The boys football team from Tumwater High School (12-0) has outscored opponents 657-76 this year. This weekend, Tumwater will have the chance to continue to show its winning dominating pedigree against a formidable opponent in Everett’s Archbishop Murphy.
Last Saturday, November 23, 2024, the T-Birds defeated Sehome 70-7 in a WIAA 2A State Quarterfinal game. The #1 seed T-Birds face #5 Archbishop Murphy (11-1) at 2 p.m. at Tumwater District Stadium this Saturday. #6 WF West (11-1) battles #2 Anacortes (11-1) in the other 2A semifinal.
For Tumwater, the team dominated Sehome in all aspects of the game. Tumwater’s first drive stalled but then they dominated scoring with big runs, and huge plays. Tumwater led 30-0 after the first period.
During the first half, Cash Short scored on a 52-yard run then a pick-six and a safety. Defense played determined and even the special teams made huge plays causing a kickoff turnover that led to an end-of-half touchdown completion. Game over.
Tumwater football head coach Willie Garrow was proud of the way his team prepared and played. “The players work extremely hard year-round and to see them play well in big games is a huge joy for us as coaches,” Garrow declared. “It was a ton of fun seeing those young JV/C kids getting out there and playing in front of friends and family and having just as much success as the Varsity players did in the second half also. Our players do a great job of embracing their roles and doing what is asked, which allows a lot of them to contribute in many different ways.”
Garrow, in his second year as head coach, believes in his team and his assistant coaches moving into the game against Archbishop. “We have tremendous assistant coaches who do a great job of putting lots of different kids into positions where they can succeed,” he shared. “They are really good at assessing the skill sets of each athlete and placing them where the team needs them and can best utilize them.”
This year’s seniors developed a motto “Answer the Bell.” The core value has helped the team focus and it’s meant to remind the players and coaches that everyone has a choice when things get hard: to “get back out in the ring” or to “throw in the towel and quit”. The hope for the coaching staff is that the team will face adversity head on and continue to stay focused and determined.
Tumwater will face a talented Archbishop Murphy, who like Tumwater, has a tradition of fielding great teams. Coach Garrow is excited for the chance to host the Wildcats Saturday. “They’ve got great athletes across the board, and they are really physical in how they attack you. It is going to present a different kind of challenge than we’ve faced in a while, with a team that wants to run the ball and be as physical as they are, we have got our work cut out for us.”
Tumwater has crushed almost every opponent through the season, dominating opponents on both sides of the ball. Their closest game was a September 19, 38-27 win at Eastlake. The semi-final and possible state final rematch against Anacortes at Husky Stadium December 7, will present stronger opponents that can possibly compete with Tumwater. Anacortes beat Tumwater in the State Final last year but lost 28-34 to Archbishop Murphy this year.
