HS Football: Puyallup holds off a determined Olympia squad to remain atop the SPSL 4A

10/6/2022

Puyallup 29, Olympia 24

(Puyallup, WA) The SPSL 4A Football league is jammed packed at the top and there is no relief in sight. Sumner, Emerald Ridge, Bethel and Puyallup all entered the week at 4-1. Curtis and Graham-Kapowsin were both 3-2 while Olympia, Bellarmine Prep and South Kitsap were 1-4 and Rogers 0-5. This week something there will be some movement as Emerald Ridge hosts Bethel on Friday night and Curtis travels to Graham-Kapowsin on Saturday. All 4 teams were hoping for at least one upset Thursday night to help all their causes when Rogers traveled to Sumner and Olympia visited Puyallup.

Both Sumner and Puyallup held serve with the Spartans rolling with a 54-3 win over the Rams. It wasn’t as easy for the Puyallup Vikings as the Bears gave them all they wanted and more. Even though the Bears were 1-4 they have lost 2 games by 2 scores and and 2 games by 1 score or less including their opening season 1 point loss to Curtis. The Bears came in averaging 25 points a game while the Vikings were averaging 27.4. The final score really reflected those numbers as Puyallup pulled out the win.

It did not look like a scoring frenzy would occur in the 1st half in fact it looked more like that pathetic Colts/Broncos NFL game of all field goals. Olympia got things started with a 9 play 6:22 drive that saw the Bears stall on the Vikings 23. Olympia coach Nick Mullen sent out his field goal kicker Ben Scott to attempt a 40-yard field and he drilled it right down the middle for a 40-yard field goal giving the Bears the 1st advantage up 3-0.

Puyallup answered with an 8 play drive down to the Bears 16 but had to settle for a field goal attempt from the 23 and Luke Faccone was spot on to even the game. The rest of the 1st half was several punts and turn over on downs but Faccone was able to knock in a 24-yard field goal to make it 6-3 and on the final drive of the 1st half belted home his 3rd between the pipes from 35-yards and at the half it was a defensive tug-o-war with the Vikings up 9-3.

Both offenses found their stride in the 2nd half and Puyallup opened up on their 1st drive of the 3rd quarter taking over on their own 37. On the 4th play of the drive QB Luke Rolfsness dropped back off a play action and lobbed one up to a wide open Kai Richardson who had slipped out from his tight end position and hauled in about a 20 yard pass and headed for the goal line scoring a 63-yard touchdown. The Vikings went for 2 trying to make it a 14 point lead but fell short and led 15-3.

After several punts the Bears were booting the ball away again when the ball was muffed and loose but a Viking recovered back on their own 17 yard line. On the 1st Rolfsness was looking for Richardson on a slant but Oly defender Drew Carlson jumped the pattern and intercepted on the Puyallup 20, On 3rd and 8 Olympia QB Gabe Downing drilled one to Roan Senna in the end zone, add the PAT and the Bears were back within 5 trailing 15-10.

On the next drive the Vikings struck back on a nifty screen pass from Rolfsness to Mal Durant on a 2nd and long. Durant side stepped a would be tackler busted it to the outside and was gone for a 46-yard score. This time Puyallup coach Brian Grout took the easy extra point and they led 22-10 with 45-seconds to play in the 3rd.

The offenses were in full swing now and the Bears took the next drive and delivered another answer beginning on their own 33. 7 plays later they would be on the Viking 6 facing a 3rd and goal. Puyallup only rushed 3 and dropped 9 into coverage swamping the shortened field but Drew Carlson found a crack in the defense and Downing lasered one in for the score and Olympia was back within 5, 22-17 early in the 4th.

Puyallup and specifically Mal Durant were ready to fire back. On 3rd down from their own 30 Durant hauled in about a 20 yard pass near midfield from Rolfsness, got by 1 defender and it was a race to the goal. A couple of Bears had the angle on Durant but Durant pulled up about the 15 cut inside then cut back to the outside leaving his pursuers in the dust and in for the score to push their lead again back to 12 up 29-17.

Olympia took over on their own 20 and drove down to the Puyallup 12 with a 1st down. After a penalty, a big sack and another negative play it was 4th and 30 from the 32. Downing dropped back and let it fly and Carlson between defenders out fought them for the ball and hauled it in for a 32-yard touchdown with 2:54 to play in the game the Bears were back within 5 29-24.

Puyallup faced a critical 4th and 2 on the drive and Rolfsness picked up 4 to get the 1st down and it was victory formation after that to secure the Vikings 5thn win of the season.

Our MVP of the game went to Mal Durant for his 180 receiving yards and his play on defense. Puyallup is now 5-1