12/8/19
The 2019 High School Football and Fall sports Seasons all came to an end on Saturday when the 6 State Championship games were played at 3 different locations. This was the first time all 6 games were played on one day and the first time since 1976 that the State Championship games were played outside. The tradition started in 1977 in the Kingdome where the final weekend was contested through 1994. In 1995 the games were moved to the Tacoma Dome where they had been playing many of the Semi-Final games since 1983. The Tacoma Dome 2 years ago renovated their seating to better accommodate concerts and in doing so ruined the viewing for a football game.
The WIAA had to make a decision of re-signing with the Dome with a significant increase in rent cost with the bad viewing of the new configuration or say no and come up with an alternative plan. This year it went to a 3 location with in driving distance of each other so fans could see at least 2 of the games and the ticket they bought at one site was good at all 3. The games were all played at noon and 4p which ended the tradition for some fans who used to go and watch all 6 games over the 2-day event when it was in the Tacoma Dome. The WIAA is on record as saying this year’s format is by no means set in stone and they are looking at several different alternatives to bring it back close to the long-held tradition.
That being said, the goal of every single season is to be the one team hoisting the big gold football trophy. 12 teams would compete and 6 would claim the title of Champions. Below is our coverage of each game with links to stories of the very talented media still covering these games along with links to the official stats a picture gallery for the 1A and 2B games, the games ESN covered and video clips from each game. Let’s get started:
4A Camas 35, Bothell 14
Camas took control of this game and really kept Bothell at a safe distance the entire game. For the Papermakers it was their 2nd title in the past 3 seasons and their 3rd appearance in the finals since 2013. The Papermakers finished the season perfect at 14-0 while Bothell settled for 2nd and an impressive 12-2 final mark.
Link to WIAA Tournament Central and Brackets
Link to Andy Buhler’s coverage for Scorebook Live
Link to Story by Meg Wochnick in The Columbian
Link to story by Matt Massey in the Seattle Times
Video Highlights
Camas’ Jacques Badolato-Birdsell sprints to the endzone
Bothell’s Jordyn Turner hauls in a deep TD from Andrew Sirmon
3A Eastside Catholic 20, O’Dea 12
It seems like these two teams have been in the finals against each other for 10 years but in reality it is only the second time they have ever met although either O’Dea or Eastside Catholic has been in the finals for the past 8 straight seasons. These are certainly not strangers and had faced off in the regular season where the Irish took the game and moved into the #1 ranked position until Saturday . The Crusaders got their revenge to notch their 4th State Championship in the past 6 years.
Link to WIAA Tournament Central and Brackets
Link to Jayda Evans story in the Seattle Times
Video Highlights
E-C’s Gio Ursano gives the Crusaders the early lead
2A Tumwater 48, Steilacoom 34
The T-Birds were undefeated and the #1 seed but had they faced a team like Steilacoom yet? If they hadn’t it didn’t matter in the end as they leaned heavily on their running attack. There were 11 records set in this one for the 2A State Championship game including most rushing yards topping 400 with 422. The T-Birds took a punch to the gut on the opening drive as the Sentinels drove down and scored. What may have been the most critical drive of the game was how would Tumater respond when it was their turn with the bowl and in turn could Steilly stop their ferocious running attack. The answers were, as expected and no. The T-Birds got their 6th State Title while the Sentinels made their first appearance in a Championship game.
Link to WIAA Tournament Central and Brackets
Link to Todd Milles’ coverage on Scorebook Live
Link to Jon Manley’s story in The Olympian
Video Highlights
Tumwater’s Dylan Payne is gone with his 2nd TD romp
Emeka! Enough said
1A Royal 26, Lynden Christian 22
The 1A Classification was the most difficult for the seeding committee to put together with 7 undefeated teams, 2 powerful 1 loss teams and the defending champions all in the bracket. There was one team though that there was no debate and that was the Royal Knights who came in 13-0 and having outscored their opponents in the 3 State Play-off games 148-13 were the #1 seed and on a mission. They faced Lynden Christian who came in as one of the 1 loss teams and the Lyncs no doubt played up the underdog role. The Lyncs were also senior dominated and they gave the Knights all they wanted and actually came within 3 minutes of pulling off the stunning upset but the Knights came up with a huge play to clinch their 9th State Championship and 8th under Head Coach Wiley Allred.
Link to WIAA Tournament Central and Brackets
Link to Aaron Lommers story in the Seattle Times
Link to Casey McCarthy’s story in the Columbia Basin Herald
Video Highlights
Royal responds big time after giving up the lead late
Lynden Christian not ready to give up as they battle back after falling behind
2B Onalaska 48, Kalama 30
The Onalaska Loggers hadn’t been to a State Championship game since 1986 but after running the table they found themselves finally getting past their long-time Lewis County rivals Napavine and Adna but then found themselves face-to-face with 2 time defending Champions Kalama. The Chinooks racked up 2 early season losses after having to re-load and found their groove to come in just as hot as the Loggers into this game to defend their trophy. Kalama came out firing and scored first but the running attack of the Loggers that just grinds teams into a fine sawdust was too much for the Nooks to withstand. Running Back Ashton Haight set a record for the 2B Championship game running the ball 42 times. The Loggers got their second State Title while Kalama’s streak was snapped after two.
Link to WIAA Tournament Central and Brackets
Link to coverage by Matt Baide and Jordan Nailon for Lewis County Sports
Video Highlights (3)
Ony’s Ashton Haight scores the first of 48 points in the Loggers Title win
Onalaska’s Cade Lawrence gets into the act
Kalama gets back in the game on this Esary to Vance perfect pass
1B Odessa 80, Naselle 26
Odessa was 0-4 in State Championship games prior to coach Jeff Nelson arriving to take over the Tigers program. Nelson came to Odessa with some high qualifications that included 5 State titles as the Head Coach of LaCrosse-Washtucna and showed he can do it with the Tigers as well winning the big trophy last year. This year the Tigers cranked it up to a crazy scoring level putting up 921 points coming into the Championship showdown with Naselle averaging nearly 77 points a game. This was Naselle’s first trip to a Championship game and although simply could not keep up with the Tigers came back with their best season in school history.
Link to WIAA Tournament Central and Brackets
Link to story by Andy Buhler on Scorebook Live
Link to story by Matt Massey in the Seattle Times
Video Highlights
Odessa’s Marcus King romps to add to the Tigers big early lead
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