The Federal Way High School football team just keeps getting better.
After losing their opening game of the 2008 season, 21-14 to the fourth-ranked Auburn Trojans, the Eagles have racked up five wins in a row to move one game back of the Trojans in the South Puget Sound League North Division.
The Eagles’ latest victim were the Auburn Riverside Ravens. Federal Way dominated the Ravens Saturday at Federal Way Memorial Stadium, shutting out Auburn Riverside, 21-0.
The Eagles’ defense totally shut down the Ravens, holding Auburn Riverside to negative rushing yards in the first half and just 132 yards of total offense on the night. The Ravens had only seven first downs.
Federal Way sophomore quarterback Nick Tanielu also continued his improvement against Auburn Riverside. Tanielu finished with a touchdown run and a touchdown pass, while throwing for 148 yards on 10-of-17 passing.
Tanielu capped the Eagles’ first scoring drive of the night with a 14-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter. Senior tailback Andre Barrington set up the score with three big plays during the drive. Barrington had a 38-yard run, caught a 21-yard pass and had another 14-yard run before Tanielu finished it off with the score.
Federal Way took advantage of a bad snap on an Auburn Riverside punt to score its second touchdown in the second quarter.
The Eagles started in Ravens’ territory before Tanielu hit Rian Miller for a 23-yard pickup. Two plays later Tanielu rolled left and found DaShawn Horne for a 7-yard touchdown pass with just 34 seconds left in the first half.
Barrington finalized the score with a 9-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Barrington, who verbally committed to play at Washington State University before the season, finished with 105 yards on 16 carries.
The Eagles have another big game Friday night when they travel to French Field in Kent to take on the Kentwood Conquerors. Kentwood enters the game with a 4-2 record. Federal Way’s final two SPSL North Division games are against winless Kent-Meridian and Jefferson.
The Titans fell to 0-6 on the season with a loss to the Emerald Ridge Jaguars Thursday night at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup. The Jaguars (2-4) got a pair of 79-yard touchdown runs from Erik Pollard in the first quarter to give Emerald Ridge a 20-0 lead after the first 12 minutes of play. Pollard also scored in the fourth quarter on a 45-yard catch to clinch the win for Emerald Ridge.
Beamer tallied 16-straight points in the second and third quarters to cut the Jaguar led to just 20-16. The Titans got a pair of touchdown runs by Tyair Love and a 24-yard field goal from Zach Hoffman. Love scored on runs of four and one yard.
Pollard finished with 189 yards on nine carries. Justin Moultray led Beamer with 115 yards on 19 carries.
Beamer will host Bethel Saturday night at Federal Way Memorial Stadium.
The Conquerors jumped out to a 27-0 first-quarter lead and led 48-0 at halftime. Kentwood (4-2) got 252 yards rushing and two touchdowns from Darrius Coleman and also picked off six Jefferson (0-6) passes, including three by junior Tristan Askew.
The Raiders lone touchdown came on a fourth-quarter 9-yard pass to Spenser Sydney from Kama Frank.
It was the third time this season that Jefferson has given up 60 or more points to an opponent.
The Raiders will travel to winless Kent-Meridian on Thursday night.
Tyler Van Sligtenhorst threw four touchdown passes in the first half as the Rams racked up a 42-0 lead after the second quarter. Rogers cruised in the second half to the South Division win at Sparks Stadium. Sligtenhorst completed 10 of 14 passes for 241 yards in the first half.
Rogers (5-1) pulled its starters during the second half against the Gators (0-6). Decatur’s two second-half touchdowns came on a 38-yard pass from John Duncan to Conner McFaul and an 8-yarder from Duncan to Tyrone Faulkner.
Things don’t get any easier for the Gators. Decatur will host the fourth-ranked Auburn Trojans in a non-league game Friday night.
Sports editor Casey Olson: 925-5565, sports@fedwaymirror.com
