EVERETT — Todd Beamer High School’s offense managed to run just 13 plays after halftime, but it proved to be enough for the Titans to get their first playoff victory, 17-13 over Kamiak in a 4A Quad-District game on Friday.
The victory moved Todd Beamer into the state playoffs while ending Kamiak’s season.
The Titans rolled to the victory with the same philosophy that has led to their success all season.
“Running the ball and playing defense,” Todd Beamer head coach Darren McKay said. “That’s what we’ve done all year long. I think we came in No. 5 or 6 in 4A for fewest points allowed and we were No. 1 for a couple of weeks there.”
Trailing by four, Kamiak had an opportunity to take the lead in the fourth quarter, but the Knights’ drive stalled on the Titans’ 27-yard line with 5:34 to play in the game.
Kamiak’s offense never touched the ball again.
Behind junior Andrew Tofaeono and senior Chris Fa’amalele, the Titans were able to get two first downs and run out the clock. Tofaeono finished with 21 carries for 87 yards and a touchdown. Fa’amalele had nine carries for 55 yards, but made the biggest play of night rushing for a 24 yards on a 3rd-and-16 play with under two minutes remaining that sealed the victory.
“They do such a good job running the football and they’re so big up front that we had to take our opportunities to score when we had the ball and we stumbled a few times,” Kamiak head coach Dan Mack said. “I thought overall our kids played with a lot of heart and a lot of determination, we just came up a little short tonight.”
Things started well for the Knights, who forced the Titans into a three-and-out on Todd Beamer’s first possession of the game.
Offensively, Kamiak had little trouble moving the ball on its first possession, but after allowing a few big runs, the Titans’ defense clamped down on Jo Jo Binda Jr. and forced the Knights into a 4th-and-6 from the Todd Beamer 43-yard line. At that spot on the field, Kamiak head coach Dan Mack elected to go for it and take a shot down the field. Senior quarterback Tyler Becker’s pass was intercepted at the 10-yard line by Christian Stafford and returned to the 17.
It wasn’t the first big play Stafford made.
Todd Beamer’s offense continued to struggle on its next possession, with the exception of a 57-yard run from junior Isaiah Lard on the second play off the drive. The Titans ran six more plays on the possession before settling for a 29-yard field goal by junior Sean Van Earwage to take a 3-0 lead.
Kamiak was able to answer with an 11-play, 80-yard drive that was capped off by a Binda 19-yard touchdown to take a 7-3 lead over the Titans.
It was the only time the Knights held the lead and it lasted less than two minutes.
On the ensuing Todd Beamer drive, senior quarterback Taylor Davis completed his only pass of the game on a 3rd-and-10 from the Titans own 27-yard line. Unfortunately for the Knights, Davis found Stafford for a 73-yard touchdown and the Titans regained the lead at 10-7.
“Our guys were right there, he just out-athleted us on that one,” Mack said of Stafford’s catch.
Todd Beamer forced a Kamiak punt and quickly got the ball back. The Titans milked more than nearly two-thirds of the second quarter marching 53 yards and scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run by Tofaeono.
“You’ve got to be able to run the football, especially this time of year,” McKay said.
The Titans didn’t gain a ton of yards, but they did control the tempo and time of possession in the first half.
The second half was a different story.
Kamiak ran 17 of the first 20 offensive plays after halftime. Becker found junior receiver Donte Hamilton for a 19-yard touchdown on the Knights’ second possession of the half and after a missed extra point, trailed just 17-13.
“In the third quarter we only got three snaps (on offense), and that’s not what we want because we want to keep (Becker) off the field,” McKay said. “He’s really gifted athlete. He extends plays.”
Becker didn’t have his best game, but did complete 12 of his 20 passes for 143 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
“He’s been such a great leader for us,” Mack said of Becker. “He’s an excellent quarterback and he’s got a bright future ahead of him.”
While Kamiak controlled possession in the second half, scoring points proved to be a difficult task after starting wide receiver Jared Pexton and starting center Jordan Mochmar were injured earlier in the game.
Kamiak’s one chance to take the lead was foiled by an incompletion by Becker just off the fingertips of junior receiver Brock Merkley.
“Losing some of our weapons…that changed the tempo a bit for us,” Mack said.
Aaron Lommers covers prep sports for The Herald. Follow him on Twitter at @aaronlommers and contact him at alommers@heraldnet.com.
At Goddard Stadium
Todd Beamer 3 14 0 0 —17
Kamiak 0 7 0 6 —13
TB—Sean Van Earwage 29 FG
K—Jo Jo Binda Jr. 19 run (Tyler Becker kick)
TB—Christian Stafford 73 pass from Taylor Davis (Van Earwage kick)
TB—Andrew Tofaeono 1 run (Van Earwage kick)
K—Donte Hamilton 19 pass from Tyler Becker (kick failed)
Records–Todd Beamer 7-3, Kamiak 7-3.
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