Oh, how things have changed in just one year inside the Federal Way High School football program.

The eighth-ranked Eagles remained unbeaten and secured at least a share of the South Puget Sound League South Division championship with a 49-17 win over the Rogers Rams Thursday night at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup.

Exactly one season ago, a very talented Eagles’ squad was beaten up 42-28 by the same Rogers team, falling to 2-4 in the SPSL South. Federal Way eventually finished the season with a disappointing 4-6 record, snapping the program’s five-year postseason streak.

This season, longtime head coach John Meagher returned basically the same team with a different attitude, which developed after the perennial winning program had a subpar year in 2010.

This year’s edition of the Eagles (6-0) can secure the SPSL South title outright with a victory over winless Spanaway Lake Saturday at Federal Way Memorial Stadium. The South Division championship will give the Eagles the SPSL’s top seed into the postseason and a first-round matchup with the fifth-place team from the Wesco League on Nov. 4.

The SPSL South title will be Federal Way’s first since 2007, when the program won the SPSL North. The Eagles moved to the South Division last year.

Against Rogers Thursday night, the Eagles ran the ball down the Rams’ throats. Federal Way dominated the line of scrimmage and ran for 358 yards and six rushing touchdowns.

The Eagles had a pair of underclassmen run for over 100 yards. Junior Rod Jones finished with 16 carries for 114 yards and four touchdowns and dynamic freshman, Chico McClatcher, ran for 144 yards on just 14 carries. McClatcher had a 66-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

Rogers actually led 7-0 early after Max McIntosh scored on a 4-yard pass from Stefan Van Horn in the first quarter. But Jones countered with two-straight touchdown runs to give the Eagles the lead for good, 14-7, early in the second quarter. Jones added his third touchdown before the half to give Federal Way a 21-10 lead at the break.

Rogers cut the lead to 21-17 on a 41-yard touchdown pass early in the second half, but it was all Eagles the rest of the way. Federal Way scored the final 28 points of the game, including runs by Jones, McClatcher and a 20-yarder by Zeek McNeal. Jessy Leifi also added a 10-yard fumble return for a score.

In total, the Eagles have scored a total of five defensive touchdowns this season, along with a pair of safeties.

at Kentridge 18, Jefferson 15 — The Raiders’ bid to make the playoffs will have to wait a week. The Chargers rallied past Jefferson (4-3) Saturday at French Field.

Jefferson scored first on a 4-yard run by senior quarterback K.W. Williams in the second quarter. Williams added the two-point conversion to give TJ an 8-0 lead.

But Kentridge came back to score the next three touchdowns, one each in the second, third and fourth quarters, to take an 18-8 lead. The Chargers failed on all three two-point conversions.

The Raiders attempted to get back in the game with a 61-yard touchdown pass from Williams to Rithvik Lagisetti to cut the Kentridge lead to three, 18-15. But that was as close as it would get.

Jefferson can clinch one of the SPSL North’s playoff spots Friday with a home win over Mount Rainier at Federal Way Memorial Stadium.

at Bonney Lake 49, Decatur 6 — Bonney Lake (5-2) quarterback Chris Brown completed 17 of 35 passes for 394 yards and a school-record seven touchdowns during the Panthers’ beating of Decatur Friday at Sunset Chev Stadium. Four of Brown’s touchdown passes went to Zach Zarogoza.

It was the second blowout SPSL 3A loss in a row by the Gators (4-3). Second-ranked Lakes beat Decatur 61-0 last week.

The Gator offense couldn’t get anything going against the talented Bonney Lake defense Friday night. Decatur was limited to 83 total yards of offense.

Things don’t get any easier for the Gators, who take on seventh-ranked Peninsula Friday in Gig Harbor.

Graham-Kapowsin 49, at Beamer 14 — The Titan (1-6) defense just couldn’t stop Graham-Kapowsin quarterback Drew Austin Friday night at Federal Way Memorial Stadium. Austin passed for 294 yards and four touchdowns and Mike Ramos added two TD runs.

Graham-Kapowsin took a 21-0 lead early in the first quarter before Beamer’s Jarius McDade cut the lead to 21-7 on a 1-yard touchdown run. But Graham-Kapowsin tallied the next 21 points.

Beamer’s Willie Roach added a late 35-yard touchdown catch for the Titans, who will take on Puyallup Friday at Sparks Stadium.