High school football roundup: Lincoln sneaks by Auburn Riverside with stifling defense
Results, recaps and more from Friday night’s high school football contests around the South Sound will be posted on this page throughout the evening.
Find Week 1 scores from games across Washington on our statewide scoring sheet, which will be updated live all weekend.
LINCOLN 14, AUBURN RIVERSIDE 6
Sione Kaho flashed the buzzed-about skill-set in his first high school football game for Lincoln on Friday. But the stars proved to be the guys playing defense for the Abes.
The Lincoln defense ensured that Kelly Sio-Fetaui’s four-yard touchdown run more than halfway into the second quarter would be the only points the Abes needed in their season-opening, 14-6 non-conference victory over host Auburn Riverside.
With one exception, the Abes defense held the Ravens to just 96 yards of total offense all night. Auburn Riverside had 164 yards overall, thanks to Jonathan Epperson’s 68-yard touchdown burst with 6:44 to play that cut the Lincoln lead to the final score.
However, even if the highly-touted Kaho hadn’t thrown his first TD pass to Jamirie Pringle with 7:02 to go, because of missed extra point after Epperson’s run, Sio-Fetaui’s early score would have held up.
“I’m happy with the ‘W’ for sure,” Lincoln coach Masaki Matsumoto said. “I’m trying to enjoy these ugly wins at this point in my career. Because I didn’t at all for a long time.”
Kaho had a more than solid freshman debut throwing the ball, even if a few questionable decisions led to a few big sacks that took away from his overall night. Kaho completed 20 of 26 passes for 258 yards and that touchdown to Pringle. But his final pass was his only interception of the night and it came in the end zone.
“First game under his belt,” Matsumoto said. “And he didn’t come over to the sidelines ever and whine. He’ll clean those things up.”
EMERALD RIDGE 36, PUYALLUP 23
Emerald Ridge’s offense piled up nearly 400 yards and five touchdowns in Friday night’s season-opener at Sparks Stadium, and convincingly ended Puyallup’s six-season winning streak in the series.
The Jaguars scored the game’s opening touchdown on their second possession, never trailed, and led by as many as 21 against their school district rivals in the eventual 36-23 victory — their first against the Vikings since 2016.
The win also gives the program an early 1-0 record in 4A SPSL play — with several more tough contests looming in the weeks ahead.
“It’s 1-0,” said Emerald Ridge quarterback Jake Schakel, who led the Jaguars to the 4A state semifinals last fall. “We have bigger goals to go further — so we go week-by-week, 1-0 each week.”
Emerald Ridge opened scoring with 5:59 to play in the first on a 5-yard pass from Schakel to Kajon Babcock, and Navarre Dixon added a two-point conversion run to give the Jaguars an 8-0 lead they never lost.
Puyallup responded with a 60-yard scoring pass from Kaden Rolfsness to Nicholas Neil early in the second, but couldn’t convert the two-point try, and Emerald Ridge kept an 8-6 advantage.
The Jaguars added two more touchdowns on a 33-yard pass from Schakel to Isaac Syph and a 31-yard pass from Schakel to Gio Kafentzis to extend their lead to double-digits for good, entering the break up, 22-6.
Puyallup added a 30-yard field goal from Luke Faccone and a pair of touchdowns on a 2-yard run from Rolfsness and 86-yard kickoff return from Kyson Douglas in the second half.
But, a pair of second-half touchdown runs of 10 and 1 yards by Dixon kept the lead out of reach.
Schakel finished 14-of-21 for 211 yards and the three touchdowns, while Dixon rushed for 160 yards and the two scores on 22 carries. Jesse Maines and Kafentzis also tallied interceptions for Emerald Ridge.
“All of the components of our offense — our run game, our pass game — it was working tonight,” Schakel said. “ … And our defense was locking stuff up, too.”
Rolfsness paced Puyallup in both passing (9-of-14, 150 yards) and rushing (13 carries, 127 yards), while Neil had three catches for 113 yards and Tayven Collins added an interception on defense.
Emerald Ridge travels to Olympia (0-1) next Friday in another 4A SPSL contest, while Puyallup hosts league rival Graham-Kapowsin (1-0).
NORTH KITSAP 24, MOUNT TAHOMA 21
Trailing 24-21 with three seconds left in Mount Tahoma’s nonleague home opener against 2A state power North Kitsap, it came down to a short field goal with just three seconds left on the clock for the T-Birds.
The kick was blocked and Mount Tahoma’s overtime bid was denied. Should Mount Tahoma have kept the offense on the field and gone for the win? T-Birds’ coach Keith Terry doesn’t regret the call.
“I’m OK with that decision,” Terry said. It’s a lesson for our guys. It’s bigger than tonight for me. I think there are some things we have to shore up as a football team. If we’re going to be a playoff football team, we have to make a field goal at the end of the game.
“Is there other options I probably could have done, in terms of winning a football game? Yes. But I stand with my decision. We learned a lesson from it.”
Sure, it was a disappointing way to finish an exciting game, but Mount Tahoma has to feel good about going toe to toe with one of the state’s top 2A programs. Trailing multiple times during the game, Mount Tahoma kept clawing back, at one point trying to game 21-21 after a Brison Bailey two-yard run and a successful 2-point conversion attempt.
About Bailey: the T-Birds are thrilled to have him back after he missed 2022 with injury. He rushed for a game-high 111 yards on 21 carries and a touchdown.
“Sitting out the whole season, it was hard watching my teammates go play without me,” Bailey said. “I give 100 percent every play, just trying to bring my team to a victory. We kind of failed tonight but I think I’m a big impact on the offense.”
YELM 8, CAMAS 7
Camas drove the ball to the one-yard line, bled the clock to near-zero, and trotted out the field goal unit. The Papermakers trailed by one, but a chip-shot field goal would give them a statement win over Yelm, the reigning 3A champion and repeat candidate.
Anthony Kiamco had other plans. Yelm’s senior linebacker rose above the defensive line and swatted away Camas’ last-gasp attempt — a miraculous denial, and a statement of his own. The Tornados prevailed, 8-7, in a season-opening contest where neither team could score beyond halftime.
What makes Kiamco’s game-saver all the more unthinkable? It was Yelm’s fourth goal-line stand at or inside the 1-yard line on Friday night. They bent, but refused to break.
Both teams found the end zone in the second quarter, only never to score again. Yelm tailback Brayden Platt ripped off a 30-yard touchdown run and converted his own two-point try. The Tornados drew first blood, 8-0.
Camas RB Titan Brody punched home a four-yard run in response. The halftime and final scores were identical.
Damian completed 12-of-19 passes for 110 yards. Marius snagged five receptions for 36 yards.
Kiamco was Yelm’s leading rusher with 16 carries for 61 yards; Platt took six carries for 51 yards.
Isaiah Patterson paced Yelm with 10 tackles; Onyx Carter added nine and Platt added seven.
Yelm’s Jordan Lasher and Arlo Henderson grabbed interceptions.
STADIUM 26, CEDARCREST 21
Donovan Gill showed out — Stadium’s quarterback posted video-game numbers with three total touchdowns in a 26-21 win over Cedarcrest in the season-opener.
All were different. Gill threw a five-yard touchdown, punched in a three-yard scoring rush, and grabbed a 55-yard pick-six as a Tigers defensive back.
Gill completed 7 of 12 passes for 175 yards and a score. Stadium begins league play in a competitive 3A PCL next Friday at Silas.
AUBURN 14, PRAIRIE 12
In a defensive battle, Auburn prevailed — the Trojans blocked a field goal and two extra-point attempts, more than the difference in a two-point victory over Prairie on Friday night.
The Trojans rolled to an undefeated league trophy in the 3A NPSL last season, and their 2023 campaign begins with a win, albeit in a non-league contest.
STEILACOOM 35, WASHINGTON 20
Drew MacDonald threw three touchdowns, Jaycion Cain was a 30-carry workhorse, and Steilacoom upended Washington in a season- and 2A SPSL-opener.
A deep core of Sentinel talent was on display. Cain’s 30 totes yielded 135 rushing yards. In the second quarter, Steilacoom turned to trickery when tailback-Cain connected with Vince Foster on a designed pass for an 85-yard touchdown.
Foster caught three touchdowns, in total, part of a 6-127-3 performance.
The Sentinels defense forced four interceptions — one apiece by Noah Maxwell, Evan DiPetrillo, Josiah Morley, and Deidrick McCrayton.
Steilacoom’s Dustin Kinney posted six tackles.
SUMNER 40, BELLARMINE PREP 0
Last season’s 4A SPSL champions started their league title defense with a shutout Friday night in Tacoma.
The Spartans, returning from a 4A state quarterfinals appearance in 2022, scored in every quarter while shutting out the Lions on defense in the 40-0 victory at Bellarmine Prep.
Reigning 4A SPSL MVP Matthew Spurbeck paced the Spartans in rushing, tallying 77 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries, while Steele Isaacs added another rushing touchdown for Sumner.
Sumner quarterback Tristen Rebar was 12-of-15 passing for 258 yards and a pair of touchdowns to Braylon Pope and Pono Borden in the season-opening win.
The Spartans host Curtis (1-0) in another 4A SPSL contest next Friday, while Bellarmine travels to Bethel (1-0).
LAKES 37, KENTWOOD 24
Legend Galeai’s four total touchdowns lifted the Lancers to a season-opening road victory over Kentwood on Friday night.
Lakes’ starting quarterback impressed in his sophomore debut, a year removed from earning the starting role as a freshman. Galeai tallied 245 passing yards (10-for-20) with three passing scores and one interception, adding 27 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Each of Galeai’s three touchdown passes went for 29-plus yards. His final pass attempt of the game — a 67-yard score to Exavier McChristian.
Sophomore wideout Tristan Baker hauled in a 42-yard touchdown from Galeai, and Julian Leblanc later grabbed a 29-yard touchdown.
Sean Stephens paced the Lancers with 60 rushing yards; sophomore tailback Tupualii Saleaumua added 14 yards and a three-yard score.
Kentwood QB Anthony Tucker thrived against an always-formidable Lakes defense. The senior completed 13-of-19 passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns and no interceptions.
This story was originally published September 1, 2023 at 11:01 PM.
