The Rams dominated Lincoln and jump to the #1 spot

Big shakeup in the Oly Sports power rankings as previous #1 Capital lost to Tumwater in double overtime, North Thurston dominated Lincoln in Tacoma and the battle of the unbeatens went convincingly to Shelton. So where does everybody end up? Let’s check out my highly unscientific look at where the 12 Olympia area football programs stand, in my (not so expert) opinion…

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1. North Thurston Rams (4-0)
Last week: #3 (+2)
Previous game: North Thurston 36, Lincoln 7
Next game: vs. Wilson (2-2) – South Sound Stadium – Saturday, 7:00 PM

Notes: The Rams jump to the top spot after a dominating performance over the previously unbeaten Lincoln Abes at Lincoln Bowl in Tacoma. The Abes had scored 138 points in three games but the Rams’ stout defense held them scoreless until the very end of the game. The Rams have now given up just 42 points through four games, lowest in both the 3A and 4A Narrows League, and host a struggling Wilson Rams team on Saturday night.

2. Tenino Beavers (4-0)
Last week: #2 (No change)
Previous game: Tenino 28, Elma 12
Next game: @ Rainier (0-4) – Rainier HS – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: The high powered Beavers ran into a tough Forks defense that limited them to just two offensive touchdowns, so it was Tenino’s defense that stepped up and took two Spartans passes to the house. Devante Harris did the damage on offense again going for 233 yards and two touchdowns from Mac Shaw. Expect more from the Beavers this week when they try to spoil 0-4 Rainier’s homecoming.

3. Shelton Highclimbers (4-0)
Last week: #4 (+1)
Previous game: Shelton 38, Yelm 14
Next game: vs. Foss (1-2) – Highclimber Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: Ralph Kinne was ridiculous rushing for another 274 yards and five touchdowns (four rushing and one kickoff return) but the Shelton defense deserves just as much credit for containing the Yelm Tornadoes rushing attack in the Highclimbers’ 38-14 win in Yelm. They surrendered a 65 yard run by Kyle Brownell on the first play of the game but bottled up Yelm’s all-time leading rusher, Jacob Swilley. Swilley did finish with 92 yards and a touchdown late in the game, but Yelm stayed home on the fakes and misdirections and limited the big plays.

4. Tumwater T-Birds (3-1)
Last week: #6 (+2)
Previous game: Tumwater 35, Capital 28 – 2OT
Next game: vs. WF West (3-1) – Tumwater Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: Wow. If you have not seen how Tumwater tied their game against Capital on Satruday night, go to this video and scroll to the 5:40 mark and watch Jayden Croft just throw a jump ball with his back turned to Jamie Bryant for the two-point conversion. It is both the smartest and stupidest play I think I have ever seen. Ridiculous. And Tumwater took that tie and scored twice in overtime to knock off the #1 team in the state and take an early lead in the 2A EvCo. Winners of three straight, the T-Birds schedule is very favorable if they can get a homecoming win over WF West on Friday.

5. Timberline Blazers (3-1)
Last week: #7 (+2)
Previous game: Timberline 48, Wilson 20
Next game: vs. Lincoln (3-1) – South Sound Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: Spencer Crump scored four times and the Blazers took a 48-7 lead over Wilson before surrendering a couple garbage time touchdowns. And with Tumwater’s shocker over Capital, Timberline’s loss to the T-Birds two weeks ago doesn’t look nearly as bad as it did. But they will get an angry Lincoln Abes team on Friday night in a game that could be a bit of a trap for the T-Birds. I expect a barn burner.

6. Capital Cougars (3-1)
Last week: #1 (-5)
Previous game: Tumwater 35, Capital 28 – 2OT
Next game: @ Centralia (0-4) – Tiger Stadium, Centralia – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: It’s hard to drop the Cougars this far in the rankings considering how they lost and I expect we’ll see them rise quickly again, but the loss to Tumwater was shocking considering how they played against three straight 4A schools to open the season. They should get right this weekend against 0-4 Centralia.

7. River Ridge Hawks (3-1)
Last week: #8 (+1)
Previous game: River Ridge 28, Hockinson 14
Next game: vs. Black Hills (3-1) – South Sound Stadium – Thursday, 7:00 PM

Notes: Brad Wallace scored twice and Wesley Coats caught a touchdown from Colby Shultz and River Ridge won their third straight knocking off previously unbeaten Hockinson in a battle of Hawks in Brush Prairie. Since they were shutout by Timberline in their opener, the Wolves have put 123 points on the board. Next up: a homecoming 2A EvCo opener against 3-1 Black Hills on Thursday night.

8. Black Hills Wolves (3-1)
Last week: #9 (+1)
Previous game: Black Hills 27, Aberdeen 6
Next game: @ River Ridge (3-1) – South Sound Stadium – Thursday, 7:00 PM

Notes: Aberdeen got on the board first after a scoreless first quarter, but the Wolves scored 27 unanswered thanks to touchdowns by four different rushers including an 81 yard scamper by Shayne Robinson and a 77 yard run by Jesse Perkinson. Like River Ridge, Black Hills has played well against everybody that isn’t in the 3A Narrows League. They were shutout by North Thurston for their only loss of the season.

9. Yelm Tornadoes (3-1)
Last week: #5 (-4)
Previous game: Shelton 38, Yelm 14
Next game: @ Central Kitsap (3-1) – Silverdale Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: Yelm couldn’t stop Shelton’s Ralph Kinne nor could they move the ball against Shelton’s defense. Yes Yelm is 3-1 and sit at 1-0 in the 4A Narrows, but those three wins came over 0-4 Highline, 1-3 Olympic and 1-3 Stadium and they wilted against a bigger, stronger, faster Highclimbers team. I worry about Yelm the rest of the way but they could answer my concerns with a win over 3-1 Central Kitsap on Friday night.

10. Olympia Bears (1-3)
Last week: #11 (+1)
Previous game: Olympia 54, Stadium 7
Next game: @ South Kitsap (3-1) – SK Stadium, Port Orchard – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: Olympia broke out and broke out in a big way. But the win came against a struggling Stadium squad so it’s really hard to tell what the win means in the big picture. The Bears next get a 3-1 South Kitsap team whose only loss came to Bellarmine last week.

11. Rochester Warriors (1-3)
Last week: #10 (-1)
Previous game: Hoquiam 54, Rochester 7
Next game: vs. Elma (1-3) – Rochester HS – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: Hoquiam is really good. What else can you say about the Warriors’ loss? Next they get 1-3 Elma who waxed Rainier on Friday night to pick up their first win.

12. Rainier Mountaineers (0-4)
Last week: #12 (No change)
Previous game: Elma 47, Rainier 15
Next game: vs. Tenino (4-0) – Rainier HS – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: Oh boy, poor Rainier. With the big loss to Elma, the Mountaineers have now been outscored 180-33 in four games. And it doesn’t get any easier with Tenino coming to town for homecoming on Friday night.