Yelm’s two-headed monster at running back, seniors Brayden Platt and Anthony Kiamco, combined for 331 yards and five touchdowns en route to Yelm’s dominant 56-7 victory against the Capital Cougars on Oct. 7.
Offensive coordinator Bryan Irion was proud of the offensive backfield’s performance and said the ground game starts with the five linemen up front.
“We have an experienced offensive line,” Irion said. “They were able to identify each defense Capital had and were able to physically dominate, which led to huge success for our running backs.”
On the Tornados’ first drive of the game, a high snap allowed the Cougars to jump on a loose football to quickly take over possession. Capital stringed together several plays but faced fourth and goal and ultimately punched it in on a quarterback keeper. The Cougars led 7-0 early in the first quarter.
A strong kickoff return from senior Arlo Henderson Jr. set Yelm up with great field position, starting on the Cougars’ 17-yard line. It took just one carry for the senior Platt to find the end zone, and after a successful two-point conversion, Yelm led Capital 8-7.
Sophomore Jacob Ford, who scored three touchdowns on Sept. 28 against North Thurston, continued his sophomore breakout by collecting two touchdowns against the Cougars, including a fully extended and diving touchdown catch in the first quarter. The Tornados led 14-7 after Ford’s catch.
Following the game, Ford spoke about his highlight catch and said as soon as he burst off the line, he knew the ball was going his way.
“I was determined to not let that ball get past me. My training with coach (Bryan) Hooper has set me up for plays like that,” Ford said. “After the catch, I was ecstatic and ready for more opportunities like that one.”
After forcing a Capital punt, the Tornados strung together an eight-play drive that resulted in a 5-yard rushing touchdown from the senior Kiamco as Yelm led 22-7. Yelm’s next offensive series, the first of the second quarter, was capped by a 30-yard Platt rushing touchdown where the All-American did his best Marshawn Lynch impersonation as he ran over and juked defenders on his way to the end zone. Following a successful two-point conversion, the Tornados led 30-7.
After forcing yet another Capital punt, the Tornados, starting on their 9-yard line, methodically marched down the field as the team put together a seven-play scoring drive. The Aalona twins, Damian and Marius, connected on a 15-yard passing touchdown to extend Yelm’s first half lead to 36-7.
Yelm’s next offensive series began on its own 25-yard line, and the Tornados quickly scored in just five plays. Platt, completing his touchdown hat-trick on the day, collected his third and final touchdown of the contest on another 30-yard rush. Following the lead blocks of senior right guard Kyle Kaaiwela and junior right tackle Chris Hauss, Platt ran untouched to the end zone for Yelm’s final touchdown of the first half, which extended the team’s lead to 42-7.
On the Tornados’ first drive of the third quarter, which began on the team’s own 8-yard line, the senior Kiamco needed just one play to find the end zone. Following impactful blocks from his offensive line and wide receivers, Kiamco took his carry up the Cougars’ sideline for a 92-yard touchdown to extend Yelm’s lead to 49-7.
The final touchdown of the contest came in the fourth quarter when Ford took the handoff for a 44-yard rushing touchdown to give Yelm the 56-7 victory.
“Recently, (Ford’s) been getting reps at running back just to get the ball in his hands more to see what he can do,” Irion said. “He’s made the most of his opportunities, and we are excited to see him continue to grow as an offensive weapon.”
Ford, who has five touchdowns in the last two games, said the extra work and reps he’s been getting after practice in recent weeks contributed to his breakout performances.
“I decided that leading up to the game, I needed to be putting in more work, so I’ve been staying after practice to run more routes with Damian (Aalona),” Ford said. “I’ve continued to watch and study film diligently. On top of that, I’ve been creating a great bond and trust on and off the field with my quarterback and teammates.”
Following the team’s victory over the Capital Cougars, the Tornados have improved their South Sound Conference-winning streak to 24 consecutive games.
Yelm’s next contest is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 13 at South Sound Stadium against South Sound Conference rival Timberline.
“Timberline has a great program that is built on its strong defense and ability to shut down opponents’ run games. They have play-makers all over the field,” Irion said. “It will be a playoff-like atmosphere Friday night at South Sound Stadium.”
