3 takeaways: Top-ranked Graham-Kapowsin beats Puyallup, 34-3
It was a methodical effort by the top-ranked Graham-Kapowsin Eagles at Art Crate Field on Thursday night against tenth-ranked Puyallup. Graham-Kapowsin beat Puyallup, 34-3. Here’s what we learned from Graham-Kapowsin’s win.
GRAHAM-KAPOWSIN LOOKS THE PART
The Eagles were methodical against Puyallup on Thursday, scoring at will and stifling Puyallup’s offense. In the first half alone, G-K scored touchdowns on all three of its possessions. Defensively, the Eagles held the Vikings to 36 passing yards and the Vikings’ running backs to just 22 yards. By the time the teams jogged into the locker rooms for the halftime break, it was clear the Eagles were simply on a different level than their opponent. It’ll be that way in most games this year.
It ended with crooked numbers: A 34-3 final score. On the night, Graham-Kapowsin outgained Puyallup 420 to 88 yards.
Graham-Kapowsin scored a touchdown on all but three of its offensive possessions in the win. On two possessions, the Eagles punted. On the final possession of the game, Graham-Kapowsin quarterback Joshua Wood took a knee at the Puyallup 6-yard line, content to let the clock hit zero. Otherwise? Touchdowns on every possession.
“I thought we kept them off balance well in the first half, controlled the football throwing, dink and dunk, getting first downs,” said Graham-Kapowsin coach Eric Kurle. “We have three great running backs. We have incredible receivers. Our tight end made some great catches down the middle. (Wood) was lights out.”
IT STARTS UP FRONT
There are some skill position weapons on this roster, to be certain, but the heart and soul of this team is its physical line play, led by UW commit and left tackle Vega Ioane and twin brothers Hunter and Curtis Hill.
“I love the line, they love us, they give us great character and everything,” Wood said. “They get me fired up, get the running backs fired up, then we get the run game going and get the pass game going.”
The offensive line paved the way for 291 rushing yards. And it opened up the playbook for Kurle and his coaching staff, leading to wide open receivers on play action passes. On a fourth-and-goal in the second half from the four-yard line, Wood faked a toss to his running back, before finding tight end Andrew Savaiinaea wide open for an easy touchdown toss.
Plays like that are open because of the way G-K establishes the run, behind its hulking line.
“Coaches and our quarterback know what me and our linemen can do,” Ioane said. “We move people around, easy. Sure, we’re going to face some more challenges but right now, we’re doing what we do.”
Wood rushed for 58 yards and a touchdown on eight carries. Zack Lee rushed for 73 yards, Khalil Yarbo rushed for 77 yards and Jalen Davenport rushed for 56 yards.
“With the run, the line, they did their job,” Wood said. “After the running backs do their job and the line, we’re able to get stuff going. All the play fakes, they work because of the line.”
Defensively, Graham-Kapowsin took Puyallup out of everything it wanted to do. Puyallup’s running backs managed just 44 rushing yards on the night and 72 passing yards.
“Every one of our guys on defense flew around,” Kurle said. “We felt we could stop them in a three-man front, their run game. We wanted to get into their flats and cover their guys.”
GIVE JOSHUA WOOD SOME LOVE
Eric Kurle thinks his quarterback deserves more attention.
“The Pac-12, those schools, they’re stupid if they don’t start looking at him,” Kurle said. “The way he played tonight, he can play anywhere.”
Wood completed 17-of-23 passes for 137 yards and four touchdowns in the win. He rushed eight times for 68 yards and a touchdown. In the first half, he was 12-of-13 passing. It was a fluid, efficient effort that looked effortless most of the time.
“He’s such a great athlete, but the biggest thing, he’s just calm,” Kurle said. “Under pressure, he’s calm. He makes plays. He controls what’s going on, controls his emotion. He’s accurate, he throws the right ball to the right people. He’s smart, he wants to learn. The biggest thing, he’s got that ‘it’, where he can take off and run if things aren’t there and make plays with his feet.”
Ioane, who is committed to Washington, shares his coach’s thought process.
“All I gotta say is they gotta rank my QB higher,” Ioane said. “They gotta get him some more stars. He was awesome. He’s been proving it since freshman year. We’re proud to be able to protect him and all that.”
This story was originally published September 23, 2021 at 7:39 PM.
