Tacoma Baptist Aims For First Title

Coach/fund-raiser Mark Smith heard the same story from every private school he contacted.

Don’t expect anything better than a .500 record during the first five years of a new football program, Smith was told.

“I agreed,” said Smith, Tacoma Baptist’s coach since the inception of football there five years ago. “I didn’t think we would be a winning program overnight. From that perspective, what we’ve done has been amazing.”

The second-ranked Crusaders (12-0) meet fourth-ranked Davenport (11-1) at noon Saturday in the Tacoma Dome for the WIAA/U.S. Bank Gridiron Classic State B-11 title.

No Tac-Bap team has won a state title. The Crusaders lost to Almira/Coulee-Hartline at the 1991 State B basketball title game.

Shortly after that basketball loss, Smith, a teacher at Washington High in Tacoma, approached Tac-Bap officials about starting a football program. Smith’s son was considering a transfer to Washington so he could play football.

Given the go-ahead, Smith led an effort to raise $21,000 for the start-up. The first Crusaders team finished 3-6, much as predicted.

Then the story changed. The Crusaders finished 6-4 their next two years and made district playoffs. Last season, Tac-Bap (9-3) lost to Toutle Lake in the semifinals.

This year the Crusaders have beaten every team except Morton (a 36-35 win) by at least two touchdowns.

“What’s helping us now is we have kids who have been playing here four years,” Smith said.

Included in that list are seniors Ceith Cullens, a 6-foot, 180-pound lineman, and center/ linebacker Erik Wells (6-1, 215).

Seniors also lead the offense. Quarterback Shon Peil (6-2, 200) has passed for 2,100 yards and 17 TDs. Running back Jeremy English (5-10, 200) has gained 1,500 yards and scored 26 TDs, while receiver Wes Johns (5-9, 160) had 36 receptions and seven TDs.

, DataTimes