Rolling.

Well, the mediocrity that I expected out of this local football season has started to take hold.

Last week, Tumwater and River Ridge got big wins while Capital, Yelm and North Thurston each picked up Ws but didn’t exactly do it convincingly. Well, North Thurston did. They knocked off a suspect Foss team 51-0 for their first win of the season.

Other than that, Olympia somehow got blown out by Issaquah, Timberline lost their second straight game and their quarterback and Tenino continued their skid. Bleh!

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

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1. Tumwater T-Birds (5-0)
Last week: #1 (No change)
Previous game: Beat Columbia River, 62-6
Next game: vs. Centralia (4-1) – Tumwater Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM
Scoreczar prediction: Tumwater 30, Centralia 13

Notes: Well, Tumwater has certainly hit their stride. They didn’t just beat the #8 team in 3A, they demolished them. And just a week after they demolished one of the best teams in all of Idaho. Hard to imagine Tumwater being challenged until they meet one of the three other top teams in the state in the playoffs: Prosser, Ellensburg or #1 Lynden. 2A EvCo play starts this weekend when they host Centralia.

2. River Ridge Hawks (4-1 overall, 2-1 2A SPSL)
Last week: #3 (+1)
Previous game: Beat White River, 44-0
Next game: vs. Washington (2-3) – South Sound Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM
Scoreczar prediction: River Ridge 33, Washington 6

Notes: Another big win for the Hawks put them at 4-1 overall and 2-1 in the SPSL, one game behind Fife and Franklin Pierce. This week they host Washington, who is 1-2 in league and coming off of a 46-14 win over Clover Park.

3. Capital Cougars (3-2 overall, 2-1 3A Narrows)
Last week: #5 (+2)
Previous game: Beat Central Kitsap, 3-0 in OT
Next game: @ Wilson (5-0) – Stadium Bowl, Tacoma – Friday, 7:00 PM
Scoreczar prediction: Wilson 26, Capital 13

Notes: Hard to move a team up two places after a 3-0 win over a mediocre Central Kitsap team, but such is the mediocrity of local football right now. Capital’s defense IS worth a #3 spot, though, as they continue to play tough. Their only blemish is the Lincoln game and that can be excuses considering what Lincoln has done to other teams lately. But their biggest test comes this weekend when they face Wilson. The Rams did not play a great game at Shelton and despite their 5-0 record, they haven’t played anybody of quality yet and certainly no defense like Capital’s.

4. Olympia Bears (3-2 overall, 2-0 4A Narrows)
Last week: #2 (-2)
Previous game: Lost to Issaquah, 28-7
Next game: vs. Stadium (0-5) – Ingersoll Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM
Scoreczar prediction: Olympia 32, Stadium 3

Notes: There is no team more confounding than these Bears. Absolutely dominate all aspects of the game against Timberline and then drop a 21 point decision to previously 1-3 Issaquah? Got me. They should get right against Stadium this week but it seems like anything could happen this season.

5. Rainier Mountaineers (3-2 overall, 2-2 in 2B Pacific)
Last week: #4 (-1)
Previous game: Lost to North Beach, 44-7
Next game: vs. Tacoma Baptist (0-5) – Rainier HS – Friday, 7:00 PM
Scoreczar prediction: N/A

Notes: Well, no shame in losing to North Beach. But that makes all of these upcoming games for Rainier especially important. This week they get 0-5 Tacoma Baptist who forfeited their first two games and has only scored 13 points in their other three games. They have a date with third place Life Christian coming up next Saturday.

6. Timberline Blazers (2-3 overall, 1-2 4A Narrows)
Last week: #6 (No change)
Previous game: Lost to Bellarmine, 29-22
Next game: @ Gig Harbor (4-1) – Roy Anderson Field, Gig Harbor – Thursday, 7:00 PM
Scoreczar prediction: Gig Harbor 35, Timberline 8

Notes: This tough patch for the Blazers isn’t going so well so far with back to back losses to Olympia and Bellarmine with Gig Harbor coming up tonight. And word has it that Gabe Gutierrez is out for the Tides game and the Blazers will start a freshman quarterback. Yeesh.

7. Yelm Tornadoes (3-2 overall, 1-2 4A Narrows)
Last week: #10 (+3)
Previous game: Beat Stadium, 16-6
Next game: vs. Evergreen (2-3) – Yelm HS – Friday, 7:00 PM
Scoreczar prediction: Evergreen 23, Yelm 21

Notes: Yelm only jumps up three spots because they won and the teams below them, other than North Thurston, all lost. That’s not to say that their 16-6 win over lowly Stadium is impressive. It isn’t. But at least they pulled it out. They take a break from conference play and take on Evergreen this week.

8. North Thurston Rams (1-4, 1-2 3A Narrows)
Last week: #12 (+4)
Previous game: Beat Foss, 51-0
Next game: @ Lincoln (5-0) – Lincoln Bowl, Tacoma – Friday, 7:00 PM
Scoreczar prediction: Lincoln 47, North Thurston 7

Notes: A 51 point outburst got the Rams their first win of the season and gave them a huge boost in these power rankings. However, they have to face Lincoln on Friday night in Tacoma so the shoe will likely be on the other foot.

9. Tenino Beavers (2-3 overall, 0-3 2A/1A Evergreen)
Last week: #7 (-2)
Previous game: Lost to Forks, 20-19
Next game: vs. Aberdeen (1-4) – Tenino Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM
Scoreczar prediction: N/A

Notes: Oh boy, after topping out at #4 in the AP 1A poll, the Beavers have lost three straight games and fell to 0-3 in conference play after being nipped by Forks up on the Peninsula. Can they get right against 2A Aberdeen at home this week? Who knows.

10. Rochester Warriors (2-3 overall, 1-2 2A/1A Evergreen)
Last week: #8 (-2)
Previous game: Lost to Aberdeen, 29-28
Next game: vs. Eatonville (5-0) – Rochester HS – Friday, 7:00 PM
Scoreczar prediction: N/A

Notes: The Warriors still haven’t beaten a 2A team after their loss to previously winless Aberdeen on Friday night. The Warriors are definitely out of the playoff picture and get to face an unbeaten Eatonville this week.

11. Black Hills Wolves (2-3 overall, 0-1 2A EvCo)
Last week: #9 (-2)
Previous game: Lost to WF West, 26-7
Next game: @ Port Angeles (3-2) – Civic Field, Port Angeles – Friday, 7:00 PM
Scoreczar prediction: N/A

Notes: Three straight losses for the Wolves and none bigger than dropping their 2A EvCo opener to WF West. Interesting to see what happens to them up in Port Angeles on Friday where they take on a much improved Roughriders team.

12. Shelton Highclimbers (1-4 overall, 0-3 3A Narrows)
Last week: #12 (-1)
Previous game: Lost to Wilson, 35-20
Next game: @ Central Kitsap (2-3) – Silverdale Stadium – Friday, 5:00 PM
Scoreczar prediction: Central Kitsap 30, Shelton 7

Notes: The Highclimbers played their best half in probably two seasons and then played their most disappointing half in two seasons against Wilson. They actually held a 20-14 halftime lead but turned the ball over four times in the second half en route to a 35-20 loss.