Even without some usual contributors in Jalen Davenport (toe), Va’a Hansen (knee/ankle) and Jonas Waugh (shoulder), the Eagles scored on four of their five first-half drives to take a 28-0 lead into the break Sumner never recovered from.
On Graham-Kapowsin’s first offensive play, quarterback Joshua Wood connected with Vinicio Hansen for a 45-yard gain. Two plays later, he hit Julian Mason for a 31-yard score, and the Eagles never lost that lead.
They scored on each of their next two drives on a 34-yard touchdown connection between Wood and Hanson, and a 2-yard run by Zack Lee (29 carries, 103 yards). Their fourth drive ended in a punt, but their fifth led to another touchdown when Charlie Lockington punched in a 1-yard score.
Sumner cut the lead back to two touchdowns late in the third, but the Eagles responded five minutes later when Wood found Cameron Sonnenfeld to push the lead back to 20.
The Eagles finished with 419 yards of total offense.
“We’re big, physical, we run and then we showed today that we can just throw the ball and air it out,” Wood said.
2. Sumner rallied in the third quarter, but red zone penalties were costly throughout
Graham-Kapowsin scored touchdowns on each of its first three drives.
Sumner punted on each of its first three drives.
But still, the Spartans seemed well within striking distance when they marched down the field midway through the second quarter. They started near midfield, and quickly drove into the red zone on a pass and four consecutive runs.
But, on fourth-and-1 from the Graham-Kapowsin 12, the Eagles’ defense popped the ball loose from Peyton Wing, and the offense capitalized with a 94-yard scoring drive.
Sumner got another chance to respond before the half ran out. Three completions of 10, 14 and 31 yards by quarterback Bo Carlson suddenly had the Spartans at the 8. But, another fumble and Eagles recovery ended the half with Sumner down four touchdowns.
“We had some costly turnovers and against a team like that, if you don’t make plays and turn the ball over, you’re going to get beat,” Sumner coach Keith Ross said.
The Spartans still seemed on the verge of a comeback in the third. They opened the half with nine consecutive rushing attempts — including a 26-yard burst by Wing — and had the ball at the Eagles’ 7 before another costly fumble.
Though, this time, Sumner got the ball back four plays later when Tristan Dunn hauled in an interception that bounced off a receiver and into the air, and Carlson connected with Zion Scott for a 19-yard gain and Kaiden Norman for a 21-yard score to get the Spartans on the board with 6:00 to go in the quarter.
Less than four minutes later, the Spartans capitalized on a special teams miscue by Graham-Kapowsin, and Wing capped a quick four-play drive with a 9-yard scoring run to make it 28-14.
But, Sumner’s scoring ended there. A penalty on Graham-Kapowsin’s next drive negated another deflected interception, and though the Spartans forced a punt, a fourth fumble, this time inside their own 30, led to the Eagles’ final touchdown.
Sumner turned the ball over on downs its final drive after Carlson left with an injury, and the Eagles ran out the final 8:34, eventually taking a knee inside the Sumner 5.
“We looked like we were playing scared and timid in that first half and they jumped on us early,” Ross said. “I’m proud of how we responded at halftime. We came out and at least made a game of it.”
Wing was Sumner’s top contributor on offense with 100 yards and the touchdown on 16 carries.
Carlson finished 8-of-10 passing for 125 yards and the touchdown.
3. Julian Mason is ‘clutch’ for Graham-Kapowsin
Mason was a big reason the Eagles jumped out to the four-touchdown lead Sumner couldn’t overcome.
Each of his seven catches — for a game-high 126 yards — came in the first half. His first was for the 31-yard touchdown that gave the Eagles the lead less than two minutes into the game.
But, perhaps even more impressive, four of his catches were on crucial third downs that kept three more Graham-Kapowsin scoring drives alive.
“Juice — that’s my guy,” Wood said. “We’ve been together since third grade. We have a different type of chemistry that we just can’t explain.
“I know where he’s going to be and he knows where I’m going to put it. I believe and trust that he’s going to go and get the catch and he’s going to turn upfield and go get the first down.”
Mason hauled in a 12-yard pass on a third-and-7 on the Eagles’ second drive. He converted another third-and-7 the following possession with an 18-yard catch. On Graham-Kapowsin’s final drive of the half, he converted a third-and-6 with an 8-yard catch and moments later a third-and-11 with a 15-yard grab before he was tackled at the 1.
“Julian’s a clutch football player,” Kurle said. “He’s so competitive.”
4. Joshua Wood looks like a veteran starter
This was the fifth varsity start of Wood’s career, but playing opposite even the toughest teams in the 4A SPSL — like Puyallup and Sumner — he’s looked like a veteran.
“He is so calm and he’s so smart in what he does as a football player,” Kurle said. “He’s got a great arm, but the biggest thing is he’s very calm and he’s smart in what he does.”
Wood finished 16-of-23 passing for a career-high 298 yards, the three touchdowns and one interception. He was 12-of-15 for 261 yards and two scores in the first half alone. He connected with eight different receivers in the game.
He also added a 24-yard scramble as part of the Eagles’ 12-play scoring drive to end the first half.
Wood wrapped up his first season as the Eagles’ starter completing 57-of-88 passes for 981 yards and 11 touchdowns with a completion percentage of 64.8.
5. Could next season be the season the Eagles claim their first 4A state title?
Most of Graham-Kapowsin’s offensive line and its skill position players are underclassmen and will return next fall.
Could this be the season the Eagles finally claim their first 4A title? They certainly appear poised for a solid run.
“We’re excited,” Kurle said. “Like we told (the players), we went undefeated this year, let’s keep it going next year. It starts now.”
Spring practices begin in June, and the Eagles will gear up for their next run through what will still be a loaded 4A SPSL — Puyallup and Sumner should be contenders as usual — in September.
“Next year is going to be even better,” Wood said.
Graham-Kapowsin has reached the state playoffs each of the past 15 seasons, and the state playoffs each of the past six, but has never played in a championship game.
The program’s best finish was a semifinals appearance in 2014, where the Eagles’ bid for a title ended with a 28-12 loss to Chiawana.
This story was originally published March 25, 2021 at 12:34 AM.
