HS Football: Yelm Outlasts Lincoln In Great Battle

9/14/24

Yelm 26, Lincoln (Tacoma) 13

(Tacoma, WA) Given the two schools’ recent success in the last two seasons, it’s hard to believe neither side has played each other in the postseason during that time. With Yelm in 4A, they won’t meet in the playoffs in the near future, but last night at the Lincoln Bowl, it was a playoff atmosphere between the Yelm Tornados and the Lincoln Abes, who both were coming off week one wins.

The game started with Yelm getting the ball first, and the Tornados were able to use the run game to move the ball down the field. However, they would go through the air with quarterback Parker Myers rolling out and throwing a strike to Jameson Patin, who made a nice grab in the corner of the end zone to give Yelm an early 6-0 lead. The Yelm defense stopped Lincoln on fourth down when the Abes attempted a fake punt, setting up the Tornados just 22 yards out from paydirt. Myers ran it in from 12 yards out, going through two defenders to make it a 12-0 lead for Yelm in the first quarter.

Lincoln responded with a great drive, which saw Sione Kaho deliver a perfect ball to Kanoa Teplasy, who leaped up to make the grab over his defender for a 30-yard touchdown and made it a 12-6 game early in the second quarter. The defenses were able to force punts after that, but Lincoln had the ball with seven minutes left in the half and drove down the field, taking up the rest of the half with the help of penalties on both sides and a muffed punt by Yelm which came with about a minute left in the half. Lincoln had fourth down at the Yelm nine-yard line with under 10 seconds left in the half but the Yelm defensive line brought pressure and forced an incompletion to make it 12-6 at the half.

Lincoln would get the ball to begin the second half, but on the first play of the second half, Yelm’s Chris Hauss forced a fumble that Ethan Owens dove on to give the Tornados great field position just inside the 30-yard line. On their drive, Yelm had fourth down from the 12-yard line and went for it. The Tornados threw a pass toward the end zone, but Kanoa Teplasy intercepted it at the goal line to give Lincoln possession. Lincoln drove down the field with the help of a long pass from Kaho to Ramon Jones, who hauled in a 39-yard pass to put Lincoln inside the red zone. The Abes punched it in with Jadeon Scranton going up the middle for the touchdown to give Lincoln a 13-12 lead.

On the ensuing possession, Yelm had third and 13 when Parker Myers went deep to Jacob Ford, who was open at midfield. Ford made the grab, side-stepped a defender at the 30, and picked up a great block down the field from fellow wideout Jameson Patin, which sprung Ford for an 80-yard touchdown and put Yelm back up 19-13. The Tornados forced Lincoln to punt and then had an eight-minute, 13-play drive, which was capped by Myers running in another touchdown, this time using excellent vision to change directions and find the end zone for his second rushing touchdown and fourth touchdown of the night. Yelm was up 26-13 halfway through the fourth quarter when Lincoln drove down the field to the 36-yard line, where Yelm’s Bol Bol tipped a pass and Ethan Owens made a diving grab to come up with the interception which ultimately sealed the game for Yelm.

Yelm took the victory 26-13 to improve to 2-0 on the season and the Tornados host Kamiakin next week. Lincoln drops to 1-1 on the year and will play Camas at home next week.

Our Cole Health Game MVP went to Parker Myers who contributed to all four touchdowns, but Yelm’s defensive line of Bol Bol, Chris Hauss, Jonah Smith, and Jacob Tracy all had a great game as a unit and had a big say in the outcome of the ballgame.

Link to the full game replay on the NFHS Network (Subscription Required).

ESN Postgame Show