Week 5: What we learned from this week’s high school football games in the South Sound
In the fifth week of high school football in the South Sound, some winning streaks ended while other streaks extended, and league standings across the area continued to take shape.
Here’s what we learned in Week 5:
STREAKS SNAPPED, STREAKS EXTENDED
The last time Sumner beat Graham-Kapowsin, Connor Wedington was wearing a Spartans uniform. That was in 2016, when the Stanford-bound star returned a kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to seal a 34-27 win.
Since then, Graham-Kapowsin had rattled off five consecutive wins against Sumner, until the Spartans snapped the streak with a 34-31 victory Friday night at Art Crate Field in Spanaway.
Running back Matthew Spurbeck rushed for 279 yards and two touchdowns in the win, one of the best single-game statistical performances ever from a player wearing a Sumner uniform.
“We haven’t beat them in six years, so this was a huge deal,” Spurbeck said. “I mean, Coach (Keith) Ross has been trying to beat them for six years now. This was a huge deal to everyone in the town of Sumner.”
Sumner improves to 4-1 this season with the win, putting the Spartans in a three-way tie for first place with Emerald Ridge and Puyallup in the Class 4A South Puget Sound League.
After slow starts in wins against Bellarmine Prep and Curtis, then a loss to Emerald Ridge in Week 3, Ross has simplified things on offense, running downhill against opponents. The shift has paid dividends, both in a 40-10 rout of Puyallup in Week 4 and the win over Graham-Kapowsin.
“We finally decided that we were going to cross the street and get it on,” Ross said. “That’s what I talked about today. We’ve already crossed that street and we’re not going back. So this is the style of play we’re going to play for the rest of the year.”
Further south in Thurston County, another lengthy streak was snapped when W.F. West stunned last season’s 2A state runner-up Tumwater to take control of the 2A Evergreen Conference standings.
The T-Birds had not lost a league game since a rivalry loss to Black Hills back in 2018 until Friday night at Tumwater District Stadium.
W.F. West held Tumwater to its lowest point total of the season in a 28-7 win.
The victory over the T-Birds was the first for W.F. West since 2009.
“It feels incredible. Our boys worked extremely hard for this,” W.F. West coach Dan Hill said. “The offense had some big plays through the air, and our O-line held up against their athletic D-line.
“We had a great game plan going. Tumwater is one of the best in the state, and they executed the game plan perfectly. Our front seven are great football players, a very talented group of guys.”
Further north in King County, three-time defending league champion Kennedy Catholic routed Federal Way, 40-8, in a 4A North Puget Sound League matchup.
The victory not only gives the Lancers the only remaining undefeated record in league play so far this fall, but extends their long winning streak against NPSL opponents.
The Lancers still haven’t lost a league game since 2018.
“It really feels great to continue that legacy,” said Lancers running back and linebacker Xe’ree Alexander, an Arizona State commit.
Elsewhere, Puyallup pushed its current winning streak over crosstown rival Rogers to nine games with a 40-0 shutout at Sparks Stadium. The Rams last defeated the Vikings in 2012.
3A PCL STILL HAS THREE UNDEFEATED TEAMS AT THE TOP
The 3A Pierce County League again appears to be a three-team race between defending champion Lincoln, Lakes and Spanaway Lake this fall.
All three programs have reached the midway point of the regular season without a league loss.
Lincoln (5-0) opened league play with a win over Mount Tahoma the final week of September, and added a 43-32 victory over Bonney Lake on Friday night at Sunset Chev Stadium in Sumner.
Missouri commit and quarterback Gabarri Johnson completed 15-of-18 passes for 305 yards and five touchdowns, and added 13 carries for 76 yards in the win.
Lakes (4-0) also remained undefeated in its third league contest with a 70-28 win over Silas on Friday night at Lincoln Bowl in Tacoma, led by running back Ki’marree Washington (186 rushing yards, four TDs), BYU commit Leo Pulalasi (142 rushing yards, three TDs) and Oregon State commit David Wells (137 receiving yards, two TDs).
The Lancers also have earlier league wins over Bonney Lake and Stadium.
Spanaway Lake (4-1) has won its past four games after a season-opening loss to Gig Harbor, and has three 3A PCL wins over Mount Tahoma, Bonney Lake and Stadium during that stretch.
The Sentinels piled up more than 500 yards of offense against the Tigers in their most recent win, a 42-0 shutout Friday night at Stadium Bowl in Tacoma.
The league championship sets up to be decided in the final three weeks of the regular season, when the 3A PCL powers play each other in consecutive games.
Lakes hosts Spanaway Lake in Week 7. Lincoln hosts Lakes in Week 8. Spanaway Lake hosts Lincoln in Week 9.
3A SSC PLAYOFF RACE TAKES SHAPE
Yelm (5-0) remains the clear-cut favorite in the 3A South Sound Conference, clobbering North Thurston this week, 63-0, to remain undefeated. Aden Schaler hauled in a pair of receiving touchdowns and Kyler Ronquillo added another. Brayden Platt rushed for 139 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Damian Aalona completed 10-of-14 passes for three touchdowns in the win.
Peninsula (4-1) also won big, beating River Ridge 48-6 on the road. Gonzaga baseball commit and Seahawks quarterback Payton Knowles completed 14-of-21 passes for 197 yards and three touchdowns.
Timberline (4-1) came away with an important win on the road against Gig Harbor, 36-34 in overtime. The 3A SSC has four playoff bids and Yelm, Peninsula, Timberline and Gig Harbor seem like the most likely four. Timberline’s win over Gig Harbor puts the Blazers in good position to contend for one of the top spots.
“This is big,” said linebacker Kaleb McNeely, a four-year starter. for the Blazers. “Our coach all week was telling us, this is a playoff game for us. We win this game, it puts us in a really good spot.”
1A EVERGREEN LOOKS TOUGH
Eatonville came out on top against Tenino in a 1A Evergreen Conference matchup that lived up to the billing.
Quarterback Job Kralik plunged into the end zone to give Eatonville the lead in the fourth quarter and the Cruisers hung on, winning 27-22.
There were a total of three passes thrown in the entire game, two by Kralik and one from Tenino quarterback Cody Strawn. These are two of the state’s best run-heavy teams. Kralik rushed for 138 yards, Eatonville running back Dylan Norman rushed for 153 yards and Tenino running back Dylan Spicer had the biggest night of all, rushing 22 times for 252 yards and two touchdowns.
Eatonville coach Gavin Kralik made a point of noting how tough the league looks, with Eatonville, Tenino and Montesano all looking dangerous.
“Great game,” Gavin Kralik said. “I think we’re going to have multiple teams coming out of our league. Montesano is doing really well, too, and our league was 15-5 in nonleague games through the first four weeks.”
Eatonville, now 5-0 and the only undefeated team remaining of the three, hosts Montesano on Friday night.
STILL UNDEFEATED
Last week there were eight programs remaining across the South Sound with undefeated records.
Entering Week 6, there are six.
Two 3A PCL contenders in Lincoln and Lakes, as mentioned above, are still undefeated following wins over Bonney Lake and Silas on Friday night.
Yelm, last season’s 3A SSC co-champion and the favorite in the league this fall, continued its dominant run with a 63-0 shutout of North Thurston on Friday night at home.
The Tornados (5-0) have outscored their opponents — which also include 4A Greater St. Helens League powers Camas and Union, and league opponents Central Kitsap and River Ridge — 276-27 midway through the regular season.
Lincoln, Lakes and Yelm are three of 10 teams in 3A that have not lost a game through the first five weeks.
Enumclaw, the 2A South Puget Sound League favorite, continued its convincing run this fall with a 56-13 rout of defending league champion Steilacoom on Friday night at home.
The Hornets (5-0) also have earlier wins over last season’s 3A SSC co-champion Peninsula, Silas, and league opponents Washington and Fife.
They are one of six still undefeated teams in the state in 2A.
As mentioned, Eatonville (5-0) remained undefeated with the 27-22 win over previously undefeated Tenino on Friday night on the road.
The Cruisers also have previous wins over 2A programs Olympic and Orting, as well as 1A Nisqually opponents Cascade Christian and Bellevue Christian.
Vashon Island (4-0) resumed its schedule with a 17-14 win over Klahowya on Friday night at home to add to earlier wins over Fort Vancouver, Sultan and Blaine.
Eatonville are Vashon Island are two of eight without a loss in the 1A classification.
Elsewhere in the state, Chiawana is the only remaining undefeated team in 4A, following a 24-13 win over previously unbeaten Kennewick.
Three teams remain undefeated statewide in the 2B ranks, and seven in 1B.
