The scene on the field postgame at Bearcat Stadium on Friday in Chehalis was a familiar one.
W.F. West, fresh off of its 17th straight victory over Centralia in the annual Swamp Cup, took photos and celebrated with family, friends, and the Swampman Trophy.
The final result has been the same since 2009, and W.F. West has won in blowout fashion several times over that stretch.
Even by the Bearcats’ lofty standards, Friday was different.
W.F. West put together one of the best performances in the series’ history, scoring 70 points in a 70-0 thrashing of its cross-town rival.
It’s the second-largest victory in Swamp Cup history, only eclipsed by Chehalis’ 83-0 win in the first of two meetings during the 1917 season.
“It’s pretty awesome to carry on the legacy,” W.F. West’s Graysen Serl said. “I’m just really happy. On senior night, to come out with my boys and put on a show with them. It was a fun game.”
It was clear early on that the Bearcats were in store for a historic performance.
Wyatt Hoffman capped the first drive of the game with a 1-yard score, hit Serl for a 33-yard touchdown later in the quarter, and scored another rushing touchdown on the final play of the first.
Fifteen seconds into the second quarter, Connor Coleman jumped a route in the flat for an interception, and he returned it for a touchdown. The next play resulted in a Centralia turnover, and the following play after was another Coleman TD.
Just over a minute into the second, the Bearcats already had a 35-0 lead.
Hoffman hit Serl on another touchdown later in the second quarter, and though it went down as a 48-yard score, nearly all of that yardage was after the catch. That was also the case on Hoffman’s first two touchdown passes.
The Bearcats countered Centralia’s soft shell coverage with a barrage of swing plays and screens, which allowed their playmakers to get the ball in space with blockers ahead of them.
“We’re just taking what they give us,” W.F. West coach Dan Hill said. “We were demanding our receivers to block and to get our O-line to get out, run and block.”
In just two quarters of work, Hoffman finished the night 14 for 15 with 167 yards and five total touchdowns. Serl hauled in four catches for 85 yards and two touchdowns, while Connor Coleman added 28 yards and a score on three receptions.
Fenix Nolan found the end zone twice in the second half, once through the air and once on the ground, and Miles Martin and Kade Mohoric both added rushing touchdowns. Martin finished with 86 yards on just four carries, while Mohoric needed just five carries to tally 62 yards.
“It’s just exciting,” Hill said. “Everybody’s involved. The starters and the seniors love rooting on the younger guys and seeing them have a lot of success. It’s a lot of fun.”
It was hard for Hill to think of a better way to send off this group of 10 seniors, who played their final regular season game at Bearcat Stadium.
“Senior night is always a special night,” Hill said. “The seasons go so darn fast, and I love these guys … Being able to soak it all in, be able to play on our field one last time, and be in the locker room after a win one last time. All of it is super special. They wanted to come out here and play lights out, and they did.”
On the other sideline, the Tigers weren’t able to get anything going on either side of the ball.
Centralia’s best drive came early in the second half, when it moved the ball past midfield, but a turnover on downs followed shortly after.
Malcolm Tukes was limited to just 29 yards rushing, while Hayden Holtgrew added 23. As a team, the Tigers were outgained 373-80.
“Just told them to keep their heads up,” Centralia coach Tyler Gedney said. “I feel like most of our guys played hard, but it’s a tough one.”
Centralia (1-6, 0-3 2A EvCo) will return home next Friday, Oct. 24, to host Vashon Island.
“I’m looking to put it behind us and move on to Vashon next week,” Gedney said.
W.F. West (6-1, 2-0 2A EvCo) will head north to face Tumwater in a matchup that, in all likelihood, will determine who will end the season as EvCo champions.
“We’re pretty confident,” Serl said. “We’ve been mentally ready for this, and our mindset is in the right place.”
