SAMMAMISH — When the Tumwater High School football team jogged into the locker room the last two weeks, there wasn’t much restraint. Against Puyallup and Bainbridge, the margin was sizable.
Twenty-five plus points both times. Thursday night was the exact opposite versus one of the best Class 4A programs in the state.
“This was a game that was going to test us,” T-Birds quarterback Jaxon Budd said. “Everyone was excited. We love to be in a battle and dogfight. We’d rather have a close game like this.”
A balanced offensive attack and a couple tide-changing second half plays allowed 2A Tumwater to piece together a 38-27 triumph over Eastlake in front of a packed house at Eastlake High School.
One of the reasons why head coach Willy Garrow wanted this game was to test his kids in the non-league slate before another potential run to Husky Stadium. The Wolves were a state semifinalist out of the KingCo league a season ago.
“That is a super physical, especially upfront (team),” Garrow said. “I’m ecstatic with them. Our kids responded the right way mentally. We’re trying to get them challenged to the point where they have to overcome different game situations. They haven’t gotten that the last two weeks.”
The film told one story about defensive looks that Eastlake would give Tumwater. The opening drive told another. What Garrow and the T-Birds prepared for was a 3-3 stack front. It faced a more base defense.
And that allowed Budd to showcase his arm.
The junior and first-year varsity quarterback completed 8-of-9 passes for 121 yards and included several key third down conversions to Sunny Nguyen, David Malroy and others.
“My coaches were in my ear the whole game on what to look for,” Budd said. “I was prepared. They burn it into our brains that things are going to open up. We have confidence on what to go to.”
Still, it doesn’t mean all of a sudden Tumwater will be a throw-first unit.
“I hope not,” Garrow said, point blank. “Quite frankly, if we can keep those skill guys fresh for defense, that’s great. We’re not afraid to throw the ball. It is not a situation where we needed to see something out of Jaxon Budd."
Up 21-13 at the half, the T-Birds ended up with a defensive stand that shifted the tide. The Wolves drove it deep into their opponents territory, but settled for a field goal attempt to make it a one-score game.
A low snap forced Eastlake to run with it on 4th and eight and Malijah Tucker plus others stuffed him for a turnover on downs.
“It was the momentum swing; I was pumped,” said Tucker, a Washington State commit. “Nobody gave up, even when the scores were a little closer. Everyone had each other’s back. Everyone was doing their jobs."
Tumwater chewed plenty of clock and used a Dylan Stevens 28-yard field goal to make it 31-13. Then, the Wolves started hitting big pass plays. Their next two possessions featured a 70-plus yard touchdown and methodically marching down the field.
It forced the Thunderbirds to “answer the bell,” three words repeatedly screamed at on the sidelines. Peyton Davis obliged.
He took a handoff down the sideline for the dagger and final touches on the victory. Davis led the T-Birds with 70 yards while Jaylin Nixon and Cash Short each had over 50. Defensively, Beckett Wall and Mehki Richardson had two tackles for loss apiece.
“We don’t think about getting the ball into a certain players’ hand,” Garrow said of the final TD play. “A tremendous ball fake, so it was an easy touchdown for Peyton. He got to walk into the end zone. It was because of our quarterback and fullback.”
Eastlake had the momentum after both sides scored on the opening possession. It got past midfield, but coughed up the ball and Tumwater recovered. Derek Thompson scored on a 5-yard plunge and Nixon scampered 40 yards.
It looked like another rout was on. Instead, the T-Birds got four quarters of competitive football for the first time. On the road, too.
“We’re getting prepared (for the postseason),” Budd said.
The last two non-league tests will be next week at home against 1A Nooksack Valley and then traveling to Vancouver to face Union. Tumwater will open the EvCo slate in Week 6 with an in-county matchup against Black Hills.
“We prepare normally and we’ll be ready for them, for sure,” Tucker said.
