Old cross-town rivals Olympia High School and Capital High School met Friday, November 4 at a wet and windy Ingersoll Stadium as Olympia downed Capital 54-21 at the Spaghetti Bowl in a battle of WIAA 4A and 3A teams in a cross-over non-league Friday night football game. Olympia (4-6, 3-6 4A SPSL) closed their season with three consecutive wins being led by senior quarterback Gabe Downing.
Downing threw for 296 yards and had four passing touchdowns and one rushing. The game marked the final game for both team’s seniors and saw Downing setting new Olympia High School records for yards for the season (3051) and passing touchdowns (28).
Olympia scored early in the first at 6:01 when Downing scrambled for the score but Capital (3-7, 3-4 3A SSC) responded at the 5:11 mark in the first with a one handed spectacular touchdown catch by Junior Kai Laukkanen. Both teams battled hard moving into the second quarter and senior wide out Mason Juregens made it 14-7 for the Bears with 2:43 left on a curl catch.
Olympia dominated play going into the second half and Bears head coach Nick Mullen was happy with the way his team ended the season. “I really thought for the last game of the season it really came together for us,” Mullen stated. “To get three wins in a row to finish our year, it was just a great way for us to end our year. We had such high expectations going into the year and we just fought all year and in every game.”
Both schools partnered together to schedule the traditional Spaghetti Bowl, as both teams were not able to secure playoff berths. A pre-game meal, hosted at the Olympia High Commons, saw over 300 fans attend. Funds raised supported both team’s booster programs.
Sarah Skillman, who attended Capital in the late 90s, was glad the game was held. “It is just great to see the game back for the community,” Skilllman stated while at the pre-game spaghetti meal.”
Olympia graduate Kelly Boyer, who now teaches at Olympia High, also remembers the game and the healthy rivalry from the old days. “It is nice to see the game return to the community where both schools can come together,” Boyer declared. “I just remember fondly the band and cheer and dance performing together and I think it’s really special to have the opportunity for current students and the community to continue the tradition.”
Capital holds a slight lead at 21-20 in the history of the Spaghetti Bowl game. Olympia now has dominated the last three meetings with wins of 41-7 in 2015 and 40-7 in 2021 and this year’s win of 54-21.
