By Kiara Doyal, The Seattle Medium
Saturday afternoon, the Chief Sealth Seahawks and the Lindbergh Eagles faced off for the first round of the 3A High School Football Playoffs at Chief Sealth High School.
The game opened with Chief Sealth kicking off to Lindbergh, who started their first drive at their own 20-yard line. The Eagles tried to get their offense rolling with a mix of runs and short passes, but early penalties and quick possessions kept them from gaining momentum.
A few hopeful moments came from Lindbergh’s quarterback B.B. Bourgeois, who had completions to Dom and Tineze Kelly, yet the drive eventually ended near midfield after a false start and a sack by Chief Sealth’s Graham Hull.
The Seahawks then wasted no time taking control of the game. Starting near their own 35, Chief Sealth quickly moved the ball downfield behind strong runs from Marshawn Tovia-Ford and Loto Amituanai. Kingston Cappiello then ended the drive with a 10-yard touchdown run, and with the extra point, Chief Sealth took a 7–0 lead midway through the first quarter.
Lindbergh’s next possession went nowhere, as Cappiello struck again, this time on defense, sacking Bourgeois for a huge loss that forced another punt.
After taking possession of the ball, the Seahawks continued to build momentum. A quick 10-yard throw from MJ Filitaula to Graham Hull added another touchdown, extending the lead to 14–0. However, Chief Sealth was then called for a personal foul that gave Lindbergh a short glimpse of hope, but the Seahawks didn’t let down. Big runs by Tovia-Ford and Xander Gomez set up a 10-yard touchdown run from Amituanai, making it 21–0 by the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter began the same way the first ended, with the Seahawks showing complete dominance on the field. Despite an early delay-of-game penalty, Tovia-Ford broke loose for 25 yards, and Filitaula connected with Gomez for a 25-yard touchdown pass to push the lead to 28–0. Moments later, Marquis Tovia intercepted a pass, and finished the drive himself with a 21-yard touchdown run to make it 35–0.
Lindbergh’s struggles continued with a series of incompletions and punts, while Sealth’s offense stayed relentless. Cappiello and Tovia-Ford helped set up another touchdown pass from Filitaula to Tovia-Ford, stretching the lead to 42–0. Then, with just over two minutes left in the half, Sealth’s defense struck again, as Marshawn Tovia-Ford intercepted Bourgeois and ran it back 25 yards for a touchdown, giving Chief Sealth a 49–0 halftime lead.
MJ Filitaula finished the first half completing five passes for 63 yards and two touchdowns, and rushing twice for 15 yards. Meanwhile, Marshawn Tovia-Ford had six carries for 92 yards and two receptions for 35 yards and one touchdown.
With the running clock in effect at the start of the third quarter, the pace of the game quickened, and the second half passed swiftly. Lindbergh continued to struggle offensively and defensively, appearing completely out of rhythm on the field.
As the final quarter progressed, Marshawn Tovia-Ford added another touchdown, extending the Seahawks’ lead to 56–0. However, with 4:33 remaining in the game, the Eagles managed to find the end zone for their first and only score of the day, narrowing the score slightly to 56–7.
In the closing seconds, Chief Sealth brought in Joey Snyder at quarterback, and he took a knee to run out the clock and a seal a 56–7 victory for Chief Sealth in the opening round of the playoffs.
Chief Sealth’s Marshawn Tovia-Ford finished the game with three touchdowns — a rushing score, a receiving touchdown, and a pick-six on defense. Quarterback Mason Filitaula threw three touchdown passes, connecting with Graham Hull, Xander Gomez and Tovia-Ford. Marquis Tovia added a rushing touchdown and also recorded an interception, while Kingston Cappiello contributed a rushing touchdown of his own.
After the game, Chief Sealth head coach Daron Camacho said the win was very meaningful for the school and the football program because it was the first time they hosted a playoff game in a very long time.
“Our players came ready to play today. We were focused all week during practice, which led to us executing on all phases of the game,” said Camacho. “This was the first time we hosted a playoff game at Chief Sealth in many years! A huge thanks to our players and coaches.”
Photos/John Saunders
