Still undefeated — Gabarri Johnson, Lincoln race past Spanaway Lake to claim 3A PCL title

It probably wasn’t how Lincoln’s players dreamed of celebrating their undefeated regular season and 3A Pierce County League title. The players returned to the field after a moment of panic minutes earlier, when what first sounded like a gunshot cleared the bleachers at Art Crate Field on Friday night and sent the players from both Lincoln and Spanaway Lake’s teams sprinting off the field.

Fortunately, it was a false alarm. The sound was apparently a car backfiring and slowly, players from both teams returned to the field.

Officials decided to call the game after conferring with Spanaway Lake coach Cameron Robak and Lincoln coach Masaki Matsumoto. At that point, Lincoln led 38-19 in the fourth quarter.

“It was crazy,” said Lincoln quarterback Gabarri Johnson. “I don’t think that’s ever happened before, especially when I was in high school or playing a game in general. It was just crazy to see that, everyone just running one way. The rest of our team just running, both stands clearing out and running one way, nobody really knows what’s going on. It was just crazy.”

Matsumoto said he wasn’t too concerned for his personal safety, but wanted to make sure all his players were safe.

“I fear for our players and the families, yes,” Matsumoto said. “One of our players, I couldn’t get him off the field because his family was sitting on (the Spanaway Lake) side, so he was kind of in a bind. Luckily, I got him off and later he said he was hesitant because his family was over there.”

With players still all over the place and with their families, Spanaway Lake coach Cameron Robak talked with Matsumoto and agreed it was best to call the game, rather than trying to complete it or finish the fourth quarter on a different day.

LINCOLN REMAINS UNDEFEATED

In the end, no one was hurt and the Lincoln Abes were champions of the 3A Pierce County League, even if it’s not exactly how they drew it up. Everything up to that point, though, was exactly how the Abes drew it up.

Lincoln’s offense, as it has been all season, was dynamic. Lincoln opened the game with a seven-play, 60-yard touchdown drive capped off by a 7-yard score from running back Navarre Dixon. The Abes didn’t pass once on the drive, setting the tone from the start.

Johnson, a Missouri commit and the state’s top-rated quarterback recruit, didn’t have a high-volume passing game. When his number was called, though, he was ready, extending plays with his legs and making defenders miss with an effortless-seeming shiftiness that has defined his Lincoln career. And that arm — Missouri is getting a total-package, dual-threat quarterback who throws darts with precision.

Johnson completed 9-of-11 passes for 238 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 70 yards and another touchdown. How’s that for efficient?

“He’s been great,” Matsumoto said. “Obviously, he saves us out of a lot of situations, too. We’re just really grateful to have him.”

There won’t be any ‘Let Gabarri Cook’ chatter at Lincoln Bowl, either — Johnson said he doesn’t care if he doesn’t have many passing attempts, if the run game is working well.

“Just doing what it takes to win as a team,” Johnson said. “It’s not about me getting a million stats, or (receiver) Drake (Granberry) getting a million stats, or any of our running backs getting a million stats. It’s about just doing what’s best for the team and how we’re going to win.”

Dixon rushed for the game’s opening score, before Spanaway Lake leveled the game in the first quarter with a 1-yard quarterback sneak from Dempsy James. Dixon scored again on a four-yard run in the second, before Spanaway Lake took the lead with a 38-yard James throw to Eastern Washington commit Zion Jones. After that, it was all Lincoln: Johnson rushed for a touchdown before hitting DJ Ervin for a 19-yard touchdown just before halftime. In the second half, Johnson hit Drake Granberry for a 39-yard score and found Jemani Teplasy for an 18-yard score to put the game out of reach.

3A STATE PLAYOFF RUN COMING?

Lincoln remains undefeated on the season with the win, improving to 9-0 overall with a 6-0 run through the 3A PCL. Lincoln has now won six out of the last seven meetings with Spanaway Lake, the lone loss coming during the covid-shortened 2021 spring season.

Lincoln’s 2021 season ended with a stunning 40-35 district playoff loss to Stanwood. This year’s team feels it’s poised for a state tournament run, thanks in large part to having an uninterrupted, full offseason.

“ We had a full offseason starting in January, not June,” Matsumoto said. “Just building that culture. We have a great group of seniors who are willing to lead, do little things. … They’re just coachable, easy to work with and I think they’re hungry.”

Lincoln will find out who its first postseason opponent is when the seeding committee finalizes the Week 10 matchups. The schedule will be released Sunday.

“Everybody is hungry,” Johnson said. “We practice hard against each other and everybody is just hungry. We work hard for each other so we’ve all got each other’s back.”