By Karrington Kincaid, The Seattle Medium
The much-anticipated clash between the 8U Benson Bruins and the Renton Rangers ended in a dominant 45-0 shutout victory for the Bruins, who remain undefeated at 4-0. Despite the hype surrounding the game, especially with both teams enjoying successful starts to their seasons, the Bruins showcased a relentless defense and explosive offensive plays that left Renton struggling to find answers throughout the game.
Going into the matchup, the Bruins had established themselves as one of the strongest teams in the league, boasting an unblemished 3-0 record. They had largely relied on their aggressive and quick defense to smother opposing offenses, and this game would be no different. Renton, with a 2-1 record, had put its faith in star running back Kodi Jones, whose power running style had been the focal point of the team’s offense. However, against the well-prepared Bruins, Jones and the rest of the Rangers offense were held in check.
Benson Bruins Defensive Coordinator Andrew Foushee Sr. expressed his confidence before the game but stressed the importance of staying grounded. “We’re confident as we can be,” Foushee said. “We coach the kids to be humble and to take every game as an individual game. We don’t look ahead or look past anyone. At this age, man, anything can happen, no matter what. We’re coaching them up, we’re doing what we can, and the kids are ready to go—we’re ready to play ball.”
Renton Rangers head coach Taye Cheatham, equally aware of the unpredictability of youth football, acknowledged the potential for surprises. “I feel like anything can happen, anything can happen at any given time in this game,” Cheatham said. “It’s a rivalry game in my eyes. It’s going to be a showdown.”
The game began with a bang for the Bruins. On the opening kickoff, Benson’s Bless Austin-Curry made a key special teams tackle, immediately putting the Rangers’ offense in a tough spot. From there, the Bruins’ defense set the tone. Led by the tenacious play of Andrew Foushee Jr., Benson’s defense quickly stifled Renton’s offensive drives. Foushee Jr. made a key tackle for a loss of four yards early in the game and recovered a fumble off a bad snap from Renton, giving the Bruins their first offensive possession of the game.
While Benson’s defense dominated from the outset, the Bruins’ offense took some time to settle in. Quarterback Johzais Failautusi initially missed a wide-open Liam Brown on what could have been a 17-yard touchdown pass, and a holding penalty pushed the Bruins back. Failautusi’s 9-yard scramble put Benson in a manageable third-down situation, but a couple of missed connections between Failautusi and Brown forced the Bruins to turn the ball over on downs.
Renton’s offense, on the other hand, couldn’t gain any traction. Despite the efforts of Kodi Jones, the Rangers were repeatedly stopped behind the line of scrimmage by the Bruins’ defensive front, with Kainoa Ongque making multiple tackles for losses. After forcing Renton into another turnover on downs, the Bruins capitalized. Ongque found the end zone with a 4-yard rushing touchdown, and Failautusi converted the extra point with a 2-yard quarterback sneak, giving Benson a 7-0 lead.
The Bruins’ special teams continued to deliver as Liam Ohi successfully recovered an onside kick, putting Benson’s offense right back on the field. On the very first play of the second quarter, Austin-Curry extended the lead with an electrifying 46-yard rushing touchdown. Failautusi once again added the extra point, pushing the Bruins ahead 14-0.
Despite trailing by two scores, the Renton defense, led by standout players Dion Hooks, King Thomas, and Elijah Webb, showed resilience. They refused to back down and made crucial tackles for loss, holding the Bruins to minimal gains on several plays. However, Benson’s offense, spearheaded by Failautusi, kept finding ways to move the ball. Failautusi’s 20-yard scramble set up another scoring opportunity, and he followed it with a well-placed pass to Liam Brown for an 18-yard touchdown. With the extra point, the Bruins extended their lead to 21-0.
Renton struggled to respond. Jones, who had been the focal point of Renton’s offense all season, found no room to run. Tyrell Johnson and Christopher Fulu of the Bruins were relentless in pursuit, making life difficult for the Rangers at every turn. A series of tackles for loss forced another turnover on downs, and the Bruins wasted no time seizing the moment. With just under three minutes left in the first half, Failautusi took matters into his own hands, sprinting for a 31-yard touchdown on a quarterback keeper, though the extra point was missed, leaving the Bruins up 27-0 at halftime.
As the third quarter began, the Bruins’ defense continued their dominance. Austin-Curry made a crucial tackle on Kodi Jones, who was unable to break free against Benson’s aggressive front. Renton soon faced another fourth down, and once again, the Bruins defense held firm, giving their offense yet another chance to widen the gap.
Failautusi fumbled the snap on the first play of the ensuing drive, but he quickly recovered and turned it into a spectacular 55-yard touchdown run. Despite a missed extra point, the Bruins were comfortably ahead 33-0. Renton showed some life on the following drive when Jones managed a 6-yard gain, but Benson’s Aiden Nieves-Leon quickly put an end to any momentum with back-to-back tackles for loss.
Renton turned the ball over on downs once again as the third quarter came to a close. In the opening moments of the fourth quarter, Failautusi delivered his third rushing touchdown of the day, breaking free for a 38-yard score that put the Bruins up 39-0 after another missed extra point.
Although the Rangers continued to fight, with Jones leading the way on a drive that gained 29 yards on four carries, Benson’s defense continued to assert its dominance. Led by Foushee Jr., they forced yet another turnover on downs, effectively ending Renton’s chances.
With under a minute left in the game, Failautusi capped off an outstanding performance with a 65-yard touchdown run, his fourth rushing touchdown of the game. Despite missing the extra point, the Bruins’ victory was sealed with a commanding 45-0 score.
After the game, Defensive Coordinator Andrew Foushee Sr. praised his team’s performance but emphasized that there is still work to be done, particularly on offense. “On defense, we played well—everyone did their assignments,” Foushee said. “Offense, we’ve got to clean up. We had a lot of simple mistakes, but luckily we have a lot of athletes, and speed makes up for it. We’re going to keep working and do what we have to do to keep this doughnut party going.”
The Bruins, now 4-0, remain one of the league’s most dominant teams, with back-to-back shutout victories to their credit. As they look ahead to the rest of the season, their combination of speed, defensive strength, and offensive explosiveness will make them a formidable opponent for any team.
