Archbishop Murphy aims to complete dream season with state title

Published 5:30 am Friday, December 5, 2025

EVERETT — Many things have changed since the Archbishop Murphy football team last won a state football championship in 2016.

The players, the coaches — the world — are different. One common thread between the 2018 Wildcats and the group that will try to beat 12-1 Tumwater for the Class 2A title, 3 p.m. Saturday at Husky Stadium, is the last name Lucas.

Back in 2018, before the Wildcats suffered a major downturn in on-field success, current Seattle Seahawk right tackle Abe Lucas leveled opponents on the way to Archbishop Murphy’s third state title.

This year, his younger brother Andrew Lucas hopes to hoist the trophy. Andrew, youngest of seven siblings, says his older brother might mention his high school team’s success “a little bit,” but just wants to see things go well.

“It’s more like he wants me to just work hard and work towards goals, which is obviously most of our team’s goals,” Andrew, a junior, told The Herald after Tuesday’s practice. “But, we did talk about how I have this opportunity, and he said to just play like every other game. Just be grateful for the opportunity and don’t take it for granted.

“Because he got (that chance) one time, and he came back with that trophy.”

Abe is pleased with the Arcbishop Murphy’s rebound and the success his brother has enjoyed as the program re-made itself after bottoming out at 0-8 in 2022.

“That’s what happens with teams,” Abe Lucas told The Herald after Sunday’s win over the Minnesota Vikings. “You have high years, and you have low years. And then you have people come in and build a new culture, and they bring it back up to the high years. They went through their dark stuff, and now they’re going through their better moments.”

While Abe Lucas’ job as a 6-foot-8, 260-pound high school tackle and defensive end was to open holes on one side of the ball and close them on the other, Andrew’s is a little different. As a 6-foot-1, 200-pound running back, his job is to run through them along with fellow running backs Isaiah Smith (72 carries, 892 yards, 15 TDs) and Cole Sievers (28 carries, 319 yards, five TDs, plus nine catches, 218 yards, TD).

“I kind of got the short end of the stick with the height, and that’s all right,” said Andrew, who has compiled 40 carries for 458 yards and 10 TDs despite missing several games with an injury this season. “Now I’m making my own name for myself, and I play a position that (older siblings) never played. So, it’s just kind of being unique to myself.”

Busy with starting at right tackle for the 9-3 Seahawks, the now 322-pound Abe Lucas doesn’t get to see his brother play as much as he’d like. He’ll be in Atlanta getting ready to face the Falcons when Archbishop Murphy plays Saturday. They go to each other’s games when they can, though both are busy trying to be at their best for their own teams. To Andrew, his older brother is much more than simply an NFL player.

“It’s great,” Andrew said. “Honestly, I feel like having any brother is a blessing. Having any siblings is a blessing, especially when they’re older. They give you some guidance. And he’s been here before, so he has everything I need in the moment.”

Rematch with Tumwater

Among things that haven’t changed in the world is that Tumwater wins football games. The Thunderbirds proved that by beating Archbishop Murphy 42-0 last season before succumbing to Anacortes in the title game.

“That’s a very good team — that’ll be a good one,” Abe Lucas said. “It’ll be a good, hard-fought slugfest. When I played Tumwater, they always played us hard. It should be fun.”

Abe faced the Thunderbirds twice, losing 24-21 in the 2015 semifinals and dominating them 48-10 in a quarterfinal on the way to the title.

Tumwater will be aiming for its seventh state title in 35 state playoff appearances. Archbishop Murphy has been to state 15 times since starting its program in 2001, and has run across the Thunderbirds in the past eight appearances, going 2-6 against the legendary program.

Last year, when the Wildcats faced Tumwater, they were just happy to be there. After an offseason of focusing on a longer season, Archbishop Murphy coach Joe Cronin believes his team will be better prepared for the physicality and mentality required to play football in December.

“They’re well coached, and there’s a big tradition of football. They do it the right way,” said Cronin, who took over the program in 2023. “I really feel like last year, we won in the (quarterfinals) and got to the semis, and we just mentally weren’t quite there yet as far as taking that next step. And Tumwater was. … Last year, I felt like it was ‘Oh my gosh, we’re still playing football.”

Tumwater runs a Wing-T offense that is similar to Archbishop Murphy’s, though both teams will throw it more than in some years past. Three Thunderbirds running backs have a least 500 rushing yards: Peyton Davis (104 carries, 1,024 yards, 18 TDs), Tyler Briscoe (109 carries, 788 yards, eight TDs), Blake Heryford (65 carries, 509 yards, eight TDs). Quarterback Jaxon Budd has completed 39 of 76 passes for 755 yards and 10 touchdowns.

The Cronin effect

Cronin typically does not shave during a winning streak, and quite a beard has sprouted during a dominant 12-0 season in which he’s watched his team outscore opponents 639-109.

“10-out-of-10,” said Andrew Lucas, rating the beard.

While the offense is rooted in the Wing-T run-dominated offense, senior quarterback Evan Ruiz lets it fly with some spread offense elements mixed in. He’s thrown for 1,268 yards and 22 TDs on 51-for-74 passing.

He’s got big Division I college prospects on the receiving end. Tight end Jack Sievers (6-foot-4, 235 pounds), a Wisconsin signee, has 468 receiving yards and nine TDs to go along with 14 sacks on defense. Henry Gabalis, a 6-foot-6, 225-pound receiver who signed at Arizona as a tight end, has 15 receptions for 586 yards and nine TDs, as well as 328 yards and eight TDs on 19 carries.

Cronin demands precision, but is also beloved by his players. Gabalis, who was a freshman on the 0-8 team, often stops by his coach’s office.

“We talk about life, and we talk about football,” said Gabalis, who plays free safety on defense. “He’s a great coach at doing that. He gets fired up at football practices, which I love. I think we needed that, and I think that’s helped with a lot of the success here.”

Cronin has impressed Abe Lucas as well.

“It’s great,” he said. “I’ve had the chance to be around him several times. He’s an amazing coach, and the players are playing hard for him. So I’m excited for him.”

Championship dreams

Andrew Lucas isn’t the only one with an older brother who saw success at Archbishop Murphy. Gabalis’ brother, Victor, began playing quarterback for the Wildcats the year after Abe Lucas won the title. Henry followed his brother’s footsteps into a program that dominated for many years to something that became a reclamation project.

Holding the state championship trophy would be quite an ascent for Gabalis and his teammates.

“It would mean the world to me,” he said. “From 0-8, not even being able to see a glimpse of the state championship trophy, all the way to 13-0 to win the state championship. It’s been kind of been a dream for me ever since my freshman year, ever since I saw my brother go through here. It has been a dream.

“I’m excited for that, and I think we’re going to bring her back.”