September 24, 2025
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ISSUE 39
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Cruisers Hunt Timberwolves - Fowler, Herbrand Lead the Pack contributor to their rate of improvement. The kids are very coachable and staying very uarterback Cole Fowler turned in a connected to each other at this point in the nearly flawless performance Friday season.” night, throwing for 281 yards, four Fowler completed 12 of 15 passes without touchdowns through the air and one on the an interception, spreading the ball effiground to lead Eatonville past Clover Park ciently and striking for big plays through 35-14 in a nonleague matchup. The win imthe air. His top target was wide-out Colton proved the Cruisers to 2-1 on the season. Herbrand, who hauled in five catches for “I felt like our kids made a big jump 175 yards and two touchdowns, consisfrom week 2 to week 3 collectively,” Head tently beating defenders for explosive gains. Coach Gavin Kralik said. At this point in Receiver Jacob Simons added four recepthe season it is a race to get better. I credit tions for 90 yards and two scores, giving our kids’ commitment in practice as a huge Eatonville a potent one-two punch in the passing game that the Timberwolves couldn’t contain. The Cruisers were steady on the ground as well. Running back Connor McIlraith carried 12 times for 90 yards, setting the tone between the tackles, while Fowler chipped in with two carries for 23 yards, including a touchdown run. In all, Eatonville The Eatonville Cruiser football team storms onto the field at Yelm High rolled up 458 yards of total School prior to their game against the Clover Park Timberwolves.
By Skip Smith
RYLEA FOEHL
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Cruiser Soccer Shuts Out Washington After Tough Loss By Skip Smith
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HEATHER QUIRIE
he Eatonville High School girls’ soccer team showed its resilience last week, bouncing back from a difficult defeat to earn a decisive win in its second outing of the week. The Cruisers opened the week against perennial power Fife, falling 8-0. Despite the final score, Eatonville held its ground early and trailed just 2-0 at halftime before the Trojans’ depth and experience broke the game open in the second half. Head coach Michael Dieckman said the match was a valuable learning experience for his team. “Fife has some very good club players on their team and I was happy with how we
Eatonville's Ryleigh Chopic takes a shot on goal against the Washington Patriots.
played team defense in the first half.” Goalkeeper Savannah McCandless faced a steady barrage of shots but delivered several key saves to keep the Cruisers within striking distance before the break. Midfielder Katelyn Lindquist also earned praise for her work in helping organize the defense and keeping the back line steady under pressure. Eatonville carried that grit into its second match of the week and found its offensive spark in a 2-0 victory over Washington. Freshman forward Ryleigh Chopic made her presence felt, scoring both goals to secure the win. Chopic’s first strike came in the 46th minute off what Dieckman called a “fantastic assist” from teammate Kalli Olson. She added her second in the 65th minute, finishing a play set up by Linnea Lofgren to give the Cruisers breathing room. The Cruisers recorded six shots on goal while controlling possession for much of the match. McCandless added four saves to earn the clean sheet, and midfielder Ruth Lightfoot stood out with her ability to adapt to multiple roles across the midfield. Eatonville will look to build on its progress this week with a pair of matches. The Cruisers host the Clover Park Timberwolves at home on Tuesday, Sept. 23, before finishing the week on the road at Franklin Pierce on Thursday, Sept. 25.
offense — 281 through the air and 177 on the ground — while finding the end zone five times. Clover Park opened the scoring on its first possession, marching 84 yards from its own 16 and finishing with a 21-yard touchdown run at the 5:20 mark of the first quarter. The extra point gave the Timberwolves a 7-0 lead. Eatonville responded immediately. Taking over at the Clover Park 41-yard line, Fowler connected with Herbrand for a 46-yard touchdown strike just 27 seconds later. Benjamin Bernt drilled the extra point to tie the game at 7-7 with 4:53 left in the opening frame. The first quarter closed with the score still knotted, but Eatonville’s defense delivered the game’s first momentum shift early in the
second. Clover Park fumbled on its next possession, and Axel Stammen pounced on the loose ball at the Cruiser 33-yard line. Fowler quickly capitalized a few plays later, finding Simons in the end zone on a 16-yard touchdown pass. Bernt again converted the PAT, giving Eatonville its first lead at 14-7 with 8:16 remaining before halftime. Clover Park pushed back, driving into Eatonville territory and reaching the 27-yard line before turning the ball over on downs. Eatonville then marched the other way, advancing as far as the Timberwolves’ 6-yard line, but a 23-yard field goal attempt missed as time expired, leaving the Cruisers ahead 14-7 at the half.
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