Fourth-ranked 2A powerhouse Tumwater walked into Stewart Field on Friday night and showed why it was at the head of the class in the Evergreen 2A Conference.
Scoring on their first six offensive possessions, the Thunderbirds controlled every aspect in a 60-0 win over host Aberdeen.
For the Bobcats (0-3, 2-5), it was a chance to measure up and go face-to-face against one of the state’s power programs.
“We just played a very good team,” AHS head coach Kevin Ridout said. “They controlled us on both sides of the ball. They got off the ball quickly. They’re a quality program. It was tough for us to get anything going. I’m not disappointed in the kids. They went out and battled.”
Tumwater’s defense focused on Aberdeen senior running back Kylan Touch and made sure he and the rest of the offense didn’t find room to run. Touch finished with 23 yards rushing on 10 carries, including a 14-yard fake punt run in the fourth quarter.
The fake punt was Aberdeen’s longest play from scrimmage, which told of the Bobcats’ struggles to move the ball against the T-Birds (2-0, 5-2).
“You know, everyone is going to struggle against Tumwater,” Ridout said. “This is a team that should have beaten Bellevue. This is a team that played Union, a 4A state semifinalist last year. We’re playing some of the best teams in the state of Washington and two-three years ago, we were running away from these teams. Now, we’re staying on the field with them.”
Big first half
Tumwater parlayed great field position in the first half to take over the scoring. The T-Birds started in their own territory twice in six drives in the first half and took advantage.
Tumwater led 46-0 at the half to usher in the running clock in the second half.
Zane Murphy got the first of his two touchdowns on a 16-yard run to start the scoring. Murphy ended the first half with a 60-yard free-kick return for a touchdown that followed a Tumwater safety — AHS quarterback Ben Dublanko was sacked in the end zone by several Tumwater defenders.
Conner Clark ran for two touchdowns, a 43-yard scamper in the first quarter, a 16-yard sprint in the second and a 35-yard run to end the scoring in the fourth. Jordan Stutzman, wearing the same number as Clark in the second half, posted a 35-yard run to end the scoring in the fourth.
Dylan Paine added two touchdowns in the second quarter on runs from 19 and 9 yards out. Raushaun Tate added a third-quarter score on an 11-yard run for Tumwater.
T-Bird kicker Kyle Mancilles booted a 39-yard field goal late in the first quarter after a good defensive effort by Aberdeen to halt a potential touchdown drive.
On Friday, Aberdeen will host Senior Night festivities when it takes on Rochester.
