#1 with a bullet

The Tumwater T-Birds cemented their place atop the Oly Sports power rankings with a convincing win over a really good group of Idahoans. And the Bears made a huge leap after their absolutely dominating performance over Timberline that totally flipped my thinking on this season.

Big games coming up this week include Tumwater at Columbia River, Rainier vs. North Beach and Timberline hosts Bellarmine. We might have even more movement in next week’s power rankings.

Note: This week’s ranking feature the ScoreCzar predictions for each game. Thanks as always to the wonderful ScoreCzar computers.

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1. Tumwater T-Birds (4-0)
Last week: #1 (No change)
Previous game: Beat Lake City (Idaho), 49-24
Next game: @ Columbia River (4-0) – Chieftain Stadium, Vancouver – Friday, 7:00 PM
Scoreczar prediction: Columbia River 26, Tumwater 23

Notes:  The T-Birds passed a big test on Friday with their 49-24 win over Lake City of Couer D’Alene that wasn’t even as close as the score indicates. Big credit to their defense that stopped a high powered team that had been running all over very good teams. But now they make the drive to Vancouver to take on the #6 team in 3A, Columbia River, who have outscored their opponents 148-27 so far this season.

2. Olympia Bears (3-1 overall, 2-0 4A Narrows)
Last week: #8 (+6)
Previous game: Beat Timberline, 38-6
Next game: @ Issaquah (1-3) – Issaquah HS – Friday, 7:00 PM
Scoreczar prediction: Olympia 31, Issaquah 6

Notes: Wow, that was an impressive performance by the Bears. They absolutely dominated Timberline from start to finish. Running back Isaiah Brooks was fantastic again and this was QB Kaden Wilson’s breakout game. And the defense didn’t allow Gabe Gutierrez and the speedy Blazers offense to do anything. It was a shocking result and I was so impressed that I had to jump the Bears all the way up to the #2 spot.

3. River Ridge Hawks (3-1 overall, 1-1 2A SPSL)
Last week: #4 (+1)
Previous game: Beat Orting, 40-31
Next game: @ White River (1-3) – White River HS – Friday, 7:00 PM
Scoreczar prediction: River Ridge 29, White River 7

Notes: After a late loss to Franklin Pierce, the Hawks got back on track with a 40-31 win over Orting (they are 1-1 against Cardinal teams this season). They now are in a gridlock at 1-1 in the 2A SPSL one game behind Franklin Pierce and Fife with a game against 1-3 White River looming on Friday.

4. Rainier Mountaineers (3-1 overall, 2-1 in 2B Pacific)
Last week: #5 (+1)
Previous game: Beat Ocosta, 25-2
Next game: vs. North Beach (4-0) – Rainier HS – Friday, 7:00 PM
Scoreczar prediction: North Beach 30, Rainier 0

Notes: The Mountaineers also got right this week with their 25-2 win over Ocosta. They have punished the lower ranks of the 2B Pacific league and haven’t allowed an offensive touchdown and just two safeties to South Bend and Ocosta. But next they host North Beach, who knocked off Raymond in overtime on Friday and Saturday (a bad transformer forced a delay), and are 4-0 this season.

5. Capital Cougars (2-2 overall, 1-1 3A Narrows)
Last week: #7 (+2)
Previous game: Beat Foss, 32-13
Next game: vs. Central Kitsap (2-2) – Ingersoll Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM
Scoreczar prediction: Capital 16, Central Kitsap 15

Notes: Another team back on the right track. The Cougars took care of business against a struggling Foss team and now draw another Cougars squad in Central Kitsap that is also 2-2 but have only beaten a bad Mount Tahoma team and just barely beat 0-4 North Thurston.

6. Timberline Blazers (2-2 overall, 1-1 4A Narrows)
Last week: #2 (-4)
Previous game: Lost to Olympia 38-6
Next game: vs. Bellarmine (3-1) – South Sound Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM
Scoreczar prediction: Bellarmine 32, Timberline 8

Notes: What in the world happened to the Blazers? I’m still struggling to process what I saw on Friday in their loss to Olympia. They were dominated in every aspect of the game and didn’t look anything like the team that nearly beat Tumwater two weeks earlier. They will have to respond in the middle of their toughest stretch. First up, Bellarmine, who is 3-1 this season with their only loss coming to Gonzaga Prep, 17-0. On the plus side for the Blazers, the combined record of the three teams the Lions have beaten is 1-11.

7. Tenino Beavers (2-2 overall, 0-2 2A/1A Evergreen)
Last week: #3 (-4)
Previous game: Lost to Elma, 44-14
Next game: @ Forks (1-3) – Forks HS – Friday, 7:00 PM
Scoreczar prediction: Tenino 25, Forks 16

Notes: After marching up the 1A rankings and topping out at #4, the Beavers have plummeted out of the top ten with losses to Hoquiam (OK, it happens) and Elma (44-14? WHAAA?). Next up, Forks, never an easy trip.

8. Rochester Warriors (2-2 overall, 1-1 2A/1A Evergreen)
Last week: #10 (+2)
Previous game: Beat Forks, 25-18
Next game: @ Aberdeen (0-4) – Stewart Field, Aberdeen – Friday, 7:00 PM
Scoreczar prediction: Rochester 32, Aberdeen 8

Notes: Rochester ground out another tough win with a 25-18 win over Forks. They are now 2-0 against 1A teams and 0-2 against 2A teams. On Friday, they travel to Aberdeen to take on another 2A school, albeit a bad Bobcats team that has been outscored 183-27 in four losses.

9. Black Hills Wolves (2-2 overall)
Last week: #6 (-3)
Previous game: Lost to Columbia River, 45-7
Next game: vs. WF West – Tumwater Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM
Scoreczar prediction: WF West 21, Black Hills 20

Notes: The Wolves were beaten up pretty good in Vancouver against a highly ranked 3A team in Columbia River and now they get to open up 2A EvCo play against WF West. Every game in conference is important and none more than this game against the Bearcats.

10. Yelm Tornadoes (2-2 overall, 0-2 4A Narrows)
Last week: #8 (-2)
Previous game: Lost to South Kitsap, 20-19
Next game: @ Stadium (0-4) – Stadium Bowl, Tacoma – 7:00 PM
Scoreczar prediction: Yelm 35, Stadium 9

Notes: Poor Yelm. Beaten on the last play of the game against South Kitsap. They fell to 0-2 in the 4A Narrows with their toughest games yet to play. But not this week, they should get a win and should have some fun against Stadium.

11. Shelton Highclimbers (1-3 overall, 0-2 3A Narrows)
Last week: #11 (No change)
Previous game: Lost to Lincoln, 62-0
Next game: vs. Wilson (4-0) – Highclimbers Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM
Scoreczar prediction: Wilson 40, Shelton 3

Notes: A 62-0 loss to Lincoln isn’t surprising as the Shelton sidelines basically became a M.A.S.H. unit in the loss. Now they get another undefeated and high powered team in Wilson and might have to do it without a handful of their first string players.

12. North Thurston Rams (0-4, 0-2 3A Narrows)
Last week: #12 (No change)
Previous game: Lost to Central Kitsap, 30-27
Next game: vs. Foss (1-3) – South Sound Stadium – Thursday, 7:15 PM
Scoreczar prediction: North Thurston 23, Foss 22

Notes: The Rams are 0-4!? My alma mater is 0-4!? They came close in Silverdale but couldn’t get the job done and now face a Foss team that looks to be close to their level. Get one Rams!