High school football roundup: Washington scores go-ahead TD in final seconds in win over Steilacoom

The first steady rainfall of the high school football season wasn’t enough to slow down Washington’s passing attack late in the fourth quarter in a Class 2A South Puget Sound League clash with Steilacoom.

Trailing by seven with just over six minutes to play Friday night, Patriots quarterback Luke Elliott and leading receiver Breydan Fisher connected twice on long scoring passes to lift Washington to a 35-28 win in a back-and-forth thriller at Steilacoom High School.

The first touchdown, a long toss from Elliott two plays after the Sentinels had regained a late lead, Fisher hauled in and beat two Steilacoom defenders down the sideline, crossing the goal line as he was dragged to the turf for a 75-yard score to tie the game with 5:08 to play.

After Washington’s defense got a timely stop on Steilacoom’s next drive, forcing a punt inside the final two minutes, Elliott and Fisher connected again on a second scoring pass.

Instead of opting to send the game to overtime tied at 28-28, Elliott again looked for his top target in the closing seconds, and threw another throw down the sideline. Fisher caught the pass in double coverage just across midfield, and sprinted the rest of the way for what turned out to be the game’s decisive score on a 76-yard touchdown with 17.9 seconds left.

“He made a great throw,” Patriots coach Mike Von Rueden said. “And No. 1, Breydan, has made plays for us all season long, and made a huge play for us tonight.”

That final drive having started at the Patriots’ 13-yard line with 1:28 to go, Von Rueden said Washington considered taking a knee to run out the clock and take the game to overtime, but eventually opted to take a shot.

Elliott and Fisher — both seniors who have been key playmakers for Washington this fall — delivered.

Elliott finished 9-of-16 passing for 200 yards, the two late passing touchdowns to one early interception, and added a 1-yard rushing touchdown for an earlier go-ahead score on Washington’s first drive of the second half.

Most of Elliott’s completions were to Fisher, who hauled in seven passes for a game-high 187 yards and the two scores.

“It’s there every game,” Fisher said. “That connection is strong.”

Kai Kai Hale — who led the Patriots on the ground with 74 yards on 15 carries — gave Washington the first lead on the second play of the game’s opening drive with the first of two touchdown runs.

Steilacoom tied the game late in the first on a 12-yard scoring pass from Drew MacDonald to Jaydus Green, and the two connected again midway through the second on a 42-yard catch-and-run to give the Sentinels an eventual 13-7 lead at the break.

But, the Patriots rallied for their four second-half touchdowns, to eventual close out a fifth consecutive 2A SPSL win.

“We challenged our guys at halftime,” Von Rueden said. “We challenge our guys to win the game up front, and I think we came out on both sides of the ball and just started to do better.”

Washington scored on back-to-back drives to open the second half on Elliott’s 1-yard run and a 2-yard touchdown by Hale to take a 21-13 lead with 10:47 left in the fourth.

But, Steilacoom responded with a 15-yard score pass from MacDonald to Vincent Foster on the next possession.

MacDonald finished 15-of-28 passing for 208 yards and the three touchdowns, while Foster had eight catches for 98 yards and the one score, and Green finished with five catches for 72 yards, the two touchdowns, and had an interception late in the first, recording the game’s only turnover.

Jaycion Cain kept Steilacoom’s offense rolling throughout, and rushed for a 58-yard score to give Steilacoom a 28-21 lead with 6:12 to play, moments before the Patriots tied it up and eventually took the decisive lead.

Cain finished with a game-high 192 rushing yards and the late go-ahead score on 20 carries before leaving the game with an injury on Steilacoom’s second-to-last drive.

Both programs close out the regular season next week with 2A SPSL matchups. Steilacoom (5-3) travels to play Fife. Washington (5-3), now winners of five consecutive contests after starting the season 0-3, hosts Franklin Pierce.

AUBURN MOUNTAINVIEW 20, AUBURN RIVERSIDE 14

Elijah Stafford-McNutt dominated the Ravens on both sides of the ball, helping Auburn Mountainview topple crosstown rival Auburn Riverside in a one-possession battle Friday night at Auburn Memorial Stadium.

The Lions’ senior dual-threat rumbled for 159 rushing yards on 27 carries, adding an 8-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter. But, his second score came on defense — a 15-yard interception return that gave Auburn Mountainview a 20-7 lead in the fourth.

Auburn Riverside took its first and only lead in the second quarter, and Stafford-McNutt’s first touchdown returned the advantage to the Lions for good.

The Ravens scored twice on the ground, first on a 3-yard rushing touchdown by Thyrou Umi-Tuato’o and again on a 4-yard dash by Kyree Wright in the fourth.

Auburn Riverside mustered only 6 total passing yards. Both teams combined for 82.

CURTIS 48, SOUTH KITSAP 6

Whether it was defense, offense or even special teams, the Vikings were out in full force against the Wolves.

The scoring got off to a quick start. After forcing a South Kitsap punt, sophomore Parker Mady took the return 83 yards for a touchdown to give Curtis a 6-0 lead.

After another forced punt, Curtis quarterback Rocco Koch added a 5-yard score as the Vikings took a 13-0 lead.

Curtis continued to add on in the second quarter.

Mady scored again on a 1-yard run. Koch then tossed a pair of touchdowns to sophomore wide receiver Xavier Aherns for 56 and 75 yards.

The scoring continued in the third, when Koch and Mady connected on a 38-yard touchdown pass to push the lead to 41-0. Curtis’ final score was a 10-yard rushing touchdown by Kane Able.

The Vikings improve to 5-3 and will host Puyallup next week in their regular season finale.

SATURDAY (OCT. 22)

MOUNT TAHOMA 49, SILAS 7

Mount Tahoma’s season admittedly did not start as planned — a quick slide to 0-4, despite competitive finishes against powerhouse opponents.

But the T-Birds, as coach Keith Terry described, “stayed the course.” Since a loss to title-contending Lincoln on Sept. 23, Mount Tahoma has now won four straight. They’re back at the .500 mark (4-4) and remain squarely in the postseason hunt.

Saturday afternoon’s contest was the most recent example of a recently-dominant Mount Tahoma team. The offense rumbled over Silas for five touchdowns, and his defense added another pair of scores in the third quarter in part of a 49-7 rout.

“That was our biggest obstacle coming into the season, in my opinion, was just our mental makeup,” Terry said Saturday. “We stayed the course, and we’ve now turned that page and won some games.

“We really like where we are right now.”

Mount Tahoma ran all over Silas, helping open the field for quarterback Derrik McKinney. The signal-caller tallied three total touchdowns: two on the ground and one more through the air. Tailback Zirus Loa added a pair of rushing scores.

Meanwhile, the defense stymied any Rams counterattack. Terry utilized his shutdown secondary, which limited big plays and kept the chains in place.

“They just play big,” Terry said of his defense. “(Silas) tried to go over top a couple times, but we had our guys were in great position, and we didn’t give up big plays. ... It kept us ahead all night.”

Mount Tahoma’s regular season concludes with a road visit to Harry Lang Stadium versus Lakes on Thursday. Both programs are knotted at third place (3-2) in the 3A PCL standings.

“We just want to be there at the end of the season to give ourselves a chance,” Terry said. “And what happens from there, happens.”

BELLARMINE PREP 13, PUYALLUP 12

Despite being shut out in the first half by the Vikings, the Lions clawed their way back into the game early on in the second half.

The Vikings got on the board first in the first quarter with a field goal to go up 3-0. With a few minutes left in the half, sophomore running back Ty Balzarini punched in the four-yard touchdown run to extend the Viking lead to 9-0.

However, a lightning strike in the area would delay the game. Thus, knocking Puyallup out of their rhythm and giving Bellarmine Prep their chance to come back.

And come back they did, as a rushing touchdown in the third quarter paired with another rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter put the Lions ahead for good.

The Vikings were able to score once more on a 42-yard field goal made by junior kicker Luke Faccone in the third quarter, but it wasn’t enough.

Both teams are on the road next week as Bellarmine takes on Olympia at 5 p.m. Saturday, October 29; and Puyallup plays Curtis at 7 p.m. the same day.

BP: 0-0-7-6--13

P: 3-6-3-0--12