08/09/2022 – The ESN crew of Alex Benzegala and Paul Beattie travel to University Place on Friday for a 4A SPSL showdown between the 1-0 Curtis Vikings and the 1-0 Sumner Spartans.
Both teams started the 2022 season with tightly contested season openers in to start league play, as the Vikings went on the road and faced fellow playoff contender Olympia and came back from a double-digit deficit in the 2nd half and edged the BearS 35-34. Curtis put up 466 yards of total offense lead by jr. Quarterback Rocco Koch, who had a monster game with over 300 total yards, 188 on the ground and a rushing score and added 150 through the air and two touchdowns.
Wideout Xavier Ahrens made big plays with 3 catches, 124 yards and a TD, including a 77 yard receiving TD. Senior tailback Lyndon Tanoa had a strong night as well with 107 yards rushing and a TD on 17 carries. The Curtis defense made plays when needed as well, but Portland State commit Gabe Downing did throw for 381 yards and 5 touchdowns in the loss for Olympia.
The win sets up a home game against 1-0 Sumner, who also needed a 2nd half commit to edge Bellarmine. The Lions lead 16-7 at the halftime break before the Spartans stormed back in the 2nd half, outscoring Bellarmine 15-0 and Sumner used a 4th down stop to win 22-16. It was the first start at QB for Auburn Mountainview transfer Kayde Bodine, and while the 4 year starter did not have put up huge numbers, he made big plays when Sumner needed them most, like a 30 yard TD strike to Kano Borden and a 7 yard TD scamper in the 4th that proved to be the game winner. Caden Evans added a 2 yard td in 1st quarter.
Looking into matchup between Curtis and Sumner
This matchup is really enticing for several reasons. Even though Curtis has not beaten Sumner since joining the 4A SPSL, Head Coach Darren Mckay brings back 16 starters from a team that made the district playoffs a year ago, and the talent they have on both sides of the ball is undeniable. Koch, Ahrens and Tanoa all are early candidates at being 1st team all-conference players, and I think Curtis might just be the most improved team in the League. As documented by our friends at the Tacoma News Tribune, McKay breathes like to every team he coaches, he has turned various schools around the south-sound into contenders after inheriting struggling programs, and he is doing the same at Curtis.
Sumner is a huge test though, Keith Ross has a team that plays a physical brand of football, and are currently a top 10 team in the entire state irregardless of class by nearly all state rankings. Matthew Spurbeck, Caden Evans and Bodine are ball carriers that will run behind an experienced offensively line that are all upper classmen and combined weight are about 300 pounds. That could be a major challenge for the Curtis defense. Also, Princeton commit Jay Mentink, Dylan Coffee, Kade Jindra and Kano Borden and Tight End Austin Cook all can make plays in the passing game as well, and I cannnot wait to see how the secondary of the Vikings who have two way starters Ahrens and Mady at safeties.
Final thoughts
Curtis made so many big plays last week against Olympia, can they do that again this week against a defense that is always tough in the 4A SPSL? If Curtis can stay balanced and win on early downs offensively, I think they can stay in the game and make things interesting late. If Sumner imposes their will on the offensive line and has theirrunning game going early, it could be a tough night at the office for Curtis. I cannot wait to see how Sumner defends Curtis QB Koch as well, and I am not sleeping on Bodine either, I think after another week under his belt start at QB for Sumner after 3 seasons at Auburn-Mountainview I think he and and the offense should look better in week 2.
How to watch
Alex Benzegala and Paul Beattie will have the call from Curtis High School, pre-game show starts at 6:45, kickoff at 7 pm on the Eli Sports Network on NFHS. A link for the broadcast schedule and how to watch the game is found in the link below.