Thomas Jefferson scheduled Senior Night and Homecoming night on the same night, but it didn’t work.
The Raiders still lost to playoff-bound Federal Way, 48-0, Friday in the South Puget Sound League North Division finale for both teams.
Federal Way goes on to the postseason, visiting the Gig Harbor Tides Friday or Saturday thanks to Kentwood’s 24-13 win over Kentlake Friday that kept the Eagles from winning the division title and drawing a home game.
Federal Way had a past experience with the Tides in the playoffs that wasn’t pleasant.
“We have a scout who said Gig Harbor is even tougher than they were then,” said Eagles assistant coach Sam Beesley.
Thomas Jefferson goes on to play the loser of this past Saturday’s SPSL South finale between Federal Way School District crosstown rivals Decatur and Todd Beamer that was played after press time.
For a time, it looked like TJ might be able to knock off a third crosstown foe - Federal Way - this past Friday.
“It was a good performance for awhile,” said Federal Way head coach John Meagher.
That changed eventually.
Both teams were scoreless in a fast-paced first quarter, but TJ lost its first play of the second quarter with a fumble.
The Eagles pounced on the pigskin only 10 yards away from the end zone. Three runs by Federal Way star running back Andre Barrington led to a touchdown.
Barrington ran left for two yards, then gained six yards before running in for a 2-yard touchdown. Kelyn Rowe’s kick for the extra point was good to put the score at 7-0 with 10:09 left before halftime.
Barrington scored the next touchdown at the 3:17 mark, running the ball in from 30 yards out. He sliced through the crowd of TJ defenders and blocking Eagle teammates to work his way toward paydirt. Rowe’s PAT padded the lead to 14-0.
George Williams did the scoring honors with 29.4 seconds left, punching the ball in from the 1-yard line.
Barrington and the Eagles used a big play to open the scoring in the third quarter, zigzagging his way 66 yards to the end zone. The PAT kick failed to leave the lead at 27-0.
Damon Hardy scored on a 1-yard run with 1:22 left and Rowe kicked the extra point to make it 34-0.
A lateral pass attempt by TJ was then lost to Barrington, who returned the ball 36 yards for yet another touchdown. Just like that it was 41-0 after Rowe made his kick.
Both teams fell silent until DaShawn Horn of the Eagles ran in a 2-yard touchdown with 2:37 remaining in the fourth quarter. With Rowe’s kick the lead was upped to its final 48-0 margin.