Possible 2A state tournament preview? Tumwater edges North Kitsap, 8-6, in defensive battle
In a game between Class 2A powerhouses that saw little offense and a whole lot of playmaking on defense, Tumwater found a way to prevail Friday at home against North Kitsap.
The Thunderbirds scored their only touchdown with 4.9 seconds left in the first half and held on for an 8-6 victory over the visiting Vikings in a game that could be a preview of a state tournament matchup down the road. North Kitsap made the state semifinals last fall, losing to Lynden 15-10. Lynden then defeated Tumwater 21-7 in the championship game.
“I think we’ll see them later on,” said Tumwater sophomore Derek Thompson, who accounted for Tumwater’s second quarter score and added a pair of interceptions on defense.
Points were at a premium Friday and Tumwater (2-0) struck first late in the first quarter after downing a punt inside North Kitsap’s 1-yard line. North Kitsap attempted to run out of shotgun but the Thunderbirds’ defensive line swallowed up Vikings running back Karson Walsh in the backfield for a safety.
Punting seven times in the first half, Tumwater’s offense finally found success against North Kitsap on the Thunderbirds’ final play before halftime. Senior quarterback Alex Overbay found Thompson behind the Vikings’ secondary for a 39-yard scoring strike to give the Thunderbirds a 8-0 advantage at the break.
Thompson said the coaching staff called in a route adjustment from the sideline on the play, which Tumwater ran unsuccessfully earlier in the game.
“It worked perfectly,” Thompson said. “I saw the defender kind of fall over and I said, ‘I just have to catch this.’ Alex threw a perfect ball.”
The miscue stood out as one of few mistakes North Kitsap made on defense the entire night. The Vikings held Tumwater without a first down in the second half and helped provide hope for a potential comeback.
North Kitsap (1-1) pulled within 8-6 with 9:45 to play as senior receiver Jaxson Gore hauled in a 16-yard touchdown reception from senior quarterback Beau Pahrmann, who entered the game after starter Cole Edwards left with an ankle injury in the first quarter.
The Vikings found other chances for points wasted: Pahrmann threw a pair of interceptions inside Tumwater territory and North Kitsap senior kicker Diego De Luna missed on field goal attempts from 49, 43 and 47 yards in the second half.
On North Kitsap’s final drive, the Vikings turned the ball over on downs at Tumwater’s 37 with 1:33 remaining.
“It’s little things,” North Kitsap head coach Jeff Weible said. “It’s fielding punts when we are supposed to field punts and not letting it roll down to the 1-yard line. It’s finishing drives, making better decisions, not throwing picks. It’s about making field goals. We’re not good enough yet to overcome those types of things.”
Thompson wasn’t surprised to see the outcome of the game decided in the final couple minutes.
“We knew they were going to be good competition coming in,” he said. “We prepared really well and I think we executed. We’ve definitely got some work to do.”
This story was originally published September 9, 2022 at 11:46 PM with the headline "Possible 2A state tournament preview? Tumwater edges North Kitsap, 8-6, in defensive battle."