Eight straight wins for the T-Birds and they finish atop the final Oly Sports power rankings

The regular season has come to an end and the Tumwater T-Birds are the hottest team in the area. Eight straight wins, their only blemish coming on opening day against an upstart Shelton Highclimbers team. They’ve knocked off Timberline, Capital, WF West and North Thurston in the process. Impressive. Meanwhile, Timberline has won seven straight with their only loss coming to those T-Birds. In all, seven of the area’s 12 football teams will be playing in the post-season.

So how does everybody stack up at the end of the regular season? Take a look at my highly unscientific power rankings, complete with ScoreCzar predictions…

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1. Tumwater T-Birds (8-1)
Last week: #1 (No change)
Previous game: Tumwater 35, Black Hills 7
Next game: vs. Hockinson (6-3) – Tumwater Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM
ScoreCzar prediction: Tumwater 27, Hockinson 16

Notes: A Pioneer Bowl victory means eight straight wins and counting for the T-Birds and the #1 seed out of the 2A EvCo. Next up, the 6-3 Hockinson Hawks, who are the #3 seed from the GSHL. The two teams had one common opponent this season, River Ridge. Tumwater knocked off Lacey’s Hawks 27-12 two weeks ago while Hockinson dropped a 28-14 decision on September 21st.

2. Timberline Blazers (8-1)
Last week: #2 (No change)
Previous game: Timberline 33, Shelton 26
Next game: vs. Chief Sealth (4-5) – South Sound Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM
ScoreCzar prediction: Timberline 37, Chief Sealth 6

Notes: Timberline played a far from perfect game committing a couple of major penalties on Friday night against Shelton allowing the Highclimbers stay in game that could have easily been a blowout. Cut out those mistakes and the Blazers’ speed and defense could get them really far in these playoffs.

3. Capital Cougars (7-2)
Last week: #4 (+1)
Previous game: Capital 55, River Ridge 18
Next game: @ Ridgefield (6-3) – Ridgefield Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM
ScoreCzar prediction: Capital 27, Ridgefield 13

Notes: Capital closed out their regular season and secured the 2A EvCo’s second place with an exclamation point, romping over River Ridge on Friday night. The Cougars draw 6-3 Ridgefield, the GSHL’s #2 seed. The Spudders also played the Hawks this season and gave up 61 points in a 21 point loss on September 15th.

4. North Thurston Rams (7-2)
Last week: #5 (+1)
Previous game: North Thurston 57, Mount Tahoma 14
Next game: vs. Rainier Beach (5-4) – South Sound Stadium – Saturday, 7:00 PM
ScoreCzar prediction: North Thurston 27, Rainier Beach 20

Notes: North Thurston secured the #2 seed out of the 3A Narrows League by knocking off winless Mount Tahoma by 43 points, a good way to get healthy after a 24 point loss to Timberline. The Rams next get Seattle’s Rainier Beach, who were 5-1 in the Metro League’s Sound division but lost all of their non-league games, albeit to good teams in Eastside Catholic and O’Dea in a Metro League playoff.

5. Shelton Highclimbers (7-2)
Last week: #3 (-2)
Previous game: Timberline 33, Shelton 26
Next game: @ Nathan Hale (7-2) – Memorial Stadium, Seattle – Saturday, 7:00 PM
ScoreCzar prediction: Shelton 33, Nathan Hale 19

Notes: Give the Highclimbers credit, they battled to the end with Timberline. But the Blazers exposed some glaring weaknesses that Shelton will have to address if they wish to go any further in the playoffs. The loss means that they have to go on the road to Seattle’s Memorial Stadium to face Nathan Hale, the #2 seed out of the Metro League. The Raiders are a hard team to figure out, they were 7-2 overall and 6-0 in the Sound division but lost 50-8 to Eastside Catholic in the Metro championship game.

6. Tenino Beavers (6-3)
Last week: #6 (No change)
Previous game: Tenino 50, Rochester 6
Next game: @ Woodland (7-2) – Woodland Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM
ScoreCzar prediction: Woodland 31, Tenino 14

Notes: Tenino broke their three game losing streak against Rochester and now draw the 1A Trico’s #2 seed Woodland. The Beavers and the Beavers had two common opponents, Montesano and La Center, and both teams went 0-2 in those games. Tenino was outscored 90-13 while Woodland lost by a combined 70-14.

7. Olympia Bears (4-5)
Last week: #8 (+1)
Previous game: Olympia 29, Yelm 22
Next game: @ Auburn – Auburn Memorial Stadium – Saturday, 7:00 PM
ScoreCzar prediction: Auburn 24, Olympia 11

Notes: Despite everything, the Bears made the playoffs, in fact earned the #3 seed out of the 4A Narrows League. Their reward? Auburn in Auburn. The Trojans went 7-2 this season with the only losses coming to a pair of undefeated teams, Kentwood and Federal Way. Take away those two losses and Auburn outscored their opponents 269-83.

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8. River Ridge Hawks (5-4)
Last week: #7 (-1)
Previous game: Capital 55, River Ridge 18

9. Yelm Tornadoes (4-5)
Last week: #9 (No change)
Previous game: Olympia 29, Yelm 22
Next game: vs. Mount Tahoma (0-9) – Yelm Tornadoes Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM

10. Black Hills Wolves (4-5)
Last week: #10 (No change)
Previous game: Tumwater 35, Black Hills 7

11. Rochester Warriors (2-7)
Last week: #11 (No change)
Previous game: Tenino 50, Rochester 6

12. Rainier Mountaineers (1-8)
Last week: #12 (No change)
Previous game: Rainier 28, Seton Catholic 7

Notes: Woo hoo Mountaineers!