It may not have meant as much as the playoff games that were going on around the South Puget Sound League area Thursday night, but don't tell either of the teams involved.

Decatur and Thomas Jefferson were both looking for a win in the crosstown and SPSL crossover game, and both could have easily gotten it.

The TJ Raiders took a 17-0 lead in the action at Federal Way Memorial Field, then the Gators chipped it down to an 18-17 lead for themselves before tacking on one more touchdown that brought them a 24-17 win.

It was the season finale for both teams, with Decatur finishing with a 3-7 overall record and Thomas Jefferson winding up at 1-9. Both finished just above the bottom of their respective divisions -- with the Gators playing in the SPSL South Division and the Raiders in the SPSL North Division.

Both teams got out to a slow start in the action played under extremely wet and windy conditions.

Thomas Jefferson opened with a nine play drive before turning the ball over on downs at the Decatur 34-yard line. then the Gators marched down the field on 13 plays before giving it over on downs at their 49.

But it only took three plays for the Raiders to score on the next drive, with Keegan Giles slicing left and finding the end zone from the 8-yard line. Kicker McKay Owsley then booted his first extra point for a 7-0 lead with 2:06 left to play in the first quarter.

TJ then tried an onside kick on the kickoff, but it was the Gators who held onto it even though they were outnumbered in the area where the ball wound up.

Thomas Jefferson still scored next, however, when Spencer Hicks drove his way in from the 8-yard line only nine seconds into the second quarter. Owsley's kick brought the margin to 14-0.

Decatur lost the ball on downs at the end of another long 13-play drive to the TJ 33, with the Raiders putting together a 14-play ensuing drive and scoring once again.

This time Owsley lined up 36 yards out and booted a field goal that padded the lead to 17-0 with 1:04 to play until halftime.
But the lead did not stay padded for long.

Decatur came out playing tough defense in the second half, and put six points on the scoreboard offensively with 2:53 to play in the third quarter. Matt Turner scored from 22 yards away, but a run for a two-point conversion failed to leave the score at 17-6.

No matter.

The Gators just came out and scored another touchdown on their next possession.

Jordan Flowers veered to the left sideline and rumbled for a 70-yard touchdown with 21.9 seconds to play in the quarter. Another run for two extra points failed, but Decatur was clearly back in the game at 17-12.

The Gators passed the Raiders at 18-17 with 7:19 left in the fourth quarter. Matt Turner scored on a 22-yard run for six points, and still another run for a two-point conversion failed to leave them one point ahead.

TJ marched to the Decatur 39 on six plays, then had to punt it away after three more plays.

It was Flowers that scored on the seventh play of the Gators' next possession -- with Flowers scoring six points on a 52-yard play. A run for two failed once again, but Decatur was now up by seven at 24-17 with 2:09 remaining in the game and stayed that way -- just as the rain finally let up.