Updated: 12/6/25
The Tumwater T-Birds were making their 3rd straight appearance in the State Title game at Husky Stadium but looking for their first win. Archbishop Murphy is making their first Title appearance since 2016 when they won it all.
Below is our coverage of the Championship game
Links of Note
Link to watch full game replay on the NFHS Network (subscription required)
Championship Game
Saturday, December 6th
(1) Archbishop Murphy 35, (2) Tumwater 20
The Archbishop Murphy Wildcats came out firing stuffing Tumwater on their opening drive with a 3 and out forcing Tumwater to punt. The Cats took over on their lown 30 and took just 5 plays to take a 6-0 lead. Evan Ruiz dropped back and hit Henry Gabalis for a brilliant 51-yard strike. Kyle Phillips hit the PAT and with 7:48 to play in the 1st, AB Murphy took a 7-o lead.
The Wildcats then stuffed Tumwater on 4th and short to get the ball back in great field position on the Tumwater 41. Murphy scored again in 5 plays with Isaiah Smith blasting in from the 1 yard line. The extra point was good and the Wildcats jumped out to a 14-0 lead with 3:37 left to play in the 1st quarter.
Early in the 2nd quarter Murphy’s Ruiz hit Henry Gabalis for a 78 yard strike for a TD but was called back for an illegal formation. The same duo struck again for about a 60 yard gain but this time a holding call brought it back. The T-Birds defense then held and got the ball back on their own 41.
Tumwater’s offense then went on a 16 play 8:44 drive with 14 running plays and 2 passing plays including a 12-yard touchdown pass from Jaxon Budd to Wyatt Chase. This was after the T-Birds scored from the 2 but was taken down on a holding call to force the 2nd and 12 with just 16-seconds to play. They would go to the half with the Wildcats in front 14-7.
The 2nd half began with Tumwater’s momentum carrying over as the defense came up with a big stop when Ethan Bella picked Ruiz to give the T-Birds the ball on their own 20. But Tumwater’s offense couldn’t move the ball and it was a quick 3 and out punt.
The Wildcats then went to work starting on their own 43 they would reel off 10 plays with 9 on the ground, grinding up the turf with a big 4th and 1 on the 18 to keep the drive alive. Isaiah Smith would pound the rock in from the 3, Phillips added the extra point and Murphy led 21-7 with 1:30 to go in the 3rd.
The T-Birds got the ball back and on a 3rd and 2 from their own 36 QB Jaxon Budd was crushed from the blindside by Logan Fryberg. The ball popped out and William Wilson scooped it on the 50 then took it to the house for a scoop and score touchdown to push the lead to 28-7. This was the first play of the 4th quarter and the Cat’s were in total control.
The T-Birds were not going to rollover and bounced back quickly on the next possession driving 80 yards in 4 plays capped off by a perfect toss from Budd to Evan Baxter for a 38 yard connection. The extra point missed but it was back to a 2 score game with Tumwater trailing 28-13.
The T-Birds then recovered an onside kick on their own 45 but they were unable to move the ball and turned it over on downs. The two teams exchanged 3 possessions and Tumwater gambled on 4th and short giving the ball to the Cats on their own 10 yard line. On 2nd down the T-Birds Blake Heryford blitzed knocking the ball free from Murphy’s QB Ruiz. The ball skipped around as players tried to pick up when Mason Housekeeper scooped it up on the 35 and raced 65-yards to paydirt. That PAT was good and it was an 8 point game with Tumwater trailing 28-20 with 3:43 to play.
The Wildcats were not ready to fold late in this one and after a short onside kick took them 2 plays to score on a 35-yard pitch and catch from Ruiz to Jack Sievers. The PAT was good and Murphy led 35-20 with just 2:54 to play.
The Thorbeckes MVP of the game went to William Wilson who finished with 11 tackles, 3 for losses, 2 sacks and the scoop and score fumble recovery which ultimately was the winning touchdown.
Tumwater was out of answers and the Wildcats picked up their 4th football Championship in school history. Tumwater finished 2nd for the 8th time in school history and 3rd in a row.
ESN Postgame Show
Video Highlights
Evan Ruiz finds Henry Gabalis for a 51 yard TD
Logan Fryberg delivers the hit, William Wilson scoops and scores
Blake Heryford knocks the ball free and Mason Housekeeper takes it home
Evan Ruiz hits Jack Sievers for 6
Semifinals
Saturday, November 29th
(2) Tumwater 42, (3) East Valley (Yakima) 0
(Tumwater, WA) The Tumwater Thunderbirds were looking for their third straight trip to Husky Stadium. The East Valley (Yakima) Red Devils were looking for their first trip to the State Championship Game since 2004.
Tumwater struck first as they scored on a nine-yard touchdown run by Tyler Briscoe to make it a 7-0 lead with five minutes to go in the first quarter. Tumwater would get back on the scoreboard with a 24-yard passing touchdown as Jaxon Budd hit Wyatt Chase for the score on fourth down to make it 14-0 early in the second quarter. Four minutes later, the T-Birds found paydirt again, as Grady Wall went 28 yards on the ground to the end zone to put Tumwater up 21-0. With 15 seconds left in the half, Tumwater’s Peyton Davis plunged into the end zone from two yards out to make it a 28-0 halftime lead for the T-Birds.
Tumwater continued to control the game in the second half, using its defense to slow down the East Valley offense. Tumwater would get its second passing touchdown of the game as Budd hit Chase again, this time from three yards out to make it 35-0. One minute later, Tumwater struck again, as Jayden Hunchcliffe ran in a three-yard touchdown as the T-Birds led 42-0. Neither team would score for the rest of the game as Tumwater won its 12th game in a row to advance to the State Championship Game.
Our Sumner Holiday Inn Express Game MVP went to Tumwater’s Peyton Davis. He had 100 yards on the ground to lead the T-Birds in rushing and help lead them back to Husky Stadium.
Tumwater improves to 12-1 on the season and will play an NWC team in the title game for the third straight year.
East Valley suffered its first loss of the season with a record of 12-1.
Click here to watch the full game replay (Subscription Required).
ESN Postgame Show
Game Highlights
Tumwater’s Tyler Briscoe Gets First Touchdown From Nine Yards Out
Tumwater’s Jaxon Budd Hits Wyatt Chase On 4th Down For TD
Tumwater’s Grady Wall Scampers 28 Yards For The Touchdown
(1) Archbishop Murphy 59, (5)Anacortes 17
The NWC 2A is one of the strongest leagues in the state for all sports. The Anacortes Seahawks are the two-time defending State Champions, while the Archbishop Murphy Wildcats have been one of the most dominant teams in the state. The two teams met on October 10, where Archbishop Murphy won 43-7 at Anacortes. This time, Archbishop Murphy was hosting as the two sides battled it out for a spot in the Championship Game.
Anacortes began the game with some trickery, going for an onside kick, but Archbishop Murphy was prepared for it. The Wildcats marched down the field as Isaiah Smith ran in a 20-yard touchdown to put Archbishop Murphy in front 7-0. The Wildcats struck again, as Henry Gabalis caught a 75-yard touchdown pass from Evan Ruiz to give them a 14-0 lead. Ruiz and Gabalis connected again in the second quarter, this time for a 37-yard touchdown pass to make it a 21-0 Wildcats lead. After Javen Latta got an interception for Archbishop Murphy, the Wildcats struck again as Ruiz hit Jack Sievers for a 13-yard touchdown to make it 28-0.
Anacortes responded right away, as Luca Moore took the kickoff 99 yards for the Seahawks’ first touchdown of the game as they trailed 28-7. Archbishop Murphy’s Isaiah Smith would go 70 yards on a run up the middle for another Wildcats touchdown to extend their lead 35-7. Torino Van Dyke booted a field goal for Anacortes from 32 yards out as Archbishop Murphy led 35-10, halfway through the second quarter. Kyler Phillips drilled a 38-yard field goal for Archbishop Murphy to make it 38-10, as that ended up being the Wildcats’ lead at the half.
Isaiah Smith punched in a one-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter as Archbishop Murphy added to their lead at 45-10. In the fourth quarter, Ruiz hit Gabalis for another touchdown, this time a 42-yarder to make it 52-10. Anacortes would get a touchdown from Ryan Harrington, who fired a pass to Zeke Hawkins to make it 52-17. Archbishop Murphy added a late touchdown as the Wildcats won 59-17.
Archbishop Murphy remains undefeated at 12-0 and heads to their first State Championship Game since 2016, when the Wildcats won the title.
Anacortes has its season come to a close at 10-3.
Click here to watch the game replay (Subscription Required).
Game Highlights
Ruiz Floats TD Pass To Jack Sievers
Ruiz To Gabalis For Another Long Score
Anacortes’ Luca Moore Goes 99 Yards For The Kickoff Return For TD
Quarterfinals
Saturday, November 22
#6 Lynden 24, vs #3 East Valley (Yakima) 27
#7 Franklin Pierce 6, #2 Tumwater 27
#5 Anacortes 35, #4 Orting 14
#9 Sehome 20, #1 Archbishop Murphy 52
Opening Round
Friday, November 14
#4 Orting 21, #13 Prosser 7
#7 Franklin Pierce 36, #10 W F West 21
#2 Tumwater 47, #15 Washougal 6
Saturday, November 15
#5 Anacortes 45, #12 Steilacoom 7
#6 Lynden #11 28, West Valley (Spokane) 14
#1 Archbishop Murphy 45, #16 Olympic 13
#3 East Valley (Yakima) 56, #14 Burlington-Edison 22
#9 Sehome 24, #8 Othello 21
Round of 32 Games
Tuesday, November 4 (Play-in Game)
Aberdeen 18, Mark Morris 0
Friday, November 7, 2025
Bremerton 14, Lynden 41
North Mason 14, Prosser 42
Burlington-Edison 40, North Kitsap 0
Sultan 6, Tumwater 51
Chief Sealth 14, Olympic 27
Fife 23, Washougal 30
Columbia River 0, WF West (Chehalis) 45
Cedarcrest 7, Franklin Pierce 42
Saturday, November 8, 2025
East Valley (Spokane) 0, Orting 56
Pullman 7, Archbishop Murphy 51
Renton 6, Othello 48
Selah 0, Sehome 45
Rogers (Spokane) 0, East Valley (Yakima) 56
Ephrata 14, Steilacoom 38
Aberdeen 0, West Valley (Spokane) 48
Ridgefield 0, Anacortes 35
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