WIAA 2A football championship preview: Is this another Anacortes championship mission reloaded?

Defending champion Seahawks, No. 1 seed Tumwater playing classification's first title-game rematch since 2013

Anacortes is back in the WIAA Class 2A championship game against the same team it beat a year ago for its first WIAA title - Tumwater. / Photo by Christina Olson

Editor's note:This Class 2A preview package was written up by SBLive WA staff for the WIAA state program. Game predictions were made by reporter Todd Milles, Tri-Cities-based Evans Rankings' founder Matt Evans and an anonymous 2A coach:

---

Almost before the final seconds ticked away at Husky Stadium a year ago, the quest to get back to Gridiron Classic began in Tumwater.

The championship game loss to first-time winner Anacortes sat badly with the Thunderbirds, and they chose to remind themselves of it every day in 2024.

The 60-30 final was posted on signs, brought up in meetings and generally fueled a season in which Tumwater has outscored opponents, 699-76, over its first 13 games this season. For those counting, that translates to a 13-0 record and an average margin of victory of 54-6.

“Our kids are ecstatic,” Tumwater coach Willie Garrow said. “They’re the champs. 

“Our challenge is to figure out how to stop them and put enough points up to get a win. We were upset with the way we played a year ago, it wasn’t up to our standard. So getting the opportunity to go back and make sure we play to that standard was important to our kids.”

The 12-1 defending champs have been no slouches themselves in forging this rematch. The Seahawks, with virtually their entire skill-position group returning (sophomore Ryan Harrington has stepped in at quarterback for the graduated Rex Larson), have scored 632 points, and given up just 107.

“Just getting out of our conference was a grind,” Anacortes coach Justin Portz said. “You just can’t have an off game.”

Anacortes does have that single loss to Archbishop Murphy that cost them another solo league championship, however. Tumwater just defeated that same Wildcats’ squad in the semifinals, 42-0, last Saturday.

“They’re a juggernaut, for sure,” Portz said. “Nobody gave us much of a chance last year, either, though. If we can keep it close, hopefully we can pull out a win. We’ve got our work cut out for us.”

---

Peyton Davis is one of a cadre of running backs this Tumwater offense is using in 2024. / Photo by Todd Milles

CLASS 2A CHAMPIONSHIP PRIMER

NO. 2 ANACORTES SEAHAWKS (12-1) vs. NO. 1 TUMWATER THUNDERBIRDS (13-0)

3 p.m. Saturday at Husky Stadium, Seattle

Coaches: Justin Portz is in his fourth season at Anacortes (43-4 record)). Willie Garrow is in his second season at Tumwater (27-1 record; 33-25 record overall).

WIAA championship history: Anacortes won the 2A title in 2023. Tumwater won the 4A title in 1993; 3A titles in 1987, 1989 and 1990; and 2A titles in 2010 and 2019.

Road to 2024 Gridiron Classic: Second-seeded Anacortes defeated No. 15 Bainbridge in the first round (46-0), No. 7 West Valley of Spokane in the quarterfinals (55-13) and No. 6 W.F. West in the semifinals (35-13). Top-seeded Tumwater defeated No. 16 Cedarcrest in the first round (44-0), No. 9 Sehome in the quarterfinals (70-7) and No. 5 Archbishop Murphy in the semifinals (42-0).

Statistical leaders: For Anacortes - .QB Ryan Harrington (2,006 yards, 24 TDs), RB Brock Beaner (1,151 yards, 23 TDs), WR/QB Brady Beaner (1,106 passing yards, 14 TDs; 621 rushing yards, seven TDs; 25 catches, 458 yards, six TDs), WR Rylin Lang (54 catches, 889 yards, 14 TDs), TE Micah Dickison (35 catches, 475 yards, four TDs) and DL Eazy Quintino (13 TFL). For Tumwater - QB Jaxon Budd (42-62, 919 yards, 14 TDs), RB Peyton Davis (59 carries, 687 yards, nine TDs), RB Jaylin Nixon (63 carries, 673 yards, 10 TDs), RB Cash Short (51 carries, 491 yards, 15 TDs), RB Tyler Briscoe (51 carries, 351 yards, seven TDs), WR Sunny Nguyen (seven catches, 199 yards, two TDs) and LB Beckett Wall (88 tackles, 23 TFL).

Anonymous 2A coach game pick: Tumwater, 28-21

Evans game pick: Tumwater, 35-24

SBLive WA game pick: Anacortes, 36-31

---