Eatonville Tame Tigers 44-21, Handing Norris His First Victory

In a thrilling Friday night showdown under the bright lights, the Eatonville Cruisers took down the Centralia Tigers 44-21, securing their first victory of the season and delivering a momentous win for first-year Head Coach Rex Norris. The Cruisers displayed an impressive performance, scoring in every quarter and leaving no doubt about their determination and potential for the season ahead.

Eatonville senior Max Henley (#10) celebrates with his team after recovering a Centralia fumble in the endzone for the Cruisers fifth touchdown of the game. Photo: Trinity Potter

The game got off to an explosive start, with the Cruisers making their presence felt in both the 1st and 2nd quarters, scoring two touchdowns in each period. Quarterback Hunter Klumpar was at the helm of the offense, orchestrating a remarkable display. Klumpar's passing game was on full display, as he threw for 126 yards on 5 of 9 attempts, connecting with his targets for three touchdowns.

Running back Dylan Norman showcased his versatility, rushing for 53 yards on 10 carries and contributing not only with his legs but also with his arm. Norman ran in a 2-point conversion and added another through a pass, demonstrating his multifaceted skill set. He didn't stop there, as he played an integral role on defense, recording a notable 6 tackles. Additionally, Norman handled the kicking duties with grace, booting two crucial PATs through the uprights.

The offensive fireworks didn't end with Klumpar and Norman, as Logan Shipman added two touchdowns to the scoreboard, one through a rushing play and another through a reception. The scoring frenzy continued with Ky Nation, Michael Stogsdill, and Oscar Lopez-Diaz each finding the end zone, contributing to the well-rounded offensive attack.

On the defensive side of the ball, Max Henley shone brightly, recovering a fumble in the endzone for a touchdown and making a crucial tackle for a loss. Payton Hanly led the team in tackles with an impressive total of 9, anchoring the defense and ensuring that the Cruisers remained dominant throughout the game.

After the victory, Head Coach Rex Norris expressed his elation about the team's performance and his first win at Eatonville. Norris said, "I learned a long time ago that it is always good to win and it is important to celebrate every victory. I also think that it validates the things our coaching staff is trying to do and teach the players. The players were excited and want to do that more often and now to see some of those lessons come to pass is good for our program. We were very excited to get a lot of players on the field in a winning effort. We feel that getting them on the field in a varsity game creates more growth at every level. Give credit to our upperclassmen for getting the program in a position to do that for our younger players."

Coach Norris also spoke about the visible improvement across all facets of the game, stating, "There were a lot of lessons in game one for sure. As a staff, we focused on some of the foundational principles and the kids showed improvement in those areas. It was a short week, so we felt we could move the needle more if we just did that and didn't change much. Getting better was the focus. We did find more areas of improvement after this week, so we will be focused on that heading into week 3 against Cascade Christian."

Next Up: With their first win under their belts, the Eatonville Cruisers will look to carry their momentum into their next game against the Cascade Christian Cougars on Saturday, September 16th, at 7 pm. The matchup will take place at Sunset Stadium in Sumner, Washington, where the Cruisers aim to continue their winning ways and build on this early season success.