TUMWATER — This time last year, when the 2024 Tumwater Thunderbirds were going through their summer workouts and first practices, there were banners displaying the score of the 2023 state championship game.
Anacortes 60, Tumwater 30.
The rematch in 2024 was closer, but the ultimate result was the same. For the second year in a row, and the third time in four seasons, the T-Birds finished one win away from a state title.
There were no banners at Tumwater District Stadium this summer, but the Thunderbirds returned with the same fire and intensity that they have grown accustomed to.
“Coaches do a really good job of trying to make sure that we focus on the moment and getting better,” Tumwater coach William Garrow said. “The process that exists to get to December doesn’t happen overnight.
“It hurts,” Garrow continued. “But they move on, and they understand the process that it takes to get there. So you just gotta go back to it. Start back at square one and keep building back to it. That’s the goal.”
Like the last several years, there is plenty of talent at Garrow and his staff’s disposal.
Peyton Davis and Tyler Briscoe combined for nearly 1,100 yards and 16 touchdowns last year, and Grady Wall (13.46), Brett Heryford (9.66), and Kyson Sayamnet (12.11) all averaged over nine yards per carry last fall.
Brett Heryford’s brother Blake is also expected to step into the rotation after playing on the interior of the line last fall.
“I think it’s nice to have a variety of backs,” Briscoe said. “I think we lean on each other. Someone can’t have a great lay without another back’s fake or block downfield. I think we all are synchronized together and do a great job with that.”
Jaxon Budd returns for his second season under center for the varsity program, and Garrow said that it’s clear there’s a deeper knowledge of the playbook and what’s expected of him.
“He just does a really good job understanding the offense,” Garrow said. “Now he knows what’s going on.”
There’s not as much proven production in the front seven, where they’ll need to replace Beckett Wall, Malijah Tucker, and Mekhi Richardson. That trio combined for more than 200 tackles, 50 tackles for loss, and 25 sacks last season.
Garrow is confident that a junior-heavy defensive core will be able to step in and have success. He noted that not only did many younger players get extensive playing time in the back half of blowout wins last fall, but all of those players also got nearly six extra weeks of practice both last season and the year before due to Tumwater’s deep playoff runs.
“That’s like a whole ‘nother season,” Garrow said. “If the kids know what to expect, it makes a big difference.”
Just like last year, that group will be tested early and often.
Tumwater will once again face Puyallup, Bainbridge, Eastlake, Nooksack Valley, and Union in the first five weeks of the season, the same five teams the T-Birds played last year. The only difference this year is that the road team last year will host.
“We try to schedule as many losses as possible,” Garrow said. “That’s what the coaches want to do, and the kids embrace it too. We do our best to make sure that we’re exposing them to high levels of competition now in hopes that our kids understand what is required to play deep into the playoffs.”
After all, it’s all a part of the process. And if they start 5-0 again, many around the state may feel that it’s inevitable that Tumwater makes it back to the sport’s biggest stage.
But for now, heading into Friday, the focus is all on Puyallup.
“I think as a team, we’re growing and continuing to get better every single day,” Briscoe said. “I think if we continue to stack better days over and over again that we’ll be ready.”
