The T-Birds are still #1

I predicted a pretty mediocre local high school football season, I have to admit. I figured Tumwater would be good (yeah, tough call) but wasn’t sold on Randy Swilley and Tenino and didn’t expect anything more than average from most of the other schools. But if the first two weeks are any indication, I could be very, happily wrong.

Tumwater stays #1 though Tenino is closing in after the T-Birds just barely pulled off a pair of victories. Meanwhile, Timberline is 1-1 but looks strong, River Ridge looks like the class of the 2A SPSL and Rainier is making waves as a 2B team.

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1. Tumwater T-Birds (2-0)
Last week: #1 (no change)
Previous game: Beat Timberline, 35-33
Next game: vs. La Center – Tumwater Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: Two weeks, two close calls for the T-Birds. Tumwater only won the game on Thursday night because Timberline killed themselves with penalties and once they compiled a few, didn’t get the benefit of the doubt from the officials on close calls. Like the play that sealed the win for Tumwater. A 4th down slant that was broken up on a hit that was either early or illegal and probably both but was not called.

2. Tenino Beavers (2-0)
Last week: #2 (no change)
Previous game: Beat Castle Rock, 39-19
Next game: vs. Hoquiam – Tenino Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: Thomas Pier scored five touchdowns in virtually every way possible and the Beavers moved to 2-0 with two resounding victories. The single wing is working and Tenino is rolling. Still glad I don’t have to call any Tenino games, though. Next up: 1A Evergreen play when Hoquiam comes to town.

3. Timberline Blazers (1-1)
Last week: #3 (no change)
Previous game: Lost to Tumwater, 35-33
Next game: vs. Yelm – South Sound Stadium – Thursday, 7:00 PM

Notes: Timberline played well and nearly knocked off Tumwater. The difference was a missed PAT and a failed two-point conversion to make up for it in the second quarter. And multiple penalties at inopportune times that led t0 the officials calling everything close against the Blazers. Considering this is almost the same team that lost 44-0 to the T-Birds last year, you can see the strides that they have made and has to be one of the favorites now that 4A Narrows League play opens.

4. River Ridge Hawks (2-0)
Last week: #5 (+1)
Previous game: Beat North Thurston, 28-16
Next game: @ Franklin Pierce – Franklin Pierce HS, Tacoma – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: River Ridge knocked off North Thurston for the first time since 1998 and now look poised for a big season with the move to the 2A SPSL. The rest of the league is just 3-10 over the first two weeks and the Hawks open play against 0-2 Franklin Pierce on Friday.

5. Rainier Mountaineers (2-0 overall, 1-0 in 2B Pacific)
Last week: #6 (+1)
Previous game: Beat Kittitas, 33-0
Next game: vs. Raymond – Rainier HS – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: The Rainier defense has yet to give up a touchdown in wins over South Bend and Kittitas and are loving life as a 2B school. This week, they host what might be the game of the week in the South Sound when Raymond comes to town. The 2B Pacific comes down to Raymond, North Beach and the Mountaineers so this is one of the biggest games in a very, very long time for the Mountaineers.

6. Black Hills Wolves (2-0)
Last week: #7 (+1)
Previous game: Beat Rochester, 43-14
Next game: @ North Kitsap – North Kitsap HS, Poulsbo – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: Chase Morrow threw for four more touchdowns and the junior quarterback who was slated to be the backup looks to be the real deal for the Wolves. However, they have played 1A Montesano and a team in Rochester that was 1A last year and is rebuilding after losing most of the top players to graduation. We’ll see where this Black Hills team is this week when they travel to Poulsbo to face a good North Kitsap team.

7. Capital Cougars (1-1)
Last week: #8 (+1)
Previous game: Beat Olympia, 17-7
Next game: vs. Lincoln – Ingersoll Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: The Cougars defense has been outstanding giving up just 14 points to high powered Tumwater and just seven to Olympia. They made stop after stop in the second half of the Spaghetti Bowl to lead them to the big rivalry win. The offense, however, is one dimensional. Connor Kennedy had almost all of the yardage in the first half and the majority of it in the second half. It worked against Olympia but it will really have to work against Lincoln this weekend.

8. Yelm Tornadoes (2-0)
Last week: #10 (+1)
Previous game: Beat Foss, 26-24
Next game: @ Timberline – South Sound Stadium – Thursday, 7:00 PM

Notes: The Tornadoes start fast, don’t they? With wins against better non-league opponents in Foss and Steilacoom compared to the last few years, there is a little bit of hope in Yelm. But that 4A Narrows League is tough and they will have to show something on Thursday night against Timberline to assuage my fears for their league season.

9. Olympia Bears (1-1)
Last week: #4 (-6)
Previous game: Lost to Capital, 17-7
Next game: @ South Kitsap – South Kitsap HS, Port Orchard – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: Perhaps dropping the Bears this low isn’t fair. The Bears did drop a ranked team in the first week and were ranked #10 in the state. But they didn’t look good in the second half of the Spaghetti Bowl at all and now I’m doubting how good they actually are. A lot of questions will be answered when they open 4A Narrows play on Friday night in Port Orchard.

10. Shelton Highclimbers (1-1)
Last week: #11 (+1)
Previous game: Lost to Sumner, 51-14
Next game: vs. Foss – Highclimbers Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: Yeah, the Highclimbers lost big, 51-14, but there were some things to take away from this game. Jake Henry played well again rushing for more than 160 yards and two touchdowns and a bunch of their top players including Brian Nault were sick all week. And yet, they battled well in the first half against a very good Sumner team. Next they host Foss in their 3A Narrows opener and with the Falcons not playing particularly well in the first two weeks, Shelton suddenly looks like a team that could pick up more than one regular season win – which is all that I predicted they would do this season.

11. North Thurston Rams (0-2)
Last week: #9 (-2)
Previous game: Lost to River Ridge, 28-16
Next game: vs. Wilson – South Sound Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: For the first time in program history, the Rams lost to both Timberline and River Ridge. As a North Thurston alum, let me just say this: UGH!

12. Rochester Warriors (0-2)
Last week: #12 (No change)
Previous game: Lost to Black Hills, 43-14
Next game: @ Elma – Rottle Field, Montesano – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: Rochester were eliminated from the playoffs in week one and then got throttled by Black Hills. Now, without anything to play for but fun and pride over the next seven weeks, the Warriors open league play against Elma.

The T-Birds are still #1

It was a very good week for the local schools. The only losses came to other in-area schools and Rochester’s loss to Centralia so there isn’t much of a shakeup in the Oly Sports power rankings this week. With more in-area games this week, there will definitely be some changes next week.

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1. Tumwater T-Birds (1-0)
Last week: #1 (no change)
Previous game: Beat Capital, 14-3
Next game: @ Timberline – South Sound Stadium – Thursday, 7:00 PM

Notes: It took a half of football, but the second ranked team in 2A finally got the job done in the second half to knock off the Cougars 14-7. Junior Spencer Dowers struggled a bit in his first start at quarterback but Addison Barrett and Easton Trakel each scored for the T-Birds. Next up, Timberline on Thursday night, who they trounced last season 44-0.

2. Tenino Beavers (1-0)
Last week: #2 (no change)
Previous game: Beat Charles Wright, 50-8
Next game: @ Castle Rock – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: The Beavers hung 30 points on Charles Wright in the first quarter and never looked back in their 50-8 whomping of the Tarriers. Thomas Pier had runs of 94 and 95 yards and the single wing worked to perfection in Randy Swilley’s debut and the Beavers moved up to #4 in 1A in this week’s AP poll.

3. Timberline Blazers (1-0)
Last week: #3 (no change)
Previous game: Beat North Thurston, 34-21
Next game: vs. Tumwater – South Sound Stadium – Thursday, 7:00 PM

Notes: Gabe Gutierrez threw a touchdown and rushed for three more in a game that wasn’t as close as the score maybe indicates. Timberline took advantage of North Thurston turnovers to take home the win but now they draw a team in Tumwater that beat them up good last season, 44-0, and it will be interesting to see how the Blazers respond and will show a lot about where this team actually is this season.

4. Olympia Bears (1-0)
Last week: #4 (no change)
Previous game: Beat Ferris, 20-13
Next game: @ Capital – Ingersoll Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: The Bears got a nice performance out of running back Collin Courter and the defense made a clutch stop to knock off the #9 team in last week’s AP poll. The win moved Olympia into the top ten of the poll and now they put that ranking up against their fierce rival, Capital.

5. River Ridge Hawks (1-0)
Last week: #6 (+1)
Previous game: Beat Aberdeen, 49-7
Next game: vs. North Thurston – South Sound Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes:  Wow River Ridge! We knew they had some speedy weapons but they absolutely rocked Aberdeen on both sides of the ball and suddenly look like a very dangerous team. And for the first time in a long time, you look at the Hawks schedule and you can’t see too many roadblocks. We’ll see if they can repeat that performance against North Thurston on Friday night.

6. Rainier Mountaineers (1-0 overall, 1-0 in 2B Pacific)
Last week: #7 (+1)
Previous game: Beat South Bend, 44-2
Next game: @ Kittitas – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes: Rainier’s first game in 2B couldn’t have gone better. It’s nice to get a team that was winless the season before to build some confidence and the Mountaineers did just that. Nic Henry ran for 250 yards and three touchdowns. Next they travel to Central Washington for non-league game against Kittitas.

7. Black Hills Wolves (1-0)
Last week: #9 (+2)
Previous game: Beat Montesano, 33-7
Next game: vs. Rochester – Tumwater Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes:  The Wolves spoiled the opening of Montesano’s rebuilt Rottle Field thanks to a backup quarterback. Chase Morrow threw for over 350 yards and four touchdowns against the 1A – albeit a historically good 1A school – Bulldogs. They next face a Rochester team that is staffed by many former Wolves assistants.

8. Capital Cougars (0-1)
Last week: #5 (-3)
Previous game: Lost to Tumwater, 14-3
Next game: vs. Olympia – Ingersoll Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes:  As I said last week, Capital could be a pretty good team. But this schedule that they play is nearly impossible. They played a very good defensive game against Tumwater in week one and took a 3-0 lead into the half. But not being able to get into the endzone when they were holding the T-Birds down was their demise and now they take an 0-1 record into a game with their rival, the #9 ranked 4A team Olympia.

9. North Thurston Rams (0-1)
Last week: #8 (-1)
Previous game: Lost to Timberline, 34-21
Next game: @ River Ridge – South Sound Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes:  It looks like it might be a rough season for the Rams. The only reason I didn’t drop them further below winners like Yelm and Shelton is that they lost to a pretty good team in Timberline while the Tornadoes and Highclimbers beat weaker competition. The Rams next get a River Ridge team that looks poised to have a big season and the speed of the Hawks will likely be a major problem for the Rams.

10. Yelm Tornadoes (1-0)
Last week: #11 (+1)
Previous game: Beat Steilacoom, 22-12
Next game: @ Foss – Mount Tahoma Stadium, Tacoma – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes:  Yelm made the necessary adjustments to knock off Steilacoom but it was hardly convincing. Devante Pearson started at quarterback but moved to running back and scored a pair of touchdowns.

11. Shelton Highclimbers (1-0)
Last week: #12 (+1)
Previous game: Beat North Mason, 28-21
Next game: @ Sumner – Sunset Chevy Stadium, Sumner – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes:  Confidence. Last year the Highclimbers opened against Tumwater and were completely stymied in a big loss. That loss, though expected, set the tone for the rest of the season. The coach, the players, nobody seemed to have any confidence to do anything other than run Jake Henry straight up the middle. This year, you can tell that the team has more confidence. They have matured and against North Mason they opened the playbook, played more players and reaped the benefits against a Bulldogs team that didn’t take proper advantage of their best weapon, Daniel Burggraaf. But now they get Sumner, a team that went 11-1 last year and easily beat Franklin Pierce in their opener.

12. Rochester Warriors (0-1)
Last week: #10 (-2)
Previous game: Lost to Centralia, 47-7
Next game: @ Black Hills – Tumwater Stadium – Friday, 7:00 PM

Notes:  Rochester, with a big loss, is already out of the playoffs. That is the sad by-product of running away from the 2A EvCo and joining Aberdeen – who also lost to a 2A school and is eliminated – in the hybrid 2A/1A. Basically, they had to beat all of their 2A opponents to get in and they didn’t and now they are done. Perhaps that will allow them to play with a certain abandon from here on out.