Tumwater bottles up Squalicum’s potent rushing attack in 14-3 win to advance to 2A state championship

On a late afternoon when two “Storms” – Squalicum High School’s sturdy defense and a constant downpour falling from opening kickoff to final horn – held top-seeded Tumwater’s offense to its lowest point total in more than four years, the Thunderbirds’ defense returned the favor.

With its defensive line and linebackers combining to hold both of fourth-seeded Squalicum’s Washington State commits, quarterback Leyton Smithson and running back Djouvensky Schlenbaker, well below their season’s rushing averages, Tumwater limited the Storm to its fewest points since it was shut out by Ferndale, 48-0, during the 2017 regular season.

The result was a 14-3 Tumwater 2A state semi-final victory Saturday on Sid Otton Field that sends the defending champion T-Birds (10-2) into a second consecutive 2A state championship game against frequent rival Lynden next Saturday at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup at 4 p.m.

Squalicum (8-3), from Bellingham, had scored 63 points in its quarterfinal rout of Ridgefield the week before and averaged 30 points per game this season.

The Storm sputtered each time it got near the Tumwater goal line, though, and had to settle for a 25-yard second quarter field goal by Sebastian Smith as its lone score.

“Our defense played lights out tonight,” coach Bill Beattie said. “You’ve got to credit our defensive staff for getting those guys ready. Then the kids played absolutely fantastic.”

Tumwater managed a semblance of its usual strong running game, with Carlos Matheney rushing for 97 yards on 17 carries, but scored both its touchdowns on plays that at least began as passes.

After a scoreless opening period, less than a minute into the second quarter, junior quarterback Alex Overbay found a wide open Ryan Otton on the right side for the game’s first score.

“They were up there trying to, as they did all night, stop our run and we were able to sneak that one in there,” Beattie said. “It was a heck of a pass by Alex and a nice catch by Ryan.”

Squalicum responded less than two minutes later, sparked by a breakthrough 58-yard run by Smithson that took the ball deep into the Tumwater red zone, first and goal just inside the 10. But short runs by Smithson and Schlenbaker and an incomplete pass left the Storm facing fourth and goal from the 11, so it opted for Smith’s field goal.

A Schlenbaker fumble late in the half, recovered by Tumwater linebacker Caleb Sadlemyer, set up a near buzzer-beating score by the T-Birds.

Facing a fourth and goal at the Squalicum one with eight seconds to play, the T-Birds called time out. They opted for a direct snap to Payton Hoyt in a wildcat formation. Hoyt rolled to his right, looking for a receiver, but finding none turned upfield and found the end zone with four seconds to play.

Neither team would score in the second half.

“Squalicum has a heck of a defense. They played great tonight,” said Beattie. “It was tough yardage.”

Squalicum kept threatening. One late drive was foiled when a broken trick play resulted in a 12 yard loss. Another drive stalled on the outskirts of the red zone when the Storm was hit with two major penalties in quick succession.

A final drive, fueled by a highlight-reel completion from Smithson to Kaleb Hawkinson that tipped off a Tumwater defender for a long gain, ended in an interception by the T-Birds’ senior defensive back Zander Hernandez.

Not since 3A power Bellevue downed Tumwater, 33-13, in a non-league game early in Beattie’s tenure, had the T-Birds’ scored so few points, but two touchdowns were enough to propel them into another state championship game.

Six times Tumwater has won a state title, most recently in 2019 when it beat an ultra-talented Steilacoom squad, 48-34. In between, after going undefeated in a COVID-19 pandemic-shortened season that featured wins over Prosser and the Sentinels in a rematch, the T-Birds were hailed as Spring 2021 champs by acclimation.

Second-seeded Lynden (11-1), which beat North Kitsap, 15-10, in Saturday’s other semi-final, stands in the way of a second consecutive official title.

Six times Tumwater has met the Lions during the state tournament, including back to back championship game losses in 2012 and 2013. The last time they met, Lynden won a 28-27 barn burner in the 2017 quarterfinals.

This story was originally published November 27, 2021 at 9:14 PM.