High school football season preview: Tumwater T-Birds
The high school football season begins in early September and The News Tribune has been all over the South Sound, visiting local programs at practices before games begin. Up next, we’re previewing a handful of teams individually before the season kicks off.
Here’s how things are shaping up for the Tumwater T-Birds this fall.
Editor’s note: The “outlook” section for each program is pulled from the TNT’s preseason practice tour. Find the full practice tour story here, complete with insight on over 20 teams in the area, quotes, photos, videos and more.
TUMWATER T-BIRDS
Head coach: William Garrow, third year
2024 results: 13-1, Class 2A state runner-up
Offensive coordinator & base scheme: Scott Haury and Daniel Hinkle, Wing-T
Defensive coordinator & base scheme: Tony Prentice, 4-2-5
OUTLOOK
An annual tradition that spans decades, Tumwater gathered earlier this week to continue their “Buddy Program” — pairing varsity players with elementary schoolers who dream of playing at Tumwater District Stadium on Friday nights.
Tumwater sophomores, juniors, and seniors are partnered with youth T-Birds from second to fifth grade to show them the ropes of high school football, connect with local families, and support the bustling youth program that translates to strong turnouts for one of the state’s consistently-great programs. It’s a season-long relationship, from taking their “little buddies” behind the scenes for postgame celebrations in the locker room to attending youth games over the weekend.
“It’s the best thing we do in the community, and it’s not close,” T-Birds head coach William Garrow said. “Most of our (players) were little buddies. Now they get to pass it on.
“My son got to do it. He’s still in middle school now, but he still has the picture of his high-school buddy on his wall. It’s a really neat thing.”
Tumwater remains one of the area’s tight-knit football communities, producing a true contender year after year. The T-Birds soared to consecutive 2A state championship game appearances at Husky Stadium in 2023-24, falling to Anacortes in both, but they’re in the hunt for glory once again — boasting six running backs in a Wing-T offense that hasn’t lost a game in the 2A EvCo for three years.
“They expect to win because of the way they work in the offseason, the tradition, and the legacy,” Garrow said. “They expect to be there.
“We don’t talk about playing in December. We talk about trying to get better every day and the same cliche things that everybody does. But (winning it all) matters to them. If you asked them in an honest moment, they’d all tell you they’d love to get back there and have a chance to win again.”
Even more impressive: Tumwater blanked every league rival last year, stomping Black Hills, Aberdeen, W.F. West, and Centralia by a combined score of 218-0. A dozen T-Birds rushed for more than 100 yards in 2024 and 18 ran for a touchdown, including 687 yards and nine scores by RB Peyton Davis.
“It’s a lot of fun,” senior RB Brett Heryford said. “We all get there with our work. We all work hard the whole summer, and we hold each other accountable to get to the standard we need to meet.”
Heryford is among the returners, along with his linebacking brother, Blake, and senior QB Jaxon Budd. Tumwater’s signal-caller doesn’t have to throw 40 passes each night, but he’s efficient when called upon and impressed in Friday’s practice reps.
“If we throw 40 times in a game, you know something bad happened,” Garrow joked.
Six graduated seniors now play college football, but Tumwater returns nine starters altogether and sports many more with in-game varsity experience as last year’s blowouts became the norm.
Tumwater opens their 2025 season on the road at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup, clashing with a 4A Vikings squad they ran over by 50 points in Week 1 of last year.
KEY PLAYERS
RB Peyton Davis, sr.
RB Brett Heryford, sr.
QB Jaxon Budd, sr.
DL Vann Hannukaine, sr.
LB Gavin Kaikkonen, jr.
SCHEDULE
Sept. 5: at Puyallup
Sept. 12: at Bainbridge
Sept. 19: vs. Eastlake
Sept. 26: at Nooksack Valley
Oct. 3: vs. Union
Oct. 10: at Black Hills
Oct. 17: vs. Aberdeen
Oct. 24: vs. W.F. West
Oct. 30: at Centralia
This story was originally published August 27, 2025 at 3:00 PM.
