Whoop Timberline, stay at #1

What should have been the game of the week turned out to be a laugher as Tumwater dropped a 44 point shutout on Timberline. Here’s some breaking news: Tumwater is pretty good.

It was a pretty rough week for area teams overall as just four teams took home wins – Tumwater, North Thurston, Olympia and River Ridge.  Just two teams have a perfect record, six teams sit at 1-1 and four teams have not been able to break through yet.

Your unscientific power rankings for week three are here. Poor Shelton.

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1. Tumwater T-Birds (2-0)
Last week: #1 (No change)
Previous game: Tumwater 44, Timberline 0
Next game: @ Inglemoor (0-2) – Pop Keeney Stadium, Bothell – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: What needs to be said? The T-Birds absolutely demolished a really good Timberline team. #1 no doubt.

2. North Thurston Rams (2-0)
Last week: #2 (+1)
Previous game: North Thurston 38, Black Hills 16
Next game: @ Foss (2-0) – Mount Tahoma Stadium, Tacoma – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: North Thurston took a 35-0 lead before the Wolves finally got on the board in the third quarter. Josh Ramirez scored three times, two rushing and one on a pass from Ryan Mets, while Josh Mosquera and Hayden Maliska each rushed for a touchdown. They should stay at #2 against Foss this week but face a tough Lincoln team in week four.

3. Timberline Blazers (1-1)
Last week: #2 (-1)
Previous game: Tumwater 44, Timberline 0
Next game: @ Olympia (1-1) – Ingersoll stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: I’d drop the Blazers further, but now I don’t think there is any shame in losing to Tumwater by 44 points. They will have the opportunity to show that the Tumwater game was a fluke right away when they take on Olympia at Ingersoll Stadium.

4. Olympia Bears (1-1)
Last week: #4 (No change)
Previous game: Olympia 20, Capital 6
Next game: vs. Timberline (1-1) – Ingersoll Stadium – Friday, 7:30 PM

Notes: Their close loss to Lake Oswego might not be as impressive as first thought with the Lakers falling to Central Catholic 35-14 on Friday. They got the win over a struggling Capital in the Spaghetti Bowl and will have the chance to show they are for real when they host Timberline.

5. River Ridge Hawks (1-1)
Last week: #11 (+6)
Previous game: River Ridge 43, Sequim 6
Next game: @ Ridgefield (0-2) – Ridgefield HS – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: One of only four local teams to earn a win this week, the Hawks jumped up in the power rankings on that fact alone. They will likely knock off a 2A Ridgefield team that has scored just eight points against a pair of 1A schools.

6. Rainier Mountaineers (1-1)
Last week: #7 (+1)
Previous game: Mossyrock 23, Rainier 21
Next game: @ Rochester (1-1) – Rochester HS – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: With 21 points scored this week, the Mountaineers tied their 2012 point total in just two games. Rainier played Mossyrock tough and nearly came back from a 16-7 halftime deficit. McCoy Bichler scored once and Nick Henry added a pair of touchdowns. Next up: Rochester, which should be a fascinating game between two improved teams with new coaches.

7. Yelm Tornadoes (1-1)
Last week: #6 (-1)
Previous game: Olympic 7, Yelm 0
Next game: vs. Stadium (1-1) – Tornadoes Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: What to think of Yelm? They have only allowed seven points all season, so that’s good. A 48-0 win and then a 7-0 loss? Well, the first game was against a bad Highline team that was run 55-6 by White River this week. The Tornadoes should go back to their high scoring ways, at least for one week, when they play Stadium on Friday night.

8. Rochester Warriors (1-1)
Last week: #5 (-3)
Previous game: RA Long 49, Ridgefield 7
Next game: vs. Rainier (1-1) – Rochester HS – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: Meh, a 42 point loss to a good 2A team on the road: it happens. They only drop because it was the biggest loss of the three teams that are interchangeable at this point in the season: Rainier and Yelm. The Rainier game this week should be surprisingly curious fun.

9. Black Hills Wolves (0-2)
Last week: #9 (No change)
Previous game: North Thurston 38, Black Hills 16
Next game: vs. Bainbridge (0-2) – Tumwater Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: Despite getting thumped by North Thurston, the Wolves stay put at #9. Their razor thin loss to Clover Park doesn’t look as bad as it did last week and they could get back on track against Bainbridge, who has been outscored 85-12 in their first two games.

10. Capital Cougars (0-2)
Last week: #8 (-2)
Previous game: Olympia 20, Capital 6
Next game: @ Bothell (1-1) – Pop Keeney Stadium, Bothell – Saturday, 7:00 PM

Notes: Believe it or not, because of their unbelievably tough schedule taking on three 4A schools to begin with, Capital could easily go 0-4 to begin the season. They get Bothell on Saturday up north and then Tumwater the next week. Panic on Conger. I still think their youth will grow up and after the Tumwater game could put together a run for a playoff spot.

11. Tenino Beavers (0-2)
Last week: #10 (-1)
Previous game: Washougal 28, Tenino 7
Next game: @ Elma (0-2) – Davis Field, Elma – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: One loss to a 2B team, another to a 2A team. Open 1A Evergreen play at Elma on Friday.

12. Shelton Highclimbers (0-2)
Last week: #12 (No change)
Previous game: North Mason 20, Shelton 10
Next game: @ Wilson (2-0) – Stadium Bowl, Tacoma – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: The Highclimbers got on the board for the first time this season in the first quarter and built a 10 point lead but North Mason made the adjustments and scored the next 20 points to take home the Mason County Cup. Though they did force some turnovers, Shelton looked over-matched and will have their hands full with a high scoring Wilson squad.