The Pirates homecoming game on Friday evening against the Thomas Jefferson Raiders at Highline Stadium was a cause for a celebration. The night ended with a 52-0 win for Highline, securing their 4th consecutive game of 50+ points.
In the first 14 minutes of the game, the running back trio of Nat Clay, Rico Soza, and Jamaine Matthews, who was named as a Cascadia Top Performer Week 5, ran for over 170 yards and scored three touchdowns. At 2:10 in the 4th Quarter, Josiah Maginniss split the uprights for a 39-yard field goal.
Once again, Center Jordan Heng, Guards Jacob Brown and Gabriel Luna-Tautua, Tackles Alijah Garza and Nathan Khanphonephanh took control of the line of scrimmage and opened up holes for the fleet of speed to slash through.
Quarterback Ronan Rasmussen, also a Cascadia Top Performer for Week 5, began to pick up his groove as the running game forced the Raiders to hug the line to stop the run. Rasmussen and Wide Receiver Marquawn McCraney (another Pirate named to Cascadia Top Performer Status for Week 5) connected for two 2nd quarter touchdown pass of 21 and 56 yards. On defense, McCraney added a 36-yard interception return for a touchdown to garner 3 scores for the night.
By halftime, the score was 42-0. The pirates had dominated the game, preventing the Raiders from gaining momentum; the game was over, and the only thing left to see was if the Pirates would continue the 50-point roll and the shutout wall, which they did.
“I’m proud of the boys. Seeing them have fun while still executing at a high level is encouraging. Nat Clay, Yannis Togi, and Marquawn McCraney do a really good job leading our guys…really pleased with this win and the way the boys played,” enthused head Coach Deontae Cooper.
Quarterback Rasmussen reflected, “We had a slow start, but we picked things up after our first couple of drives — just little mental hiccups. The defense played amazing, as always, with another shutout. The offensive line did their thing and opened up the passing game. The running backs played great — I’m looking forward to the future.”
An area of improvement for the Pirates is with penalties, down to 5 for a total of 65 yards. Better, however, one penalty took a touchdown off the field — a fabulous 60-yard punt return by Adam Estrada.
With five wins and one loss this season and 3-0 in league play, the Pirates have shown that they are a team that works hard and overcomes adversity; they believe in themselves, each other, their coaches, and their destiny.
The next game is Senior night, Friday, October 14, against Lindberg and Highline Stadium. We invite you to support one of the most positive expressions of what Burien is as it fulfills its destiny of the Gem of the Sound — the Highline Pirate Football Team.
So Pirate fans, join the team chant and, “Let you yes be yes, your no be no. Now go home and tell someone you love them.”
At the time of publishing, the statistics were not available.
Pictures by Marco Orozco, edited by Natasha Tanev.
