Seniors Temple, DeJiacomo propel Tornados football past Bison in 24-21 overtime win

Two seniors — running back/linebacker Sam DeJiacomo and kicker/defensive back Sterling​​ Temple — shined bright during Yelm High School’s senior night on Friday, Oct. 17, and helped propel the Tornados to a 24-21 overtime victory over Bethel.

Temple called game for the Tornados in overtime with a massive 40-yard field goal — which appeared as if it would’ve been good from 50 yards. Prior to Temple’s walkoff kick, another senior, defensive back Jaxon Daniels, put his Tornados in a great position to win after he intercepted a Bethel pass during the Tornados’ first and only defensive drive in overtime.

The Tornados were the first team to strike last Friday after senior running back DeJiacomo scampered for a 17-yard rushing touchdown. In the first half alone, he rushed for a total of 143 yards and one touchdown on 13 carries. Following the YHS touchdown and a successful PAT try from Temple, Yelm led 7-0.

After a 2-yard rushing touchdown from Bethel in the first quarter and a successful PAT try to tie the game at seven apiece, the Tornados would respond in the second quarter with a 25-yard passing touchdown from senior quarterback Owen Sletten to his senior wide receiver Jacob Ford. After another successful Temple PAT, the Tornados took a 14-7 lead into halftime.

In the third quarter, Bethel was able to tie the South Puget Sound League South Division contest back up at 14-14 after a two yard rushing touchdown.

The fireworks broke out in the fourth quarter when Sletten found his junior wide receiver Quentin Loomis for a 30-yard touchdown, and after another successful try from Temple, the Tornados led 21-14 with roughly one minute remaining.

Bethel quarterback Evan Barnes, leading a game-tying drive, found his 6-foot 5-inch target, Ramzak Fruean, for a 37-yard touchdown pass. Fruean, a three star linebacker once committed to UCLA, used his long frame to bring in the clutch touchdown grab with three seconds remaining in regulation.

Following Yelm’s gutsy efforts in overtime — which included the interception from Daniels and the game-tying bomb from the kicker Temple — the Tornados ultimately defeated the Bison 24-21.

With the win, the Tornados’ playoff hopes stayed alive. The team will compete against 4A SPSL South Division opponent, Olympia at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 24 at Ingersoll Stadium. With a win, the Tornados would clinch a second-place finish in the SPSL South, but with a loss, the Tornados could potentially be eliminated from postseason play — depending on how the rest of the action around the SPSL shakes out.