State football notes: Enumclaw defense set for 2A quarterfinals matchup with Highline
Enumclaw High School’s defense hasn’t allowed opposing offenses to put points up on the scoreboard very often this season.
Entering this weekend’s Class 2A state quarterfinals, the Hornets carry the best scoring average against in the classification, allowing only 5.3 points per game through 11 undefeated contests.
Enumclaw has five shutouts this fall — including a 77-0 rout of Sammamish to open the postseason two weeks ago — and has allowed seven or fewer points in seven games.
The Hornets have allowed double digits in only three games, and never more than two touchdowns. Their season high in points allowed in a game is 14 — against 2A SPSL rival Fife back in Week 7 — in a contest they eventually won 44-14.
“We take a lot of pride in what we do, and we take pride in every single drive,” said senior Karson Holt, who starts at outside linebacker for the Hornets.
What’s worked so well for Enumclaw on defense this season?
“I think this year for the defense is really every game winning the turnover battle,” Holt said. “We have been able to get interceptions, fumbles — any way just to get the ball — and I think that really helps us.
“And then also just our grittiness, because we don’t let up a lot of touchdowns.”
Enumclaw has hauled in 19 interceptions so far this fall, recovered seven fumbles and has five defensive touchdowns.
The Hornets have allowed only nine touchdowns through their 11 games, including just five in the first half of contests.
And they get consistent contributions from every level of the defense.
Defensive lineman Ryker Popke (86 total tackles) and linebacker Anthony Mills (83) both average seven-plus tackles per game. Popke and Holt each have 15 tackles for loss, while linebacker Colton Paulson has 12, and Holt leads the way with eight sacks.
Thirteen Hornets have hauled in an interception this fall, led by defensive back Landon Brauer with three, while four more Enumclaw players have two. Five Hornets have recovered fumbles, led by Paulson’s three.
“Just unselfish play, I think, is the biggest thing,” Hornets coach Mark Gunderson said. “And what a great thing to say about a good defense.”
Enumclaw’s defense will face perhaps its toughest test yet this week, when the No. 3 Hornets (11-0) host No. 6 Highline (10-1) at 7 p.m. Friday at Pete’s Pool.
The 2A KingCo champion Pirates enter the week on a nine-game winning streak following their only loss of the season to 4A state quarterfinalist Kennedy Catholic back in Week 2.
They also rank second in 2A in scoring average with 52.1 points per game, and have piled up 31 passing touchdowns and 24 rushing.
“We know that they’re a really athletic team, a really explosive team and they can score one-play touchdowns,” Holt said. “So, we’ve got to bottle them up this week, and just play our best football all year.”
Highline also has a top-three defense in 2A, ranking third at 8.7 points allowed per game, while Enumclaw also has a top-three offense in 2A, ranking third with 46.7 points per game, setting up a tough matchup for both programs, with the winner moving on to the state semifinals next week.
For Enumclaw, a victory would secure a second consecutive trip to the final four after the Hornets advanced to the semifinals for the first time in program history last fall.
“We’re excited to have a chance to get back where we were last year, and in order to do that, we’ve got to take care of our business Friday,” Gunderson said.
EXTRA POINTS
▪ There are seven remaining undefeated programs in the 4A, 3A and 2A classifications, including four South Sound teams. No. 1 Graham-Kapowsin (11-0) is the only undefeated program in the 4A bracket, while No. 1 Yelm (11-0) is one of three in 3A, and No. 1 Tumwater (11-0) and No. 3 Enumclaw (11-0) two of three in 2A. There are 15 total teams in the state’s six classifications that are still undefeated entering the quarterfinals.
▪ No. 10 Kennedy Catholic and No. 2 Lake Stevens are set to play Friday night in a rematch of last season’s 4A state title game, which Lake Stevens won, 24-22, at Mount Tahoma Stadium in Tacoma. The 4A NPSL champion Lancers (10-1) enter this week’s meeting on a 10-game winning streak, while the 4A Wesco champion Vikings (10-1) have a seven-game winning streak. Neither program has lost to an in-state team this fall.
▪ Yelm has the longest active winning streak of any team in any of the state’s six classifications at 25 games following last week’s 38-13 first-round victory over Marysville-Pilchuck. The defending 3A state champion Tornados have not lost a game since the 2021 state quarterfinals.
▪ Tumwater scored a season-high 70 points in last Friday’s win over Port Angeles, which was the most points scored by an 11-man program in any classification in the opening round. Tumwater is also the only 11-man program in the state to clear 600 points so far this season, with 602 through 11 contests.
▪ Each of the South Sound’s seven remaining programs have advanced to the state quarterfinals multiple times in their histories, and will look to secure return trips to the semifinals this weekend.
Here’s what happened last time each team played in the state quarterfinals:
Kennedy Catholic — 2022 (beat Skyline; eventual 4A state runner-up)
Graham-Kapowsin — 2022 (beat Sumner; lost in semifinals to eventual 4A state champion Lake Stevens)
Mount Tahoma — 1980 (beat Evergreen of Seattle; eventually won second of two consecutive 4A state championships)
Yelm — 2022 (beat Kennewick; eventually won 3A state championship)
Enumclaw — 2022 (beat Othello; lost in semifinals to eventual 2A state champion Lynden)
Orting — 2005 (lost to eventual 2A state champion Pullman)
Tumwater — 2021 (beat Enumclaw; eventual 2A state runner-up)
