Prep football roundup: Tumwater rolls to state playoffs with 44-0 win over Washougal
At some point in this high school football postseason, the conversation after the game with Sid Otton, however it runs together with all the other games and sportswriters, will be different — it will be the last.
But not just yet.
Otton has never seen much reason to stray from the script, and the storyline — stifling defense and a share-the-fun offense — was familiar Friday night at Tumwater District Stadium. The result was a 44-0 Class 2A district playoff victory over Washougal.
Tumwater rang up 387 rushing yards using 13 different backs, and earned its fourth shutout of the season, limiting the Panthers to negative yards rushing and just 126 total.
“Our defense has really been on top of its game,” said Otton, who will retire after this playoff run ends as the winningest high school football coach in Washington state history.
“This is our job, one step at a time, just focus on our job.”
The T-Birds (9-1) advance to host Washington (7-3), which defeated Fife on Friday, in the first round of the state playoffs.
Tumwater quarterback Noah Andrews was a weapon with his arm and feet, passing for a touchdown and running for another. He had 160 yards of total offense, split evenly between passing and running.
“He brings a lot to the game,” Otton said. “He’s got a strong arm and a quick release — there are other things we can do with him we haven’t done. You have to utilize your playmaker.”
Tumwater’s first scoring drive, after a short Washougal punt, was Otton’s wing-T attack in a nutshell — four players carried the ball, including Andrews, and it was senior Trayten Rodriguez who powered through a huge hole, and juked the lone defender in his way to a 28-yard touchdown run.
Next drive, more of the same. Three more ballcarriers gained yards for the T-Birds, and an 18-yard completion from Andrews to junior Jakob Holbrook set up a 14-yard scoring pass to tight end Cade Otton.
Tumwater’s next foray into Panthers territory included a 23-yard run by Keson Waller, but ended on an interception near the goal line by Washougal’s Kade Coons.
Andrews found Cade Otton for a 20-yard gain in the second quarter, as part of a 82-yard, seven-play drive that ended with Rico Spiegner breaking loose for a 34-yard touchdown run.
Andrews, who lined up at halfback for one series, completed the first half scoring when he took a handoff and burst up the middle on a 58-yard touchdown run.
Tumwater struck quickly in the first minute of the second half on a 57-yard scoring run by Raushaun Tate. Minutes later, a 36-yard run by Holbrook set up a 26-yard field goal by Nathan Seaman.
Mason Burbidge closed scoring with a 7-yard run. Later, he and Jack Neibauer were in on a sack of the Washougal quarterback that stalled a Panthers push to the Tumwater’s 6.
More than 100 of Otton’s former players lined up two and three deep in the end zone for the national anthem before the game, then came into the locker room afterwards to shake hands with the retiring coach.
“It was pretty emotional, really,” Otton said.
CLASS 2A DISTRICTS
W.F. West 7, at Columbia River 6: Even when the Bearcats made a rare mistakes, Hunter Arredondo saved the day, and allowed the 2A Evergreen Conference runner-up advance to the state playoffs.
Nole Wollan’s pass was picked off by Columbia River’s Dalton Garrett, and returned 36 yards for a touchdown that cut W.F. West’s lead to 7-6 with 7:19 to go.
But Arredondo crashed through the line and blocked the PAT kick to preserve the lead.
The W.F. West defense dominated, forcing seven punts and turning the Chieftains over on downs near midfield with two minutes remaining.
Wollan picked up two first downs on runs, and W.F. West ran out the clock in Kelso.
The Bearcats (9-1) will play the winner of Black Hills and Hockinson, who play Saturday, next week in the first round of the state playoffs.
CLASS 2B DISTRICTS
At Kalama 43, No. 10 Rainier 12: The Chinooks scored 30 unanswered points, and eliminated the Mountaineers (6-4) at Kalama High School.
Corbyn Byrnes 6-yard touchdown run with 2:22 remaining in the first half was the game-winning score, and triggered the Chinooks’ scoring outburst.
Both of Rainier’s first-half touchdowns were set up by long returns off turnovers.
CLASS 2A DISTRICTS
WASHOUGAL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
NO. 2 TUMWATER | 14 | 14 | 16 | 0 | — | 44 |
T – Trayten Rodriguez 28 run (Nathan Seaman kick)
T – Cade Otton 14 pass from Noah Andrews (Seaman kick)
T – Rico Spiegner 34 run (Seaman kick)
T – Andrews 58 run (Seaman kick)
T – Raushaun Tate 57 run (Seaman kick)
T – Seaman 26 field goal
T – Mason Burbidge 7 run (Seaman kick)
W.F. WEST | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | — | 7 |
COLUMBIA RIVER | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | — | 6 |
WFW – Austin Emery 10 run (Cory Davis kick)
CR – Dalton Garrett 32 interception return (kick blocked)
CLASS 2B DISTRICTS
NO. 10 RAINIER | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | 12 |
KALAMA | 7 | 16 | 7 | 13 | — | 43 |
K – Corbyn Byrnes 13 pass from Alex Dyer (Logan Jones kick)
R – Zach Lofgren 26 run (kick failed)
K – Logan Jones 30 field goal
R – Lofgren 8 fumble return (2-pt failed)
K – Byrnes 4 run (Jones kick)
K – Jacob Herz 25 pass from Dyer (kick failed)
K – Herz 3 run (Jones kick)
K – Dilan Johnson 34 run (Jones kick)
K – Byrnes 15 pass from Dyer (Jones kick)
This story was originally published November 5, 2016 at 12:55 AM with the headline "Prep football roundup: Tumwater rolls to state playoffs with 44-0 win over Washougal."