Cruiser football drubs Warriors, falls to Yelm

The Eatonville Cruiser football team held its first “home” game at its home away from home, Art Crate Stadium at Bethel High School this past Saturday. The Cruisers ran away with the win over Clover Park, 49-13.

Before the game, the Cruisers honored their senior players, congratulating them on four years with the program. Those seniors were Mike Myers, Tyson Wood, Nic Bond, Caden Jumper, Zach Barnett, Adam Jensen, Trevor Scantling, Jason Dexter, Ryan Johnson and Jager Roulst.

The Cruisers opened up the scoring when sophomore wide out Job Kralik took a reverse 15 yards for the score. Kralik hauled in two touchdown catches from 41 and 43 yards later in the game.

Junior Jakob Lucht posted a career day for the Cruisers when he caught touchdown passes of 68 and 69 yards to lead the Cruisers in receiving with 141 yards.

In only his second start for the Cruisers, junior quarterback Kevin Wulff also had a career day. Wulff completed nine of his 11 passes for 290 yards and four touchdowns. Wulff also scored from 39 yards out on a designed quarterback-keeper run.

Freshman Payton Hanly finishing off the scoring for the Cruisers with a 6-yard score.

Earlier in the week, the Cruisers traveled to Yelm to take on the 3A Tornadoes in a non-league match up.

The Cruisers struck first when Wulff floated a back shoulder fade to Kralik in the back of the end zone for the 14-yard score.

Yelm answered back with a touchdown and converted the two-point conversion to take an 8-7 lead.

Eatonville’s Kralik added a couple of field goals to give the Cruisers a 13-8 lead at halftime.

Midway through the third quarter, the Tornadoes added another touchdown and two-point conversion to take the lead 16-13.

The Cruisers wrestled back the lead from Yelm early in the fourth quarter when Lucht pulled down a 23-yard touchdown strike from Wulff. The extra point was unsuccessful as it bounced off the goal post, Eatonville led 19-16.

That score held until the 29-second mark left in the game when the Tornadoes ran the ball in from the 10-yard line. Their two-point conversion try was unsuccessful, but they led 22-19 with 22 seconds left.

On the ensuing kickoff, the Cruisers fumbled the ball, and Yelm picked it up and scored. The extra point was successful, and Yelm got the win 29-19.

Notable stats from the Clover Park game:

Kevin Wulff (QB) — 9/11 passing, 290 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT, 2 carries, 38 yards, 1 TD

Jakob Lucht (WR) — 4 catches, 141 yards, 2 TD

Job Kralik (WR) — 2 catches, 84 yards, 2 TD, 1 carry, 15 yards, 1 TD

Payton Hanly (RB) — 2 carries 15 yards, 1 TD

Notable stats from the Yelm game:

Kevin Wulff (QB) — 5/10 passing, 79 yards, 2 TD

Trevor Scantling (RB) — 21 carries, 82 yards

Jakob Lucht (WR) — 2 catches, 49 yards, 1 TD

Job Kralik (WR) — 3 catches, 18 yards, 1 TD