Rivalry week is here, and as the old saying goes, you can throw out the records when these teams meet.
While W.F. West and Rochester have had the better seasons overall, Centralia and Tenino have been playing better as of late.
Here’s who to keep an eye on in this week’s showdowns.
Swamp Cup: Centralia at W.F. West
It’s been two different seasons for the Tigers and the Bearcats.
After losing several seniors from last year’s state semifinal team, the Bearcats (5-3, 4-1 2A EvCo) have adjusted, winning four of their last five games after starting the season 0-2.
Under first-year head coach Jon Rooklidge, the Tigers (1-7, 0-5 2A EvCo) have also been steadily improving, though the wins haven’t come as easy. They did snap their losing streak last week with a win against Hoquiam, however.
If the Tigers are going to pull off the upset, they’ll need to have success on the ground, starting with Kellen Rooklidge, who has averaged over five yards per carry and ran for nearly 600 yards this season.
The Tigers will also need a few big plays from their top passing duo of Terrell Sanders and Landen Jenkins. The two have connected 27 times this season for 389 yards. Dustin Ingles has also been a reliable option in the passing game, averaging just over 10 yards per catch.
W.F. West dual-threat quarterback Gage Brumfield is coming off his best game of the season throwing the ball, as he threw for four touchdowns and nearly 300 yards.
He’s been a threat in th3 running game as well, topping 100 yards on the ground twice this season and tallying 98 yards in another game. Declan McDonald has also been a reliable back for the Bearcats, nearly hitting 100 yards rushing twice.
Grady Westlund, Connor Coleman, Tucker Land and Carson White have formed into a deep receiving core, one that has only gotten better over the course of the season.
Scatter Creek Showdown: Rochester at Tenino
While the Warriors (4-4, 3-3 2A EvCo) have a better record than the Beavers (2-6, 2-2 1A EvCo), it’s the Beavers that have been playing better as of late.
After starting the season 4-1, the Warriors have lost three straight, all by multiple possessions, to W.F. West, Aberdeen and Tumwater.
Tenino, on the other hand, has bounced back from an 0-5 start to win two of its last three.
The Warriors live and die by their ground game, and the numbers back that up. In their eight games, they’ve averaged 375.1 yards per game. In their four wins, they average 459, while in their four losses, that number dips to 273.
During their three-game losing streak, they’ve barely topped 200 yards per game on the ground.
They’ll look to get Tate Quarnstrom and Ethan Rodriguez going early, as the two have combined for over 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground.
Mason Armstrong and Palmer Watt are also both over 450 yards on the ground this season.
Tenino’s Michael Vassar has also had success on the ground this season, running for 813 yards and nine touchdowns, but the Beavers aren’t afraid to go to the air, either.
Cody Strawn and Jack Burkhardt have connected on some deep shots throughout the season, as Burkhardt is averaging 19.45 yards per catch and Strawn has averaged more than 10 yards per attempt.
That being said, Strawn has shown the ability to do damage with his legs, as he’s averaging 9.29 yards per carry himself.
Austin Gonia has also been a big-play threat in the passing game, as he’s at 280 yards receiving on just 12 catches.
The Scatter Creek Showdown will begin at 7 p.m. on Friday at Beaver Stadium in Tenino.
