Tumwater heard the noise. T-Birds rout 4A-Puyallup by 50: ‘Not overwhelmed by the moment’
Tumwater’s status as a local 2A powerhouse is undeniable. But when 4A-Puyallup walked into town last Friday, it was reasonable to expect a competitive showing between the splash-play Vikings and run-heavy T-Birds. In the first of weekly previews for the area’s premier high school football matchups, the TNT preps department predicted Puyallup would fend off their 2A host, 35-28.
We’re sorry, T-Birds Nation.
The actual result reads like a typo at first glance. Something this lopsided was nearly unthinkable. In reality, Tumwater had made a South Sound-sized statement: The T-Birds ran wild for 362 combined rushing yards and stomped Puyallup, 56-6, in the non-league season opener at Tumwater District Stadium.
T-Birds RB Peyton Davis erupted for 181 yards and three touchdowns on nine carries, first-year QB Jaxon Budd threw three touchdowns on four pass attempts, and Tumwater triggered the 40-point running clock before trotting into halftime ahead by 43.
They certainly heard the noise.
“It’s kind of neat to see them go in and hear some of the outside,” head coach William Garrow said at Wednesday’s practice. “‘Hey, it’s a 4A team with these really talented athletes in lots of places.’
“The kids all hear that, right? They know. They read the newspaper and see all that stuff.
“It’s fun to go out watch them play well and have fun doing it, and see their hard work pay off.”
Tumwater stormed to last December’s 2A state championship with an undefeated 14-0 record, falling to Anacortes at Husky Stadium in Seattle, 60-30. Now, there’s a clear sense of unfinished business.
With six viable running backs in a well-oiled machine that is Tumwater’s Wing-T offense – aided by a defense impressing Garrow early on – there’s plenty to suggest another trip to the title game is within reach.
Yes, six backs. Two on the wing, two at halfback, and two at fullback, Garrow told The News Tribune on the first offical day of practice last month. “And we’re going to rotate the heck out of them all year.”
That was indeed the case last weekend. Senior RB Jaylin Nixon took five carries for 39 yards, Parker Berry handled five carries for 54 yards, and Brett Heryford gained 34 yards on three totes. Tumwater ran over a Puyallup defense with no answer, scoring touchdowns on seven straight drives.
“We had nothing to lose going into that game,” All-EvCo linebacker Cash Short said. “We were super excited, but also super confident. We were excited to prove everybody wrong. It was a big deal to us.”
WALL, SHORT LURK AT LINEBACKER
Meaningful, postseason football played into December is a tradition in Tumwater, now having reached the 2A quarterfinals or better in nine of the last 10 seasons.
This time around, it’s Beckett Wall and Cash Short leading the way.
The defense gravitates toward the leadership of their senior linebackers, friends since middle school and teammates at the position going on three seasons. Each tallied 100+ tackle, 15+ tackle-for-loss seasons in 2023 en route to the title game and return this fall with ample experience in big-game moments, considering Tumwater’s annual deep playoff runs.
After the title-game loss, Garrow worked with assistants to tweak defensive schemes. Much of the updated formula considered the explosive presence of their linebacking duo clogging the middle. What shouldn’t be forgotten in the recent Puyallup rout: the defense allowed just six points to a Puyallup offense boasting one of the area’s better skill position groups. The supposed shootout between heavyweights instead turned ugly and one-sided.
To Short, it’s a much simpler equation: “Everyone’s doing their job,” he said. “Nobody’s trying to be the standout guy.”
Wall logged eight tackles (one for loss) in Friday’s opener; Short tackled two and recovered a fumble. All-league defensive back Sunny Nguyen, a Timberline transfer, added five tackles and secured a 44-yard touchdown reception from Budd.
And Garrow enjoys the show as much as anyone.
“They’re not overwhelmed by the moment,” Tumwater’s coach said. “It doesn’t really mean anything to them, because of who they’ve played and how many games they’ve played in like that.
“They just play so damn hard. It’s fun to watch, really. As an offensive coach, I just get to stand here and watch them, and to see them fly right to the football is cool.”
One family vacation aside, Wall and Short attended all 32 summer practices throughout training camp.
It’s not a standard they set themselves, but one they’re following.
The success enjoyed after is the expectation. That’s what the T-Birds believe sets Tumwater apart, regardless of schedule.
“Everyone here understands those standards, and they’re willing to apply it,” Wall said. “We have a bunch of guys showing up for summer workouts, right? That helps drive a program, and keeps it going for years.”
