Cruisers’ Playoff Bid Fades After Late Steilacoom Comeback
- Skip Smith
- 16 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Eatonville’s playoff hopes slipped away under the Friday night lights at Blair Taylor Field, undone by a fourth-quarter collapse that saw Steilacoom score 21 unanswered points to win 41-31.
It was a must-win for the Cruisers, who entered the game fighting to stay in postseason contention. For three quarters, Eatonville held the upper hand forcing turnovers, capitalizing on short fields, and controlling the tempo. But when the Sentinels caught fire late, Eatonville couldn’t match the surge.
“We are proud of our team’s effort. We are looking forward to a final chance to compete together Thursday at Orting,” Eatonville head coach Gavin Kralik said.
Eatonville wasted no time making an impact. On Steilacoom’s opening drive, Jackson Doll pounced on a loose ball at the Sentinel 43-yard line. Nine plays later, quarterback Cole Fowler finished the short drive with a one-yard sneak into the end zone for an early 7-0 lead.
Steilacoom answered late in the first quarter when quarterback Titus Kaeka found receiver Evan DiPetrillo on a fourth-and-goal from the 7. The extra point tied the game 7-7 with 3:11 left in the first.
The Cruisers struck again early in the second quarter — another Fowler sneak from the one — regaining the lead at 14-7. The Eatonville defense then forced a turnover on downs at its own 10-yard line, stalling Steilacoom’s momentum.
But the Sentinels responded with a big play: a 77-yard pass completion to Noah Maxwell set up a one-yard quarterback keeper by Kaeka to knot the score again at 14-14.
Eatonville had one last chance before halftime. After forcing a punt with under 30 seconds remaining, they took over at the Steilacoom 39 and managed to grab a slim 17-14 advantage before the break.
The second half started with promise for Eatonville. After forcing a fumble deep in Sentinel territory, Derek Wood recovered at the Steilacoom 6-yard line. Fowler punched it in again — his third rushing touchdown of the night — giving the Cruisers a 24-14 lead midway through the third quarter.
Steilacoom answered with a quick scoring drive, but a missed extra point kept Eatonville in front, 24-20. The Cruisers then extended their lead when Fowler connected with receiver Amari Samuel on a 14-yard touchdown strike, putting Eatonville ahead 31-20 with just over three minutes left in the third quarter.
Samuel immediately followed that with a highlight on defense, intercepting a pass at the Eatonville 41. But the Cruisers failed to convert the turnover into points, punting the ball away as the third quarter ended.
Everything changed in the final 12 minutes.
Steilacoom struck first in the fourth, cutting the deficit to 31-26 on a Jason Freeland 12-yard touchdown catch. Then came the turning point, a back-breaking 85-yard touchdown pass from Kaeka to Jaleo Johnson that gave the Sentinels their first lead of the night at 34-31 with 9:57 to play.
Eatonville’s next drive sputtered with a turnover on downs, Steilacoom sealed the game with another scoring drive, this time a one-yard run that stretched the lead to 41-31 with just over three minutes remaining.
The Cruisers had one final possession but turned the ball over on downs near midfield, allowing Steilacoom to run out the clock and celebrate a comeback win.
Eatonville forced three turnovers (two fumble recoveries and one interception) but only turned two into touchdowns. Meanwhile, Steilacoom capitalized on nearly every break late in the game.
The loss drops Eatonville to 4-4 overall and 3-3 in league play, effectively ending its playoff hopes. The Cruisers will close out the regular season Thursday night on the road against their rivals, the Orting Cardinals, at 7 p.m.
Eatonville Offensive Leaders:
Cole Fowler — 19/22, 269 yards, 1 passing touchdown; 10 carries for 28 yards and 3 rushing touchdowns.
Jacob Simons — 5 receptions for 76 yards.
Connor McIlraith — 9 carries for 29 yards.
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