While some might say the season is still young, the Graham-Kapowsin Eagles (4-0) look like a team primed to make a deep run come playoff time. They are the only team left undefeated in the SPSL 4A South after Curtis topped Puyallup 38-35 over the weekend.
A big part of the early success has come from the play of senior RB Teague James (5’10” 180). In a week three matchup against two-time defending league champ Federal Way, James carried 25 times for 121 yards and 4 TD in a big 39-21 win.
This past week James really went wild when he carried 21 times for 259 yards and 4 TDs. That gives James 11 TD runs through four weeks.
“My line blocking has been doing a great job and I’m just finding the holes. Hopefully it continues and I’m able to rush for 2,000 yards,” James said. “I’m felling good about the start of GK’s season. We knocked off a very good team early. Always good to start off strong.”
James has pretty much picked up where he left off last season when he rushed for 1,300+ yards and 24 TDs on way to being named to the Tacoma News Tribune’s prestigious All-Area Team.
Junior QB Trevor Asbjornsen (6’4″ 190) has played very well thus, including going 12 of 22 for 200 yards in a week two win over a very good Curtis team. In a week one win over Post Falls (ID), Abjornsen paced the offense with three touchdown passes, all to Dylan Campbell.
“Teague James is awesome, he runs hard every down and we count on him to continue making big plays for us,” Asbjornsen said told NEI. “I think personally I’ve been alright so far, but there’s always room for me to improve. I plan on stepping up my game to a new level every week.”
One of the big bright spots thus far has been the play of the offensive line, specifically that of senior Duke Steenmeyer (6’2″ 230) and freshman Foster Sarell (6’6″ 300)… Yes, you read that correctly. Those two big bodies have consistently not only gotten good push allowing James to run wild, but they have provided Asbjornsen with a sense of security knowing his blindside is protected.
The GK family got some big news over the past week when Sarell was offered a scholarship by Eastern Washington University. Head Coach Beau Baldwin and his staff have done a phenomenal job in recruiting the Northwest the last few years, and an even better job winning games in the always tough Big Sky Conference.
A hard working group of athletes, great coaching and unbelievable community support have vaulted Graham-Kapowsin all the way up to a tie for third in the most recent NEI Top Ten. GK has had some great teams in its short history, one being last season, but this year may be the best ever.
