Reported by Karrington Kincaid, The Seattle Medium
The Benson Bruins opened the Washington Youth Football League 10U playoffs with a dominant performance on both sides of the ball, rolling to a 42–6 win over the B12P Bearcats in first-round action. Fueled by explosive runs, a swarming defense, and heads-up special teams play, the Bruins never let up and advanced confidently to the semifinal round.
The tone was set early by a stifling Benson defense that made it clear the Bearcats would have to fight for every inch. After forcing a quick turnover on downs, the Bruins’ offense went to work. Tiamo Sausau III opened the drive with a 6-yard run before Malachi Williams Jr. burst through the line for a 27-yard gain. Though an early touchdown was called back for holding, Williams Jr. responded two plays later by slicing through the defense for a 28-yard touchdown. The successful extra point gave the Bruins a 7–0 lead.
On the next Bearcats possession, a backwards pass turned into a safety, pushing Benson’s lead to 9–0. The Bruins kept the pressure on after the free kick. Williams Jr. added 24 and 10-yard runs, the latter going for his second touchdown of the day. Another extra point made it 16–0 at the end of the first quarter.
Benson’s defense continued to smother the Bearcats in the second quarter. Matthias Fuiava brought down Micah Davis for a 7-yard loss, and Nate Vee followed with a tackle on the next play. Then Sipiliano Lui Jr. jumped in front of a pass and returned it for a short gain, giving the Bruins prime field position again. Sausau III chipped in with a 12-yard run to move the chains before the Bruins coughed up a fumble and gave the ball back to the Bearcats.
But the Bruins didn’t stay off the scoreboard for long. On the following possession, Bearcats quarterback Walter Huerta was picked off again, this time by Eli Fuiava, who returned the interception 17 yards for a touchdown. He added a 17-yard scoring run immediately after and converted the extra point, extending the lead to 30–0.
The Bearcats tried to answer, but Benson forced a fumble near the end zone after a botched snap, and the Bruins recovered it for another score—this one credited as a defensive touchdown. With the extra point added, Benson went into halftime up 37–0.
The second half offered little relief for the Bearcats. Benson opened the third quarter with short, efficient runs from Isley Pua, followed by gains of 7 and -3 yards from Williams Jr. On the next snap, Eli Fuiava broke free for a 39-yard touchdown run. The conversion was no good, but the lead had ballooned to 43–0.
The Bearcats’ lone score came late in the third quarter when Ja’kai Smith found a seam and sprinted 64 yards to the end zone. Though the extra point was no good, it gave B12 something to build on in an otherwise difficult game.
But Benson wasn’t done. On the Bruins’ final drive, Williams Jr. capped off his big day with a 58-yard touchdown run, showing no signs of slowing down. The final whistle blew with the Bruins up 42–6 and a statement win in the books.
Williams Jr. led the charge with 8 carries for 158 yards and 3 touchdowns for Benson, while Eli Fuiava added 2 carries for 56 yards and 2 scores, one on offense and one on defense. Lui Jr. and Festejo each added an interception, and the team combined for 5 total takeaways.
The Benson defense, which shut out the Bearcats until late in the second half, was anchored by tackles from Scanlan, Vee, Carter Morgan, and the Fuiava brothers. Meanwhile, Walter Huerta was a bright spot for B12, breaking up three passes on defense despite his offense being under constant pressure.
After the game, Bruins head coach Louis praised his team’s energy and resilience but emphasized that bigger challenges lie ahead.
“I’m so happy how they fought together,” said Coach Louis. “But we’ve got a lot of work to do as the competition is only going to get tougher from here on out.”
Player Stats
Benson Bruins (Offense):
Malachi Williams Jr. – 8 rushes, 158 yards, 3 TDs
Eli Fuiava – 2 rushes, 56 yards, 2 TDs; 1 INT return TD
Tiamo Sausau III – 3 rushes, 25 yards
Isley Pua – 2 rushes, 17 yards
Benson Bruins (Defense):
Eli Fuiava – 1 INT (17-yard TD return)
Sipiliano Lui Jr. – 1 INT
Mataius Festejo – 1 INT
Matthias Fuiava –1 fumble recovery
B12 Bearcats (Offense):
Ja’kai Smith – 4 rushes, 72 yards, 1 TD
B12 Bearcats (Defense):
Walter Huerta – 3 pass breakups
