High school football roundup: Hawks blow by Cardinals to snag No. 3 seed
In coach Steve Schultz’s estimation, after his River Ridge High School Hawks played in a Class 2A SPSL mini-tiebreaker on Tuesday, they remained in “game mode” the rest of the week.
That showed up in a big way Friday night in the league crossover at Franklin Pierce District Stadium in Parkland.
Scoring three touchdowns in the first 9 ½ minutes of the game, River Ridge defeated Franklin Pierce, 35-14, to grab the league’s third seed to next weekend’s district playoffs.
The win capped a very satisfying win for Schultz’s young group, which plays the Eatonville-White River winner next weekend.
“I was very, very pleased with my young team in how they came ready to play,” Schultz said. “They played above their years with their mental approach and emotion.”
It also helps when a playmaker like junior Tomasi Manu leads the way.
Manu opened the game with a 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in just 16 seconds for a quick 7-0 Hawks lead.
The game’s biggest play came with less than three minutes to go in the first quarter.
Down 14-0, the Cardinals were knocking on the door for a touchdown just outside the Hawks’ 10.
Quarterback Claudell Quinland dropped back to pass, and saw that River Ridge defensive end Riley Larson fell down.
Suddenly, the middle of the field was open — or so Quinland thought.
“Riley got back up and tipped it,” Schultz said. “And Manu came underneath it and took it.”
Manu returned it 95 yards for another touchdown, and River Ridge led 21-0 with 2:36 remaining in the first quarter.
With seven minutes to go in the game, Manu sealed the deal with his 52-yard scoring gallop.
4A SPSL
At Puyallup 35, Bellarmine Prep 28: Four touchdowns in the second half couldn’t lift the Lions past the Vikings at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup.
The win secured the 4A SPSL title for Puyallup, sent Bellarmine Prep home one win short of the playoffs, and clinched Olympia’s spot as the league’s No. 4 and final seed.
The Bears (5-3) snapped a three-game losing streak with a 41-21 win over Meadowdale on Thursday, but needed a Lions loss Friday for their season to continue.
Both programs finished 4-4 in league play, but Olympia’s narrow 28-21 win over the Lions in Tacoma in Week 3 broke the tie.
Olympia travels to Pop Keeney Stadium in Bothell next Saturday to meet second-ranked Woodinville (8-0).
3A SSC
At Yelm 35, Central Kitsap 28: The Tornados trailed 14-0 in the first quarter and leaned on sophomore quarterback Ben Hoffman to lead a rally.
“I think we were a little distracted at the beginning of the game and we started slow,” coach Jason Ronquillo said. “We just stuck with the game plan, made sure that we managed the offense well and tried to stay consistent.”
The comeback began when Hoffman connected with Kodee Gifford from 18 yards out for the first Tornados touchdown. Then senior James Palmer started to get into a rhythm.
In the second quarter, he rushed from 18 yards out to score, and found the end zone again in the third quarter to give Yelm (6-3) the lead. Palmer finished with 29 carries for 116 yards and three touchdowns.
Hoffman rushed for another score, extending the Toronados’ lead to 28-14.
“The great thing about the season is that Hoffman has had opportunity to play, he just hasn’t been pressured and relied on to convert third downs,” Ronquillo said. “We have had it in our minds that we needed to prepare for the playoffs and building Hoffman’s confidence and see what he can do.”
Hoffman stepped in for injured junior quarterback Kyle Robinson (ankle) last week.
Palmer would cap scoring with another 9-yard rush and score. Hoffman finished 12 of 21 for 157 yards in his first start since taking over for Robinson, also rushing for 57 yards.
Gifford finished with four receptions for 122 yards and a score.
Yelm travels to Bethel (8-1) next week for a rematch. The Tornados narrowly lost to the Braves on the road, 36-33, in Week 1.
Yelm’s win Friday also secured the fourth and final seed out of the 3A South Sound Conference for Gig Harbor (5-4), which picked up a win over North Thurston in Lacey.
2A EVCO
Aberdeen 28, at Centralia 21: Kylan Touch scored four touchdowns for the Bobcats at Tiger Stadium, securing the fourth and final district playoff berth out of the 2A Evergreen Conference.
Touch finished with 39 carries for 261 yards and the four scores.
Tristan Dickey (9-yard run), Mason Titus (41-yard pass from Kolby Baird) and Dylan Purkey (37-yard run) each found the end zone, but it wasn’t enough.
Baird finished 9 of 18 passing for 159 yards and the one touchdown, and recorded an interception on defense. Derek Bairsto added six catches for 109 yards.
Aberdeen (4-5) travels to second-ranked Hockinson (9-0) next week in the district playoffs.
Staff writers Lauren Smith, Chase Hutchinson and Jordan Whitford contributed to this report.
BELLARMINE PREP | 0 | 0 | 14 | 14 | — | 28 |
NO. 7 PUYALLUP | 14 | 7 | 7 | 7 | — | 35 |
P – Kyle Cramer 10 run (Nathen Cutler kick)
P – Darrius Morrison 8 pass from Jacob Holcomb (Cutler kick)
P – Morrison 31 pass from Holcomb (Cutler kick)
BP – Derrion Summers 41 run (Nick Kokich kick)
P – Cramer 1 run (Cutler kick)
BP – Sam Behnke 15 pass from Marcus Stowers (Kokich kick)
BP – Christian Brown 46 pass from Stowers (Kokich kick)
P – Morrison 9 pass from Holcomb (Cutler kick)
BP – Chase Chandler 2 run (Kokick kick)
CENTRAL KITSAP | 14 | 0 | 7 | 7 | — | 28 |
YELM | 6 | 6 | 16 | 7 | — | 35 |
CK – Christian Blue 8 run (Ben Maxwell kick)
CK – Caleb Wood 22 pass from Angeles Davila (Maxwell kick)
Y – Cody Gifford 18 pass from Ben Hoffmann (kick blocked)
Y – James Palmer 18 run (2-pt failed)
Y – Palmer 2 run (2-pt)
Y – Hoffman 14 run (Palmer run)
CK – Garrett Hall 1 run (Maxwell kick)
Y – Palmer 9 run (Cody Frey kick)
CK – Ja’Quirious Conley 75 pass from Tyler Tubbs (Maxwell kick)
ABERDEEN | 6 | 8 | 7 | 7 | — | 28 |
CENTRALIA | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7 | — | 21 |
A – Kylan Touch 44 run (kick blocked)
C – Tristan Dickey 9 run (Kolby Baird kick)
A – Touch 23 run (Cameron Hochstetler pass from Ben Dublanko)
C – Mason Titus 41 pass from Baird (Baird kick)
A – Touch 1 run (Giovanni Pisani kick)
C – Dylan Purkey 37 run (Baird kick)
A – Touch 1 run (Pisani kick)
This story was originally published October 28, 2017 at 10:13 AM with the headline "High school football roundup: Hawks blow by Cardinals to snag No. 3 seed."