Curtis Clobbers Kamiakin

The Curtis Vikings wrote history in Gridiron Classic I.

With Matt Salzman passing for three touchdowns and Jake Sampson scoring two, the Vikings became the first school to win the state high school Class AAA three times, all under coach Bob Lucey.

By beating Kamiakin 49-7 Saturday night, Curtis recorded the most lop-sided victory in a AAA final game in the 23-year history of the Washington playoffs. It also was the most points scored by a winning AAA team.

“I was surprised at the score, but I knew we were explosive,” Lucey said. “Once we got going, we exploded. It snowballed.”

Curtis, which also won the state championship in 1989 and 1990, broke open the game with a four-touchdown explosion in the third quarter after leading 21-7 at halftime. The Vikings were quicker, more experienced and stronger than Kamiakin.

In 1989, Curtis beat Kentwood 25-0. In 1990, the Vikings defeated Newport 30-14. Lucey refused to compare his state title clubs.

“All are great teams,” he said.

The bearded Salzman, who passed 60 yards to Sampson for a touchdown in the opening quarter, had scoring passes of 20 yards to Jeff Cowart and 13 yards to Ryan Wakefield in the third quarter.

“They tried to take away our run and that opened up our passing,” Salzman said.

A crowd of 18,756 turned out to see five state championship games in the Tacoma Dome, their new home for at least five years. Tacoma outbid Seattle after an 18-year run in the Kingdome, when the games were known as the Kingbowl.

The turnout was 4,736 less than last year’s final Kingbowl crowd.

Curtis 49, Kamiakin 7

Kamiakin 7 0 0 0 - 7

Curtis 14 7 28 0 - 49

Cur-David Baker 12 run (Nick Lentz kick)

Cur-Jake Sampson 60 pass from Matt Salzman (Lentz kick)

Kam-Jeremy Grillo 19 pass from Scott Mitchell (Maki kick)

Cur-Sam Gage 21 run (Lentz kick)

Cur-Jeff Cowart 20 pass from Salzman (Lentz kick)

Cur-Ryan Wakefield 13 pass from Salzman (Lentz kick)

Cur-Elijah Baker 80 run (Lentz kick)

Cur-Sampson 44 run (Lentz kick)

A-18,756 (five games).

Kam Cur First downs 11 11 Rushes-yards 40-148 28-273 Passing 82 118 Return Yards 187 71 Comp-Att-Int 10-23-2 5-7-0 Punts 5-37 4-37 Fumbles-Lost 2-1 3-1 Penalties-Yards 1-15 2-15 Time of Possession 31:40 16:20

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING - Kamiakin, Nick Freese 18-107, Jaquail Upton 7-36, Mike Thompson 6-22, Steven Thompson 1-4, Damon Lusk 2-4, Jason Boyce 2-2, Mitchell 4-(minus 27). Curtis, Elijah Baker 6-153, Sam Gage 12-63, Jake Sampson 2-45, Charlie Englemann 2-19, David Baker 2-9, Mychael Trawick 1-(minus 1), Salzman 3-(minus 15).

PASSING - Kamiakin, Mitchell 10-17-0-82, Lusk 0-6-2-0. Curtis, Salzman 5-7-0-118.

RECEIVING - Kamiakin, Jay Robinson 4-53, Grillo 1-19, Craig Hayes 2-14, M. Thompson 2-3, Freese 1-(minus 7). Curtis, Sampson 2-64, Terry Tharps 1-21, Cowart 1-20, R. Wakefield 1-13.