The Federal Way Eagles’ five-year postseason streak suffered a big-time blow Thursday night with a 53-38 loss to the Bethel Braves at Federal Way Memorial Stadium.
The loss drops the Eagles to 1-4 in the rugged South Puget Sound League South Division and leaves them in seventh-place tie with Spanaway Lake. The top-four teams in the division automatically advance into the playoffs. The two fifth-place teams from the North and South Divisions will play a winner-to-playoffs, loser-out game on the Tuesday following the regular season.
The Eagle defense just couldn’t stop the Bethel offense all night long, especially during the first three quarters. The Braves tallied double-digit points in all three quarters and led 53-13 entering the fourth quarter.
The Braves scored on their first six possessions of the game and Bethel quarterback Justin Hordyk finished with 229 yards and five total touchdowns.
Things started off pretty good for the Eagles, however. Bethel led only 18-13 after the first quarter of play thanks to touchdown runs by Rod Jones and D.J. May for Federal Way. Jones scored from 1-yard out and May ran 44 yards for the first of his two touchdown runs. May finished with 213 yards rushing on the night.
Federal Way made the final score a little more respectable with four touchdowns late in the game. The first coming on a 63-yarder by May. Blake Koler then followed with a pair of touchdown runs. The first came from 1-yard out and the second came from 5 yards. Koler also hit Marcel Morris with a 36-yard touchdown pass to finalize the score.
In other action:
Beamer 25, at Spanaway Lake 23: The Titans got right back in the playoff hunt in the SPSL South with a come-from-behind win over the Sentinels at Art Crate Stadium Thursday night.
The Titans (2-2, 2-3) used two fourth-quarter touchdowns to clip Spanaway Lake (1-4, 1-4). The final, go-ahead score came on a 3-yard run by Beamer senior quarterback T.J. Esekielu. The Sentinels led 23-13 during the fourth quarter.
Beamer jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead on a 2-yard run by senior Dominique Maxie in the first quarter. But Spanaway Lake tallied the next 16 points to take a 16-7 lead at halftime.
Maxie got his second touchdown of the night during the third quarter on a 10-yard catch from Esekielu to cut the Sentinel lead to 16-13. But Spanaway Lake extended the lead to 10 points with a Deon McClain 1-yard touchdown run.
The Titans’ fourth-quarter comeback started with an impressive 65-yard interception return by linebacker Marley Liulama and ended with the Esekielu TD run. Esekielu threw for 108 yards and ran for 88 during the game.
The victory moves the Titans into a tie for fifth place in the SPSL South with Puyallup. Beamer will take on district rival Federal Way Friday night at Federal Way Memorial Stadium.
Kent-Meridian 38, at Jefferson 34: The Raiders fell to 1-4 overall with a shootout loss to the Royals Friday night at Federal Way Memorial Stadium.
The Raiders got another monster game from senior running back Keegan Giles, who ran the ball 39 times for 259 yards. Giles also tallied two touchdowns. Jefferson also got 125 yards rushing from junior quarterback K.W. Williams, who also had three touchdowns for the Raiders.
But the Jefferson defense couldn’t stop Kent-Meridian senior quarterback David Jones. Jones lit up the Raiders for 265 yards on the ground and four touchdowns.
The Raiders travel to Auburn Riverside Friday night to take on the Ravens.
at Enumclaw 42, Decatur 7: In their first-ever regular season game as a member of the SPSL’s 3A Division, the Gators were blown away by the Enumclaw Hornets at Pete’s Pool Friday night.
The Hornets (1-0, 2-3) built a 42-0 lead before Decatur tallied its only touchdown of the game on a Miguel Garcia 2-yard run. The loss dropped the Gators to 1-4 overall and 0-1 in the SPSL 3A.
Enumclaw’s Andy Holdener tallied two touchdown runs and ran the ball 20 times for 165 yards Friday night. Hornet quarterback Dylan Podlolak finished with three touchdown passes to Terren Houk, Tyler Carlson and Jason Greer.
Things don’t get any easier for the Gators. Decatur will travel to Lakewood to take on the Lakes Lancers Friday night. The Lancers are 4-1 on the season.
