Tumwater soars into third straight title game, where ‘Winning Football’ is the standard
At first glance, it’s easy to assume Tumwater’s head coaching gig would be a more-demanding job than most. Winning expectations. A lineage of successful coaches. The bustling youth program. A year-long sprint developing the next group of T-Bird contenders — and yes, even the local detractors despite annual playoff runs.
All of it applies, but head coach William ‘Willie’ Garrow doesn’t see the job that way. He’s exactly where he wants to be.
“I tell people all the time: It’s easier to be the head coach at Tumwater than it was at North Thurston,” Garrow said in his office Wednesday. “It’s easier because (my assistants) are so good at what they do.”
Garrow insists the coaches and coordinators surrounding him are the best in the state. A youth program sets the standard years before players arrive on campus, and defensive coordinator Tony Prentice along with offensive coordinators Scott Haury and Daniel Hinkle sustain it.
Saturday morning, the T-Birds (11-1) will board a bus destined for the 2A championship at Husky Stadium in Seattle. It’s their third year in a row appearing in the title game, a privilege that’s becoming routine.
“I think it’s just as special as the first one,” 2A Evergreen Defensive MVP Grady Wall said. “We have a great community, too, of people reaching out. It’s a great thing.”
It’s always been this way. Tumwater is a six-time state champion since 1987, appearing in 13 title games, and the coaches that took them to the mountaintop before Garrow arrived in 2023 visit regularly. Legendary head coach Sid Otton, at the helm from 1974-2016, will attend Friday’s final practice. Former head coach Bill Beattie paid a visit last week. Longtime offensive line coach Jamie Weeks stopped by just a few days ago, too.
“It’s a really unique place in that way,” Garrow said.
For Tumwater’s juniors, the December trip to Husky Stadium is all they know — but every team was unique, Garrow said. The road to this year’s title game for a new-look T-Birds core began in January when the once-underclassmen were thrust into the spotlight.
“Early on, I think that (this group) struggled with identity and self-doubt because the classes before them had really strong personalities and leadership,” Garrow said. “There were some kids in those classes, they’re all playing college football now, but they were really strong vocal leaders.
“There was this concern that these big senior classes that had great leadership have graduated now, and we’ve got a small senior class and they’ve never been in this position before. I think they had a little bit of self-doubt and they didn’t quite trust each other, and they didn’t quite know how to handle that piece of it.
“(Assistant coach) Rick McGrath is a miracle-worker. All of those returners, we started meeting every two weeks talking about building trust, and how to be leaders and how to work together and how to hold one another accountable.”
Tumwater eyes its first 2A title since 2019 after championship losses to Anacortes in 2023-24.
WALL, KAIKKONEN GUIDE TUMWATER DEFENSE
Before his teenage years, Grady Wall’s “big” buddy on Tumwater’s varsity team was Stephen Walker, a two-way lineman and 2020 graduate. T-Birds have been paired with youth program participants for decades, showing them the ropes of high school football, building family connections, and strengthening an already-tight-knit community.
They still see each other every day: Wall is the school’s leading tackler in 2025, and Walker now coaches the offensive line. Some ties just south of Olympia never loosen.
But Wall’s Tumwater roots go beyond Walker, the mentor-turned-leader. His big brothers, Cooper and Beckett, were TNT All-Area Picks in 2021 and 2024, respectively. He grew up learning the standard before ever suiting up in green and gold, just like the others.
“Being a 10, 11-year old when Cooper was playing… He was one of the hardest workers I know,” Wall said. “Same with Beckett. If you work hard, you can achieve the goals you want.”
Wall does everything for Tumwater. You’ll find him at linebacker and safety on defense. He’s part of the run-heavy Wing-T offense with six rushing touchdowns. He’s the long snapper on the rare occasion the T-Birds punt, the kicker for plenty of PATs, and a returner on special teams.
Junior LB Gavin Kaikkonen posted a team-leading 10 tackles with a pass deflection in last weekend’s 42-0 stomping of unbeaten East Valley (Yakima) in the 2A semifinals. Leading rusher Peyton Davis ran for 97 yards and RB Tyler Briscoe had 93 yards and a touchdown, the headliners of a Wing-T committee. A dozen T-Birds have rushed for a score this fall.
“Every day, I try to go with the mentality that there’s one thing I’m going to do better than I did yesterday,” Kaikkonen said. “Little steps.”
Wall and Kaikkonen spearhead the defense tasked with slowing the undefeated No. 1 Archbishop Murphy Wildcats (12-0) in Saturday’s championship. The powerhouse from Everett is littered with Division-I recruits, from 6-foot-6 Arizona WR/DB commit Henry Gabalis to Wisconsin DE commit Jack Sievers. Wildcats RB Isaiah Smith has assumed the workhorse role in the postseason with a three-touchdown game over defending 2A-champion Anacortes last weekend.
“It’s the goal since we started in the spring — bring home the state championship,” Wall said.
This story was originally published December 5, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
