Gonzaga Prep football advances to state quarterfinals with win over Todd Beamer

Gonzaga Prep began its drive for a State 4A football title Saturday afternoon with a 23-0 shutout of visiting Todd Beamer High.

The adjective easy might not fit, but dominating could. Especially when describing the Prep defense.

Beamer, making its first state football playoff appearance, never crossed midfield in the first half. It never penetrated deeper than the Prep 31 after intermission and that possession ended with an interception. Overall, the Titans rushed the ball 33 times and gained just 51 yards, less than 2 yards per carry.

“They are big and physical up front and they have some big running backs,” Gonzaga coach Dave McKenna said. “We knew they were going to try running at us and our kids rose to the challenge and answered the call.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the defense.”

Meanwhile, the Bullpups (10-1) scored all of their points in the first half, though they actually put up all they needed on the game’s opening drive, culminated by Nick Wood’s 46-yard run around left end.

Jack Bamis, the Pups leading rusher – for the year and for the game – showed he is more than an irresistible force with the ball.

He also can be one without it, flattening 5-foot-11, 242-pound linebacker Chris Fa’amalele with a touchdown-springing block.

The 7-0 lead stood until midway through the second quarter when the 6-2, 210-pound Bamis, who had 154 yards on 22 carries, took a simple handoff over right tackle, shed Isaiah Lard at the 30 and ran through Christian Stafford’s arm tackle at the 5 for a 35-yard scoring run.

The 14-point edge was more than enough, but the Pups tacked on a safety when the snap went through the hands of the Beamer punter and eventually out the back of the end zone.

The ensuing possession ended with a 15-yard hookup between quarterback Liam Bell and Wood, who worked back toward the ball at the 5 and scampered in 23 seconds before intermission.

The Pups’ offense would stumble some in the second half, but it didn’t matter. The defense was up to the task.

Beamer, from Federal Way, had just 20 yards of total offense before halftime and finished with 100 yards.

The Titans even tried on odd formation to open the second half, with two receivers to the wide side of the field, an eligible center alone in the middle and seven players against the sideline on the short side. It worked for one first down before Prep adjusted and held on downs.

Beamer (7-4), which punted four times, also had an interception and lost two fumbles, both collected by junior linebacker Conor McKenna, the coach’s son.

“I should have had one down in the end zone,” the younger McKenna said, referring to the safety. “It slipped out of my hands.

“We’re taught to run to the ball, all 11 hats to the ball. We drill for fumble recoveries, we practice for it, we’re prepared and it helps.”

The player doing the most damage up front was junior Evan Weaver, who wears former Prep star Travis Long’s number (89) and played like him against the Titans.

“Evan flies around and makes tackles. He just plays hard and has fun,” Conor McKenna said. “Our entire defensive line did a great job getting some push.”

The Pups move into the playoff’s second round, trying to win another State 4A title to go with the two the school earned in the 1980s.

But in the way is defending champion Chiawana, the Pasco school that derailed G-Prep’s bid last season. The Riverhawks were a 47-7 winner over Davis on Saturday.

“We want some revenge,” Conor McKenna said.