It was defensive back Thomas Lowery's time.

He remembers those off-season workouts, all that extra running and lifting. Sacrifice.

He always had hope in the Todd Beamer football program, despite the losing seasons and a coaching change during his four years there.

And, now, all that preparation and belief came down to this.

Late in fourth quarter in a tight game that had playoff implications, Lowery came up with the play of the season.

He intercepted a Puyallup pass deep in his territory and ran the ball back for an electrifying 62-yard touchdown, sealing a Beamer 28-17 SPSL South Division win and its first playoff spot in its history.

"It was crazy; it was surreal," said Lowery, whose team scored three fourth-quarter touchdowns to erase an
11-point deficit. "Ive been here four years and to get a pick-six and beat Puyullup to go to the playoffs for the first year ... there's a little tear in my eye."

With Linebacker Nicky Faulaau and defensive end Marley Liulama putting constant pressure on him all game, Puyallup quarterback Erin Barber threw a rushed, off-target pass into Lowery's waiting hands at the Beamer 28 near the left sideline. Lowery then sprinted down the left sideline unimpeded with 4:48 remaining the game.

"That was definitely the highlight of the year," Beamer head coach David Sundheim said. "He's (Lowery) just a little guy who loves to play football.

"He's played sporadically through his last two years here," added Sundheim, who is in his second year as Beamer coach. "He's come here every day of the summer. And to make a huge play. That's the special thing of the night."

For awhile, it looked like Beamer would have a tough time scoring again after TJ Esekeilu's 59-yard TD run in the second quarter. Puyallup had increased their lead to 17-6 at the half on Zach Burrell's 28-yard field goal.

But Fualaau sacked Barber for an 8-yard loss on a third-down play, forcing the VIkings into a three and out to begin the third quarter and it looked like momentum was finally swinging Beamer's way.

Beamer, featuring Marcus Sadler's 36-yard halfback pass to wide receiver Nick Bod, drove to the Puyallup 3-yard line for an almost assured scoring opportunity in its next possession.

The Vikings (2-5 in league, 2-6 overall) defense held, however, stuffing Titans runs four successive times.

Beamer didn't give up.

They forced Puyallup into another three and out and put together what might be their two best drives of the season.`

Beamer quarterback TJ Esekielu, who wasn't racking up his acccustomed large amount of rushing yards, decided to take what the defense was giving him.

Esekielu went to the short passing game.

He hit four short passes for 33 yards to four different receivers, moving the Titans to the Puyallup 16.

He then ran the ball five successive times, mostly off the edges, and scored on a 1-yard keeper just past the left pilon. He then hit Sadler with a conversion pass to cut the Vikings lead to 17-14 lead with 11:48 remaining in the game.

"I was thinking touchdown, thinking end zone," said Esekielu, who had 142 yards rushing and 121 yards passing, "Thanks to my teammate's blocking, that's how we won the game."

The Titans scored again two minutes later when they held the Vikings to another three and out, with defensive back Shawn Priggett breaking up two passes in tight coverage.

"We had to push through it," said Esekielu, referring to his team's resiliency. "We had to work as a team and stop them."

Beamer (4-3, 4-4) played some high stakes in its next series.

On a fourth-and-4 down play at their own 36, the Titans went into punt formation. The ball was hiked to the up back, Sadler, who then rolled out and hit wide receiver Willie Roach with a 20-yard pass for a first down.

Esekielu, using touch, feathered a short pass to Fualaau, a tight end, down the middle. Fualaau, who went 28 yards to the Puyallup 26. Esekielu then hit wide-receiver Andre Evans with another soft, arcing pass on a post pattern to give the Titans the lead for the first time. Nick Bod's PAT made it 21-17 with 7:02 left in the fourth quarter.

"That was big for us, to put a drive together without turning the ball over or penalties and score on a big play, that was huge for us," Sundheim said.

"They played with a lot of heart. Stuff was on the line. I'm proud of them."

The Titans had a chance to run the clock out late in the game, only to throw a scare into the Beamer faithful.

Eskelieu fumbled on a third-down play with 1:10 left in a two-score game, giving the ball to the Vikings at their the Titans 31 after linebacker Elliot Telling ran the ball back 40 yards on the fumble return.

On the Vikings next play, Barber dropped back and Esekielu, on a saftey blitz, jarred the ball loose on the hit. Barber picked up his own fumble then was tackled by Liulama for a 15-yard loss.

Two plays later, Barber hit wide receiver Dalton Daniels for a 31-yard pass to the Beamer 19 with 29 seconds remaining.

On a third-and-10 play from the 20, Eskielu, blitzing from the left edge, hit Barber again. Barber fumbled and Beamer linebacker Ryan Understaller recovered at the 20 with16 seconds left to stop the Vikings.

"The defense is what really helped us win tonight," said Lowery, as fans swarmed the field after Beamer's big win. "We play hard-nosed, tough football. We're not scared to go up against anyone.

"We're good up front, our defensive backs are good and our linebackers are stellar. We don't give up anything down here (red zone), nothing at all."