Tumwater rolls past Hockinson in semifinals, 55-7, to advance to 2A state championship game
Tumwater High likes to share the wealth in its football program. In a typical game, lots of names populate the stat sheets.
Saturday, Austin Terry was all over the book. The Thunderbirds’ defensive lineman/tight end had a solo sack to set up one touchdown, recovered a fumble to set up another, caught a touchdown pass, and scooped-and-scored another fumble.
That’s a good game for the sophomore Terry. That was just the first half.
Tumwater led Hockinson 48-7 after those two busy quarters, and after Jack Jones returned the second-half kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown, it was 55-7. That’s how it ended in a state Class 2A semifinal playoff win at Tumwater District Stadium.
With the victory, the top-ranked and top-seeded T-Birds (11-0) earned the right to play for the 2A championship for the fifth time in eight years. Tumwater will face Steilacoom, which dominated Lynden, 42-0, Saturday to claim its berth in the 4 p.m. title game Dec. 7 at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup.
“Early in the season, I was just trying to fit in,” said Terry. “I found where I could help the team, and I just ran with it.”
Tumwater coach Bill Beattie said T-Bird seniors set the tone in a culture where every player on the team plays a part and talented underclassmen like Terry can flourish.
“It’s a formula that’s worked at Tumwater all these years,” Beattie said.
That wealth-sharing thing: Seven players carried the ball as the T-Birds rang up 337 yards on the ground. Dylan Paine carried 15 times for 188 yards and scores of 18 and 15 yards. Hunter Baker had nine carries for 52 yards.
Turner Allen had a 17-yard touchdown run (following the Terry sack and botched Hockinson punt on the game’s first series) and another touchdown of 59 yards. Quarterback Cody Whalen was six of 10 for 88 yards and two TDs, including a 26-yarder to Terry.
On defense, the T-Birds allowed only rare glimpses of the Hawks’ offensive talent. Quarterback Levi Crum generated 120 yards through the air and his team’s only score on a 17-yard pass to Liam Mallory. Tumwater defenders swarmed Hockinson’s running game, which had 35 yards on the ground.
Next up: Steilacoom.
“We know they’re a very talented team,” Beattie said. “There’s only two of us left, so it’s gonna be that way.”
BOX SCORE
Hockinson 0 7 0 0 - 7
Tumwater 14 34 7 0 - 55
T – Turner Allen 17 run (Nathan Vani kick)
T – Turner Allen 59 pass from Cody Whalen (Vani kick)
T – Dylan Paine 18 run (kick failed)
T – Danny Goodburn 33 pass from Whalen (Vani kick)
T – Austin Terry 26 pass from Whalen (Vani kick)
T – Terry fumble return (Vani kick)
T – Paine 15 run (Vani kick)
H – Liam Mallory 17 pass from Levi Crum (John Charles kick)
T – Jack Jones 91 kickoff return (Vani kick)
This story was originally published November 30, 2019 at 8:33 PM with the headline "Tumwater rolls past Hockinson in semifinals, 55-7, to advance to 2A state championship game."