Eatonville stays undefeated with 27-22 win over Tenino in EVCO 1A football

9-30-2022
By Tony Davila

Eatonville 27, Tenino 22

(Tenino, WA) The black turf of Tenino Beaver Stadium was host to two 4-0 EVCO 1A teams in Eatonville and Tenino Friday night. When these teams met last season it was Eatonville winning 24-22 on their way to a 14-1 season losing to Royal in the state championship game. The Cruisers are looking to get back the the big game this season just with a different result.

Tenino has big goals as well as they got to the State Quarterfinals last season. The Beavers would get the game started with Kaden Sayamnet intercepting Eatonville quarterback Job Kralik on the second play of the game. The Beavers would eat up more than 4 minutes of clock with the 3 headed running back attack of Dylan Spicer Tristan Whitaker and Randy Marti. Marti finished the 9 play drive with a 1yard touchdown run and punching in the 2 point conversion making it 8-0 Tenino.

Eatonville answered 4 plays later when Job Kralik got loose on a keeper down the middle of the field for 25 yards and the score the PAT was good and it was 8-7 Beavers with 5:20 to go in the first quarter. The Cruisers would even up the turnover battle on the next drive with RJ Schrimpsher recovering a fumble. Both teams would go 3 and out on their next drives ending the quarter 8-7 Tenino.

The Cruisers would then take the lead on a 7 play drive to start the 2nd quarter with Kralik running in another long Td this one from 35 yards out on 4th down. Kralik who is also the punter and place kicker hit his 2nd PAT and Eatonville led 14-8.

Kralik’s run opened the doors to basically a track meet. The Beavers returned the favor when senior running back Dylan Spicer sprinted 82 yards for the score. The Beavers go for 2 each time and this time they were short so the game was tied at 14 with 6:07 to play in the half. This run was part of a huge night on the ground for Spicer who finished with 240 yards.

After the kickoff it took one play for Eatonville running back Dylan Norman to break off a huge run and broke the tape at the goal line with a 57 yard dash. The PAT was good and now the Cruisers were up 21-14. The two teams would trade punts and Eatonville would get a last chance to score prior to the break when they recovered a Beaver fumble. In fact they got two tries at it when Tenino committed a pass interference as time expired. The Cruisers got one more play but the Beaver defense held firm and they went to the half with the Cruisers leading 21-14.

Tenino started the 2nd half with an 11 play drive and running 6 and a half minutes off the clock. The Beavers powerful running attack pushed the Cruisers all the way to the 1 yard line. But Eatonville rose to the challenge with a tackle for loss to the 3, then again to the 5 and denied the Beavers a chance to tie or take the lead with a huge defensive goal line stand.

Tenino then forced Eatonville to punt and they got the ball on their own 20. It took one play and Dylan Spicer broke free ripping off an 80 yard touchdown run. Beavers QB Cody Strawn would throw his first pass of the game on the 2pt conversion to Randy Marti and a 22-21 lead for Tenino.

Eatonville would answer with an impressive 9-play drive that began with 1:02 to play in the 3rd. It was Kralik again this time diving over the pile for his 3rd touchdown of the game from the 2 yard line. They then tried for 2 to go up by 7 but fell short and led 27-22.

Tenino took over with 8:12 to go in the fourth and in usual Beaver fashion ground away running 11 plays driving to the Cruiser 27 where they faced a 4th down. Strawn dropped back for only the 2nd time in the game with just 27 seconds to play and and through downfield by Eatonville’s Ky Nation slapped the ball down and the Beavers turned the ball over on downs with just 22 seconds to play in which Eatonville knelt down to secure the win.

Eatonville remains unblemished at 5-0 overall and 1-0 in league play and will host Montesano (5-1) next week. Tenino drops to 4-1 and 0-1 in league and travels to Hoquiam (3-2) next week.

Job Kralik was named our Thorbeckes MVP.