It was a cold afternoon at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup — perfect for the 2022 3A state championship game, featuring Yelm and Eastside Catholic. As the fourth quarter neared a close, Eastside Catholic was leading 13-12. With two minutes left, Yelm snapped the ball and threw what was about to be a game ending interception. As Tyson Weaver, WSU bound defensive back caught the ball, the moment was quickly interrupted. Yelm was able to strip the ball and run it in for a touchdown, winning 20-13.
Flash forward to the 3A state semifinals this past weekend at Art Crate field. Eastside Catholic was on the hunt to redeem themselves from last year’s heartbreaking loss and Yelm looked to secure another title.
As half time concluded, the board had yet to see a score. The Crusaders had the ball but were unable to convert. Yelm secured the punt and proceeded to have an electric sprint up the sideline. The energy was slowed as a flag was pulled and the Tornados were sent back to their own territory. As Eastside Catholic’s defense tried to lock on, they faced an immense challenge, Brayden Platt. The standout linebacker for Yelm is a 4-star recruit committed to the University of Oregon. Platt concluded the game with 219 rushing yards on 27 carries. Even after being identified as a standout player, the Crusader defense was unable to predict his shifty carries.
As the Eastside Catholic line attempted to prevent a score, their efforts were not enough to stop Platt. He ran in a 54-yard touchdown to put the first and last score on the board. From then on it was Yelm’s game. The Eastside Catholic offense was unable to secure a true first down through both halves, as they barely pulled together 19 yards in the whole game. With a last push, the Crusaders subbed in sophomore Youngmin Lee to try to shake up the defense. Yelm was able to maintain their position and shut out the Crusaders.
Yelm will now face Bellevue in the 3A state championship at 7 PM on Friday, December 1st at Husky Stadium. Bellevue is entering this game with an underdog mindset as they lost to Yelm last year in the state semifinals. A close-fought game last fall, concluding with a score of 28-27. The game on Friday should be an electric match-up, fueled with revenge and a craving for victory.
