HS Football: Federal Way blanks White River tightens up NPSL 3A

10/11/2024

Federal Way 15, White River 0

(Federal Way, WA) The White River Hornets came into this season as a big unknown. They were bumped up to 3A after the re-classification last year and were picked to finish near the bottom of their new league the 3A NPSL in many preseason polls.

The Hornets had surprised many coming into this game 4-0 in league play and sitting atop the NPSL and 4-1 overall. Still there were questions of how good this team was with wins over Thomas Jefferson, Auburn-Mountainview, Todd Beamer and Kentlake who collectively had 5 league wins with 2 teams winless. Their lone loss was to a former rival in their old SPSL 2A league Fife where they were walloped 48-0 in a non-league game.

Federal Way came in with a 2-2 league mark and 3-2 overall. The 2 losses included a huge meltdown against unbeaten Decatur where the Eagles led 34-13 with just 6 minutes to play and lost on the final play of the game 35-34. They also dropped a 42-25 decision to 4-1 in league play Enumclaw.

So the question was is White River as good as their record and is Federal Way better than their record. The answer we think is actually yes to both questions.

This game ended up being all about the defenses as both sides came up with big play after big play. Both offenses have shown they can be explosive as each side has thrown 50+ point games up on on the scoreboard twice this season each. That would not be the case in this one.

Defense leads the way from the beginning

White River started on offense to begin the game. They would pick up a couple of 1st downs and run 7 plays but would have to punt it away when the Eagles defense stiffened. Federal Way took over on their own 45 and ran 4 plays but the Hornets defense refused to give up 10 yards and took the ball back at midfield on downs.

It would be a 3 and out and punt to the Eagles where they took possession on their own 28. The Hornets winning the early field position game. This time the Eagles offense was able to pick up a couple of 1st downs but would have to punt and Geron White pushed River back to their own 25. It would be another 3 and out for the Hornets and their punter Max Argo would boot it away but the Eagles got it in decent field position on the White River 44 as the game got into the 2nd quarter.

White River’s defense remained difficult and held the Eagles to 4th and 1 when Raymond Toso powered forward for the 1st down. Then on 2nd and 9 from the Hornet 44 QB Andy Cortez dropped back and lofted a perfect pass over the outstretched hands of safety Ray Palmer who just missed knocking down the pass and into the hands of the Eagles Zamarie Tellez for the perfect strike. The PAT was no good and with 7:59 to play in the half the 1st points were on the board and the Eagles led 6-0.

Eagle Defense sets up 2nd score

On the next drive the Eagles defense showed up forcing a fumble and Anthony Toomer Jr who had already been in the backfield regularly and all over the field came up with the loose ball to give the Eagle offense in great position on the Hornet 46. After 2 plays bringing up a 3rd and 5 Cortez again dropped back as the speedy Austin May broke free from the Hornets defensive backs and Cortez delivered it right into the hands of May in stride and strolled into the endzone for a 12-0 lead with 4:19 to go in the half. The PAT failed again so it remained 12-0 all the way to halftime.

2nd Half, as Bob Seger would sing was “Still the Same”

The 2nd half did see more offense especially from the Hornets but in the end it was “still the same” with the defenses coming up with huge plays. White River’s defense again held the Eagles forcing a turn over on downs on their own 34. The Hornets then put together one of the best drives of the game with QB Tristan Waterman hitting some completions and Trevor King picking up some good gains on the ground. But a huge holding call brought back a big gain and stopped all the momentum as the Hornets ended up turning it over on downs on their own 46 burning nearly 6 minutes of the clock.

The Hornets Riley Simmons would register back-to-back sacks on the next series forcing the Eagles to punt and White River got the ball on their own 20. Then a series of turnovers with Jacob Scheidt picking off a pass for River, then a fumble recovery by the Eagles Kyse Faletogo giving the ball to Fed Way on the River 37. The Hornets Ray Palmer then came up with a huge pick to turn the Eagle threat away on the Hornets 14 with 8:25 to play in the game.

After a quick 3 and out the Eagles took over with 7:29 to play and they would burn nearly 5 minutes on a 7 play drive capped off with a 22 yard field goal from Uriel Villegas to make it 15-0 and neither defense would give in and in fact the Eagles nearly scored on defense when linebacker Todd Clark picked off a Hornet pass at the 30 yard line and returned near the goal line but then fumbled the ball out of the side of the endzone trying to reach for the pylon, giving the ball back to White River on the 20.

That ended any real chance for either team to add to the score and the final was 15-0.

Standings and What’s next?

Federal Way is now 3-2 in league play and 4-2 overall. The Eagles are through the top teams in the league and now must guard against any let down and hope the top teams can knock each other off. Federal Way will be the visitors against cross ditrict opponent Todd Beamer next Friday followed with games against Kentlake and Thomas Jefferson. In an interesting note the Eagles will end up playing 7 of their 9 games at Federal Way’s Memorial Stadium because of sharing the field with Decatur, Todd Beamer and Thomas Jefferson.

White River drops to 4-1 in league play and 4-2 overall. The Hornets will host Kent-Meridian next Thursday and then will be challenged with a game at Decatur and finish with a cross district showdown at home against Enumclaw.

Eli Sports Network dot com MVP award

We had trouble getting this down to a single player but we knew the award was going to the Eagles defensive side of the ball so we ended up with co-MVP’s and named Anthony Toomer Jr and Jayden Sinclair as the MVP’s of the game.

Had the Hornets won the game our likely MVP would have also been on the defensive side with Riley Simmons leading the way and consideration for Ray Palmer.

Link to watch full replay of the game on the NFHS Network (subscription required)

ESN talks with MVP Anthony Toomer