The juggernaut rolls: undefeated Graham-Kapowsin hands Bellarmine Prep its first loss
Graham-Kapowsin continued its defensive clamp-down on opponents during this 2021 high school football season, while the offense did what it has done on Friday night at Art Crate Field.
The result was another lopsided Eagles victory in the 4A South Puget Sound League, 41-0, over visiting Bellarmine Prep.
“We basically feed off each other,” Graham-Kapowsin coach Eric Kurle said. “To have great offense, you have to have great defense. To have great defense, you need good offense. They can control the game, the momentum of the game.”
Graham-Kapowsin now has outscored its opponents 284-15 over its first six games this season. The Eagles are 6-0 in the SPSL as they now prepare for a second consecutive undefeated opponent in the Sumner Spartans.
Bellarmine Prep (4-1) lost for the first time all season.
No Faking This One
The Lions, while not as completely dominant coming in on Friday, had put 129 points on the scoreboard over their first four games, an average of just under 33 points a game. On Friday, Bellarmine didn’t pick up its first first down of the game until sophomore quarterback Tyler Stowers connected with Jacob Hundven for 14 yards with just under four minutes to play in the game.
It came on the Lions’ second play of their ninth overall possession. The previous eight times with the ball had netted a total of three yards of offense.
On this final drive, with a running clock due to the lop-sided score, Bellarmine added 55 yards to that total. The drive, however, ended with a final buzzer after Stowers got one chance at an end zone throw on first-and goal from the Eagles 9-yard line.
Stowers had entered the game early in the third quarter after starter Ty Faker was hit by two G-K defenders while releasing a third-down pass and was injured. Faker was helped off the field, and was on crutches with his left ankle wrapped tightly as the teams left the stadium after the game.
“We don’t know yet, sir,” Bellarmine assistant coach Sefo Liufau said. Liufau was accompanying Faker.
Spreading the Wealth
For the Eagles, virtually everyone got involved offensively in a game in which they racked up 520 yards of offense, 301 of those on the ground.
Six different G-K players scored the six touchdowns.
Joshua Wood and the passing game produced the first two scores, both in the first quarter. Wood hit Andrew Savaiinaea for an 11-yard TD on the team’s first possession, giving the Eagles a 7-0 lead with 7 minutes, 16 seconds left in the first quarter.
On G-K’s next possession, it was Julian Mason with a 21-yard catch and run to make it 14-0 with 2:46 to go in the quarter. While Wood continued to compile an efficient 15-for-20 passing night for 198 yards and those two scores, the rest of the offensive scoring output went to the rushing game.
Khalil Yarbro (five yards), Zack Lee (eight yards), Jalen Davenport (three yards) and Marques Naputi (11 yards) all added touchdowns. Naputi’s came with 2:24 to go in the third quarter and put the Eagles up by more than 40 points, which invoked the mercy rule and a running clock the rest of the way.
“We’ve got three great running backs, a great fullback, our line’s incredible, our tight end’s good,” Kurle said. “So, I think maybe the most well-rounded team we’ve put on the field. Our quarterback can run and pass, our receivers are good. It’s a fun group to be with.”
Now That’s a Homecoming
Wood’s good night capped a Homecoming kind of day for the senior quarterback.
It started earlier this afternoon, hours before the game, with his announcement that he will play collegiately at Eastern Washington University next year.
“I felt like it was home to me,” Wood said of his choice to stay an Eagle. “I’ve always been talking to them, once a week or month. I have a great relationship with them.”
At halftime, with his team leading Bellarmine 28-0, Wood and teammate Joshua Holder participated as members of G-K’s Homecoming court. The announcement of Homecoming King was about the only thing that didn’t favor Wood all day, as Holder won the crown.
This story was originally published October 8, 2021 at 11:06 PM.