Cruisers shut out Cardinals, 56-0, in season opener

It had been 673 days since the Eatonville Cruiser football team had played a game at home on B.W. Lyons Field because of the coronavirus pandemic. In that game, the Cruisers suffered a 27-25 loss at the hands of the Franklin Pierce Cardinals.

The Cruisers avenged that loss in a big way in their season opener Friday, a 56-0 shellacking of Franklin Pierce.

Ranked No. 1 in the state by Cascadia Preps, Eatonville wasted no time in putting the Cardinals away.

On their opening drive, the Cruisers marched 70 yards down field, highlighted by a 50-yard quarterback keeper by Kevin Wulff that got the Cruisers to the 5-yard line. The drive was then capped off with a 5-yard Blain Hanly touchdown run.

After a Cardinal punt, Wulff went to the air and found junior wide receiver Job Kralik for a 69-yard scoring strike. Kralik finished the game with three catches for 160 yards and two scores.

Jakob Lucht was on the receiving end of one of Wulff’s touchdown passes, as well. Wulff connected with Lucht on a 61-yard scoring strike during which Lucht wrestled the ball away from the defender and raced his way into the end zone for the score.

Rounding out the scoring on the day for the Cruisers were senior Kaden Olson, who had a couple of touchdown runs of 2 and 4 yards, and sophomore Dylan Norman with a 22-yard score.

By halftime, the Cruiser defense had only allowed the Cardinals 43 yards of offense on their eight possessions, while the Cruiser offense scored on all eight of their possessions to take a 56-0 lead into the locker room.

During the second half, a majority of back-up players took the field for Eatonville, and Franklin Pierce held them scoreless the rest of the game.

Wulff finished the day going 7-of-10 passing for 254 yards and three touchdowns. All of his touchdown passes were longer than 60 yards. Wulff also ran the ball twice for 67 yards and a touchdown.

Job Kralik led the Eatonville receivers with three catches for 160 yards and two scores. Kralik also connected on all eight of his extra point attempts. Jakob Lucht finished with three catches for 104 yards and one touchdown. Lucht also filled in at quarterback for a few plays and completed the only passing attempt he had for 28 yards.

The Cruiser defense held the Cardinals to only 78 yards of offense. Ky Nation made one interception for the defense in the second half.

The Cruisers next game will be another home game at B.W. Lyons Field when they host their longtime rivals, the Orting Cardinals. That game will be at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Side note: Many of the Cruisers Friday games have been moved to Saturday due to a statewide referee shortage.

Cruiser 2021 Season Schedule

Sept. 11 vs. Orting, 1 p.m.

Sept. 18 vs. Cascade Christian @ Sunset Stadium in Sumner, 7 p.m.

Sept. 24 @ La Center, 7 p.m.

Oct. 1 vs. Tenino, 7 p.m. * This game may change to Oct. 2

Oct. 8 @ Montesano, 7 p.m.

Oct. 15 vs. Elma, 7 p.m.

Oct. 23 vs. Castle Rock, 1 p.m.

Oct. 29 @ Hoquiam, 7 p.m.