Orting Overpowers Cruisers in Season Finale

Eatonville’s season came to a bitter end Friday night as the Cruisers were overwhelmed by their longtime rivals, the No. 4-ranked Orting Cardinals, 49-10, in a 2A SPSL matchup at Cardinal Stadium in Orting.

The Eatonville Cruiser football team heads onto the field prior to their season finale game against Orting this past Thursday night. Photo: Heather Quirie

The loss dropped Eatonville to 4-5 overall and 3-4 in league play, leaving the Cruisers in fifth place and out of the 2A playoffs for the second consecutive year.

The night unraveled quickly for Eatonville. After receiving the opening kickoff, the Cruisers started at their own 31-yard line, but Orting’s defense wasted no time setting the tone. On the first offensive play of the game, Cardinals lineman Jonas Pettit burst through the line untouched and sacked quarterback Fowler for an eight-yard loss. A few plays later, Fowler’s second pass attempt of the night was intercepted and returned to the Eatonville 37-yard line. Orting’s Shiron Seniours cashed in moments later, running it in from six yards out for a 7-0 lead.

Disaster struck again on the next possession. A bad snap on Eatonville’s punt attempt was recovered in the end zone by Orting’s Nemo Griffieth, putting the Cardinals up 14-0 less than six minutes into the game.

Fowler’s second interception of the quarter ended another promising Eatonville drive, and Orting’s defense continued to suffocate the Cruisers’ offense.

Early in the second quarter, Carson McCall extended the Cardinals’ lead to 21-0 with a 14-yard touchdown run. Less than three minutes later, Seniours struck again — this time on special teams — returning a punt 85 yards to make it 28-0.

McCall powered in another short touchdown run midway through the second quarter to push the margin to 35-0 before Eatonville finally found a spark. A pass from Fowler, intended for Amari Samuel, slipped through his hands but was hauled in by Jackson Doll for a 72-yard gain, setting up a 1-yard touchdown plunge by Jacob Simons to put the Cruisers on the board.

Orting answered immediately. McCall broke free again, this time from 21 yards out, to give the Cardinals a commanding 42-7 halftime lead.

Dakota Anderson capped Orting’s scoring early in the third quarter with an 18-yard touchdown run, stretching the advantage to 49-7.

Eatonville showed brief life in the fourth quarter when Benjamin Bernt connected on a 22-yard field goal after the Cruisers blocked an Orting field goal attempt. Ryder McFadden added a late interception for Eatonville’s lone defensive highlight, but the damage was long done.

For the Cruisers, the loss closed a difficult season marked by inconsistency and missed opportunities. For Orting, the win solidified its top-four state ranking and bragging rights in their long-standing rivalry.