9/20/25

Bethel Bison 56, North Creek Jaguars 27

(Elk Plain, WA) The Bethel Bison and North Creek Jaguars played a low-scoring battle last year, with the Bison winning 17-6. This year’s matchup kept the scoreboard operator at Art Crate Field on their toes as the two potent offenses routinely lit up the scoreboard on Friday night.

North Creek received the ball first and stormed down the field in nine plays. Sophomore quarterback Lincoln McGill hit fellow sophomore Kaeden Weaver for a six-yard touchdown to put the Jaguars up 7-0. Bethel took a whopping three plays to tie the game, as Evan Barnes lobbed a deep ball for Zak Fruean, who scampered for a 65-yard touchdown. On the extra point, the snap was low and Jayden Miller made a heads-up play to scoop up the ball, roll out away from the Jaguars defenders, and sprint to the corner of the end zone for an impromptu two-point conversion for an 8-7 Bison lead. North Creek responded with a SportsCenter Top 10 Play worthy highlight. From the 29-yard line, McGill dropped back to pass, arched a perfect ball to Weaver, who had a Bison defensive back draped all over him, and Weaver made a one-handed catch while falling to the ground in the end zone for the incredible touchdown. North Creek tried a two-point conversion but failed as they led 13-8, not seven minutes into the game. Bethel moved the ball down the field, but faced fourth down from the 20-yard line. The Bison went for it, but turned the ball over on downs. North Creek went three and out, and Bethel got the ball back a minute into the second quarter.

The Bison needed just four plays to find the end zone, as Barnes hit Junior Uncangco on a screen and with a nice spin move and great blocking from his linemen to get the 14-yard touchdown and give Bethel a 15-13 lead. After a North Creek punt, Bethel struck in just three plays again. Barnes hit Fruean again, this time inside the 10-yard line, where Fruean made the catch, threw a massive stiff arm, and slipped into the end zone for a 33-yard touchdown to give the Bison a 22-13 lead. On the kickoff, Bethel kicked it 20 yards downfield, and Amari Quiocho for the Bison jumped on the ball to give them a free possession. Bethel quickly took advantage with another four-play drive, capped off by last week’s Game MVP, Ethan Schuppener, pounding the rock for a one-yard touchdown for a Bison 29-13 lead. North Creek turned it over on downs near midfield as Bethel’s offense went back to work. The Bison connected for another four-play drive as Barnes lofted a pass down the middle of the field for Uncangco, and the speedster hauled it in for a 29-yard touchdown as Bethel expanded their lead to 36-13. The Jaguars had a great drive towards the end of the half, which brought them inside the 10-yard line but turned it over on downs to end the half as Bethel led 36-13 at the break.

After a nice kickoff return from Bethel’s Nicholas Saucedo, the Bison were set up at the 40. Not even halftime could cool off the Bethel offense, as in two plays they found paydirt again. Schuppener took the handoff and went up the middle, bounced it outside as flew into the end zone for a 26-yard touchdown as Bethel took a 42-13 lead. After both teams traded punts, Bethel forced a North Creek fumble, which was recovered by Angelis Bravo at the North Creek 20-yard line. Bethel used another two-play scoring drive for the touchdown, as Cornelius Jones broke through for a 21-yard touchdown run to make it 49-13 with five minutes left in the third quarter. North Creek answered as the dynamic sophomore duo of McGill and Weaver connected again, using a screen and Weaver made one juke move and outran everyone for a 20-yard touchdown to make it 49-20. The Bison began the fourth quarter with a 12-yard touchdown run from Jones to make it 56-20. Three plays later, McGill and Weaver linked up for their fourth touchdown of the game. Weaver ran a stop-and-go and McGill used a deceptive pump fake to spring Weaver free for a 49-yard touchdown to make it 56-27. Bethel punted, and North Creek attempted a late field goal from 43 yards that had the distance but barely missed. Bethel would get the home victory 56-27.

Bethel improves to 2-1 on the season and will begin SPSL-South play against Olympia. That game will be streamed on the Eli Sports Network, with the Centralia College Pregame Show beginning at 6:45 PM and the kickoff at 7 PM.

North Creek drops to 0-3 on the season but will look to bounce back when they travel to Lake Washington on Friday.

Our Sumner Holiday Inn Express Game MVP was a tough call, but ultimately went to Bethel’s Zak Fruean. Fruean’s 65-yard catch and run and the 33-yard touchdown featuring a mean stiff arm were two highlights of the night. Fruean is one of the leaders of the program, playing both ways and helping out on special teams, while being a three-star recruit that a DI university will be lucky to have on its team.

Bethel’s Junior Uncangco was fantastic for the Bison, making explosive plays on offense and returning kicks. Three-year starting quarterback Evan Barnes, another leader of the team, ran the offense smoothly once again, and sophomore Lu Feo was great at linebacker.

North Creek’s sophomores, Lincoln McGill and Kaeden Weaver, are a defensive coordinator’s nightmare, connecting for all four Jaguars touchdowns. Jayden Nguyen was flying around the field as a linebacker and even got some carries at running back in the fourth quarter. Dhruv Carugundla and James Robinson were a pair of defensive backs making many tackles for the Jaguars.

Click here to view the full game replay (Subscription Required).

Game Highlights

Game MVP Zak Fruean Throws The Stiff Arm En Route For Six Points

North Creek’s Kaeden Weaver With Incredible One Handed Touchdown Grab

Evan Barnes Tosses Perfect Pass For Junior Uncangco To Track Down For The Touchdown

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