HS Football: Puyallup rolls at G-K to win SPSL 4A Championship

10/31/2025

Puyallup 43, Graham-Kapowsin 14

(Spanaway, WA) The SPSL 4A League Championship was on the line on this rainy and windy night at Art Crate Field. The showdown couldn’t have been more dramatic with Puyallup undefeated at 8-0 and #1 in the RPI traveling to face 8-0 Graham-Kapowsin and the #2 RPI team in the 4A classification.

The winner would likely grab the #1 seed heading into the round of 32 and give them the inside track as the #1 seed into the 16 team State Tournament. So there was plenty on the line.

Puyallup won the coin toss and chose to defer so G-K would start on offense. With a strong wind working from the back of Vikings kicker Braylon Bowie who already can send it into the endzone woiuld literally kick out of the back of the endzone. The Eagles would start on their own 20, something they’d have to get used to.

Rough 1st Quarter for the Eagles

On the 1st play from scrimmage the snap was high to QB A.J. Tuivaiave and went over his head into the endzone. Tuivaiave jumped on the loose ball for a safety and 5 seconds into the game Puyallup led 2-0.

G-K then kicked off from their own 20 and got a good boot from Mathew Vollmer pinning the Vikings back on their own 27. On 2nd and 7, Puyallup’s QB Noah Smith dropped back and hit a crossing Lawson Looker for about 10 yards but Looker broke free up the near sideline and was about to be tackled down on the G-K 20 when he cut back and sprinted in completing then 70-yard catch and run touchdown.

Bowie not only has a strong leg but he is accurate splitting the goal posts for the PAT. Bowie would go on to hit 5 PAT’s and 2 field goals for a perfect night.

1:05 into the game and Puyallup was already up 9-0. After a 3 and out the Vikings got their 2nd possession on the 50. 8 plays later and Briytan Bailey plowed in from the 2 pushing the Puyallup lead to 16-0.

G-K then got a good drive going pushing the ball inside the 10 threatening to get back in this game. On 4th down the Eagles went for it but Tuivaiave couldn’t find an open receiver and as the pressure came down on him he tossed the ball backwards trying to make a play but instead it rolled back to the 26 where they turned it over on downs giving Puyallup a lot better field position than by taking the sack.

Puyallup didn’t waste the opportunity scoring a 3rd time on their 3rd possession of the game. Picking up chunks of yardage they worked the ball to the Eagle 31. Smith took the snap and the motion was to his right but Jayden Woodland was reversing across and Smith flipped him the ball. As he turned the corner he turned on the jets and sped into the endzone for a 3rd straight touchdown pushing the Viking lead to 23-0.

Vikings give ground in 2nd quarter

G-K would settle down and have an answer for the Vikings in their next possession. Mixing up the run and pass and a big face mask penalty got the Eagles down to the Puyallup 18. Tuivaiave would drop back and find a streaking Jayce Halasz and dropped ther ball right in his hands for the score. The PAT was blocked but G-K had a little momentum going and forced the Vikings to punt for the first time in the game.

A strange sequence then played out after a time-out called by G-K. Both teams were lined up ready for the play and just before the snap, the head official blew his whistle and all but a couple of players stopped the ball was loose and the Eagles recovered it on the 10 yard line.

Apparently, for some reason, the head official had waited to start the play clock and blew the whistle to start the next play after everyone already thought the play was set to go. The snap of the ball was literally timed perfectly with the late whistle and players believed there was a false start or offsides call. The officials let the play stand and G-K was back in business the Puyallup 10.

On the 1st play for the Eagles Blake Pearson took the hand-off and just refused to go down pushing and dragging everyone into the end zone for 6. Pearson would get the hand-off again for the 2-point attempt and powered in and just like that the Eagles were back in this game trailing 23-14.

Puyallup would get a little momentum back after driving to the Eagle 11 but then having to settle for a 28-yuard field goal by Bowie and they would go to the half with Puyallup leading 26-14.

2nd half start key for Eagles but no follow through

G-K began the 2nd half on defense and they knew they needed a big stop to keep that momentum on their side and the defense did just that forcing the Vikings to punt and they took over on their own 44.

This turned out to be the tipping point, the Eagles needed a score but ended up turning it over on downs at the Puyallup 38. The Vikings would quickly find that run-pass balance again using Bailey as he gouged the Eagle D for 153 yards on 35 carries.

Puyallup worked the ball to the G-K 35 when Smith dropped back to pass and Woodland broke free with no one covering him in a blown coverage and Smith did not miss with the easy lay-up and 35-yard TD connection giving the Vikings a big 33-14 advantage.

G-K was stymied by the aggressive Viking defense and would fail to score in the 2nd half. Puyallup finished off an 11-play drive early in the 4th quarter with Bailey scoring his 2nd TD of the game on an 8 yard run.

Bowie completed all the scoring with his 2nd field goal of the game from 26 yards with about 3 minutes to play for the 43-14 final.

The Sumner Holiday Inn Express MVP of the game award went to Bailey with 153 yards rushing and 2 receptions for 28 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Other players considered for the MVP inclouded Lawson Looker, Jayden Woodland, Noah Smith, the offensive line was dominant along with linebacker Michael Pulalasi.

Had the Eagles pulled off the big comeback, Jayce Halasz, Blake Pearson and Julius Hernandez-Avila would have led the discussion.

Stats

Puyallup
Total Yards: 456
Rushing Yards: 201
Passing Yards: 255
Individual Stats
Rushing: Bailey 35/153 2td, Woodland 1/31 td, Smith 5/17, Akuffo 1/0
Passing: Smith 14/22 255 2td
Receiving: Looker 3/95 td, Woodland 2/49 td, Packer 3/61, Mitchell 3/17, Bailey 2/28

Graham-Kapowsin
Total Yards: 316
Rushing Yards: 107
Passing Yards: 209
Individual Stats
Rushing: Pearson 15/77 td, Tuivaiave 3/8, Reyes 4/21, Corpuz 1/1
Passing: Tuivaiave 11/21 208 1 td
Receiving: Halasz 4/131 1 td, Williams 1/11, Betz 4/32, Corpuz 3/35

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

ESN Postgame Show