Yelm addresses some problems, creates more for River Ridge in 50-6 rout

The bulletin board material was there. During the spring, as Yelm rolled to the 3A South Sound Conference championship, only one team had given them trouble.

In Week Two, the Tornados needed to score a fourth quarter touchdown and a two-point conversion to come from behind and beat River Ridge, 22-21, to preserve what would become an undefeated season.

But Yelm coach Jason Ronquillo was so wrapped up in cleaning up his team’s mistakes in last week’s SSC opener against Timberline, history slipped his mind.

“I didn’t think of that,” Ronquillo admitted. “The kids really worked hard Monday through Thursday. They weren’t content with the way that we won the previous Friday. Their energy and attention to detail really showed tonight.”

Yelm did much of what Ronquillo wanted, including reducing the 138 yards in penalties the Tornados amassed against the Blazers to just 40, all in the first half, as they blew out a River Ridge team that was 2-1 coming in by the mercy-rule-inducing score of 50-6.

River Ridge showed determination and a quality ground game, rushing for 194 yards as a team behind strong individual efforts from Jarek Berg and freshman Ronaldo Gonzalez.

But the Hawks also coughed the ball up four times, on an interception and three fumbles, two of which the Tornados returned for touchdowns.

All the while, Yelm was showing an offensive versatility that will serve them well as they pursue their goal of a deep run into the state tournament.

“We’ve got weapons all over the place,” Ronquillo said.

Sophomore running back Brayden Platt, already a Division I prospect with a mix of size, speed and field vision, carried just eight times for 98 yards after exploding for 225 last week against Timberline. But he scored two touchdowns and, for good measure added an interception on defense.

“We were just getting the ball and running it up the gut,” said Platt. “There wasn’t a whole lot to it. Our defense was lights out, too.”

Meanwhile, Yelm’s passing and catching duo of quarterback Palaina Hooper and slotback Kyler Ronquillo added some excitement with two touchdown connections.

With Yelm already leading, 22-0, after the second of Platt’s touchdowns, a 27-yard run on a draw play, River Ridge fumbled the ensuing kickoff away. Hooper found Ronquillo wide open in the end zone from 22 yards out.

After another Hawks’ turnover – this one an interception of a Jonathon Mapu pass by Platt – Hooper got the ball to Ronquillo between defenders in the right corner of the end zone from 25 yards away.

“I knew that they ran a lot of man,” Hooper said. “No one can guard No. 5. I’ve got a lot of faith in Kyler.’

The game started with three turnovers in the first minute of play. River Ridge fumbled on the second play from scrimmage but a Hooper pass was picked off the Hawks’ Jerrell Larkins on the next play. Two plays later, though, River Ridge fumbled again and Yelm linebacker Dylan Conklin recovered and dashed into the end zone for the game’s first score.

The next River Ridge possession ended with something possibly worse than a turnover. With Cameron Schletzbaum back to punt, the ball was snapped over his head for an 18-yard loss. Taking over at the Hawks’ 42, Yelm advanced the ball a quick 35 yards on a pass from Hooper to Ronquillo, then scored on a seven-yard run by Platt.

During the second half, it didn’t take long for Yelm to get the game clock running.

On the second play after receiving the kickoff, Hooper handed to Ray Wright, who swept left on his only carry of the night, then sprinted up the left sideline to the end zone for a 50-yard touchdown run. A second scoop-and-score, this one by linebacker Cael Gendron finished the Tornados scoring late in the third quarter.

River Ridge got on the board when the Hawks marched 73 yards on 11 plays, a mix of runs by Berg and Gonzalez as well as Mapu passes to Jaden Cason and Dontae Robinson, before Mapu scored on a three-yard quarterback sneak.

Next up for Yelm is a potent Capital team that, despite a 2-2 record, has its own explosive running back in Jake Kennedy and ran up a punishing 71 points in a Thursday night rout of North Thurston.

“We’ll look at tape and see where their challenges are,” said Ronquillo. “Obviously, they have weapons, too, if they can score like that.”

This story was originally published September 25, 2021 at 8:40 AM with the headline "Yelm addresses some problems, creates more for River Ridge in 50-6 rout."