By Tim Clinton
SPORTS EDITOR

Look who's 4-0.

The Mount Rainier Rams improved their football season record to that lofty mark by hammering Hazen, 27-6, in their homecoming game played at Highline Memorial on Friday.

Mount Rainier now towers at 2-0 in North Puget Sound League action.

"It's a good start, but we've got a lot of work to do," said Rams head coach Tremain Mack. "The kids played hard, but we had too many penalties and we've got to clean that up. We have a long ways to go."

Mount Rainier received six penalties for a total of 45 yards in the first half and nine flags for a total of 95 yards in the second half.

But the Rams overcame all of that to win their fourth game out of the gate.

Mount Rainier got on the scoreboard first with 11:17 to play in the second quarter as Joe Grantham booted a 27-yard field goal through the uprights.

Rams quarterback J.J. Young ran around the right side on a keeper for a 23-yard touchdown at 8:10 to go before the half and Grantham's kick for the point after was good for a 10-0 lead.

Young struck again at the 5:30 mark of the second quarter, this time weaving his way through the Hazen defenders for a 37-yard touchdown run.

Grantham's PAT kick upped the margin to 17-0 and that stood through the halftime festivities.

Mount Rainier scored on the first possession of the second half, marching 72 yards on 15 plays.

Young capped the drive off with a 15-yard right side run at 7:46 to play in the third quarter and Grantham's kick made it a 24-0 game.

The Highlanders rose up to spoil the shutout and get back into the game by scoring at the 5:04 mark.

Quarterback Jullian Santos threw a pass to Tyson Mowrey for a 30-yard touchdown on the right side, but a pass for a two-point conversion failed to leave it as a 24-6 game.

Grantham capped off the scoring with 2:48 to play in the fourth quarter, kicking a 30-yard field goal to up the Rams' lead to 27-6.

The score was set up 12 plays earlier by an A.J. Moen interception at the Mount Rainier 47 with 8:37 to play.

Grantham had a key interception to stop the Highlanders on the first play of the fourth quarter and teammate Terrel Grier had one that set up the Rams' first touchdown in the second quarter.