By Kiara Doyal, The Seattle Medium
The second week of the WIAA Class 3A state football playoffs featured a win-or-go-home matchup between the No. 6-seeded Rainier Beach Vikings and the No. 11-seeded Mount Tahoma Thunderbirds in the Round of 16. Rainier Beach hosted the Thunderbirds, with both teams fighting to keep their state championship hopes alive.
In a hard-fought battle that saw Rainier Beach regain the lead early in the fourth quarter, Mount Tahoma scored 21 unanswered points to secure a 38-20 victory, advancing to the next round of the state playoffs and bringing the Vikings’ season to an end.
Rainier Beach came out strong offensively after receiving the opening kickoff, with Damari Ae Barrington and quarterback Esquire Williams leading the Vikings downfield with a combination of rushing and passing plays. Williams connected with Mykhai Stanton for an explosive 50-yard completion, a play that marked a significant milestone for the Vikings’ quarterback as he surpassed 3,000 passing yards for the season.
Barrington capped off the drive with a 12-yard touchdown run to put Rainier Beach ahead 6-0 with 7:30 remaining in the first quarter. The extra-point attempt was unsuccessful.
Mount Tahoma struggled to move the ball on its first possession but took advantage of a Rainier Beach fumble on the Vikings’ next drive. The Thunderbirds capitalized on the turnover as Kemarjae Davis rushed for a 9-yard touchdown, followed by a successful extra point to take a 7-6 lead.
The Vikings quickly answered, with Williams leading another scoring drive and connecting with Sirjewel Glover for a 28-yard touchdown pass. Rainier Beach converted the two-point attempt to regain the lead at 14-7 with two minutes remaining in the opening quarter.
Mount Tahoma put together a late offensive push behind Davis and Boogie Durr, including an 18-yard run by Durr, but couldn’t find the end zone before the quarter ended. Rainier Beach headed into the second quarter with a 14-7 lead.
The second quarter featured a defensive battle, with both teams struggling to find consistency on offense. Mount Tahoma was forced to punt on its opening possession, and Rainier Beach was unable to capitalize, also giving the ball back after a short drive.
The Thunderbirds then put together a promising drive behind quarterback Shawn Sione and Davis, moving into field-goal range. Mount Tahoma kicker Emmanuel Rodriguez Leon connected on a 40-yard field goal to cut Rainier Beach’s lead to 14-10 with 4:44 remaining in the half.
The Vikings looked to respond when Quis Tovia returned the ensuing kickoff an impressive 58 yards. Williams connected with Glover for a 25-yard gain, but Rainier Beach couldn’t finish the drive after several incomplete passes.
Both defenses continued to make key stops as the quarter wound down. Rainier Beach put together another late push, with Williams connecting with Wes Armstrong and Glover for key completions, including a 26-yard gain to move the Vikings downfield. However, the drive stalled after an incomplete pass on fourth down.
Mount Tahoma attempted to move the ball in the final seconds, with Sione picking up 18 yards on the ground, but neither team found the end zone. Rainier Beach maintained its lead, heading into halftime ahead 14-10.
The third quarter opened with both offenses struggling to find their rhythm. Mount Tahoma’s defense came up with several key stops, forcing Rainier Beach to punt on multiple possessions.
The Thunderbirds eventually found their offensive momentum behind Sione and Davis, who helped move the ball downfield. Davis broke off a 24-yard run to put Mount Tahoma in scoring position, setting up Durr for a 21-yard touchdown run. The extra point was good, giving the Thunderbirds a 17-14 lead with 2:43 remaining in the third quarter.
Rainier Beach responded with a strong offensive drive led by Williams, who connected with Tovia for a 15-yard completion and Micah Ili-Meneese for another key gain. Barrington also contributed with several important runs to keep the drive moving.
As the quarter came to a close, the Vikings pushed inside the 10-yard line and looked to regain the lead, but Mount Tahoma held a 17-14 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
Rainier Beach opened the final quarter with a big play as Williams connected with Glover for an 8-yard touchdown pass to regain the lead at 20-17 with 11:55 remaining. The two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful.
However, Mount Tahoma quickly answered with a scoring drive of its own, highlighted by a 10-yard completion from Sione to Xavier Harris and a 7-yard run by Davis. Daniel “DJ” Morales finished the drive with a 4-yard touchdown run, giving the Thunderbirds a 24-20 lead with 8:57 remaining.
Rainier Beach struggled to respond and was forced to punt, allowing Mount Tahoma to take control of the game.
The Thunderbirds put together another strong drive, with Davis leading the rushing attack and Sione connecting with Durr on a crucial 16-yard fourth-down completion to keep the possession alive. After a big defensive stop by Rainier Beach, Davis powered into the end zone on fourth down for a 7-yard touchdown, extending Mount Tahoma’s lead to 31-20 with 2:51 remaining.
The Vikings struggled to move the ball on their next possession as the Thunderbirds’ defense applied pressure, recording multiple sacks and forcing incomplete passes.
Mount Tahoma capitalized with another touchdown as Davis broke free for a 15-yard scoring run, his third of the night. The successful extra point made it 38-20 with 1:26 remaining.
Rainier Beach attempted one final push, but Mount Tahoma’s defense held strong, forcing another turnover on downs before the clock expired.
Williams finished the game with 204 passing yards, while Glover led the Vikings’ receiving attack with five receptions for 94 yards and two touchdowns. Barrington contributed 45 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Williams added 56 yards on the ground.
For Mount Tahoma, Davis led the rushing attack with 149 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries, helping the Thunderbirds overcome the Vikings’ early advantage and secure the 38-20 victory.
After the game, Rainier Beach head coach Charles McFarland Jr. made it clear that his focus wasn’t solely on the final score. Instead, he emphasized that the BeachBoyz journey was about much more than one game and that the final result did not define the team’s success this year.
“We are incredibly proud of the growth, commitment, brotherhood, and resilience these young men displayed throughout the year. From the first day of preparation to the final whistle, this group continued to work, compete, believe, and represent Rainier Beach with pride. There were challenges, adversity, unforgettable moments, and plenty of lessons along the way. Most importantly, we built something bigger than football. We built relationships, strengthened our brotherhood, and created memories that will last a lifetime,” said McFarland Jr. “To our seniors, thank you for your leadership, sacrifice, and dedication to this program. You helped lay the foundation for what comes next. To our players, coaches, families, alumni, and supporters, thank you for believing in us and standing behind the BeachBoyz every step of the way.”
Although the loss brought Rainier Beach’s 3A state championship run to an end, McFarland pointed to the program’s accomplishments both on and off the field, including the team’s academic success and the development of players who are preparing to compete at the collegiate level.
“We may not have finished the way we wanted, but we will never overlook what we accomplished. We got a few kids committing to D1 programs, we made it through the season with 100% academic eligibility throughout the season, and so many of the young men have grown from where they were last spring,” said McFarland. “The future is bright for our program, and I’m excited about the direction we are headed in.”
Game Stats
Rainier Beach
Passing: Esquire Williams, 14 completions in 34 attempts, 204 yards, 2 TDs.
Rushing: Esquire Williams, 8 carries, 56 yards; Damari Ae Barrington, 10 carries, 45 yards, 1 TD.
Receiving: Sirjewel Glover, 5 receptions, 94 yards, 2 TDs; Mykhai Stanton, 1 reception, 50 yards; Micah Ili-Meneese, 3 receptions, 21 yards; Wes Armstrong, 2 receptions, 15 yards; Quis Tovia, 1 reception, 15 yards; Russell Sanders, 1 reception, 9 yards; Damari Ae Barrington, 1 reception, 0 yards.
Special Teams: Quis Tovia, 58-yard kickoff return.
Mount Tahoma
Passing: Shawn Sione, 6 completions in 11 attempts, 46 yards.
Rushing: Kemarjae Davis, 19 carries, 149 yards, 3 TDs; Boogie Durr, 2 carries, 39 yards, 1 TD; Shawn Sione, 6 carries, 31 yards; Daniel “DJ” Morales, 1 carry, 4 yards, 1 TD; Jayzce Price, 1 carry, 4 yards.
Receiving: Jeremy Williams Jr., 2 receptions, 20 yards; Boogie Durr, 2 receptions, 16 yards; Xavier Harris, 1 reception, 10 yards; Kemarjae Davis, 1 reception, 0 yards.
Kicking: Emmanuel Rodriguez Leon, 40-yard field goal.
