The University of Washington band was playing, a capacity crowd was cheering, fireworks were soaring and the Sumner High football team was dancing in the end zone as they capped Homecoming festivities by handing Eatonville its first loss of the season 25-14 Friday night.

Coming off two straight losses, the Spartans got on the board early behind a 4-yard Lokahi Kamau run and a 43-yard Cody Haavik scamper and kept hitting.

Talis Abolins and quarterback Aaron Clark connected for a 35-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter and Haavik bulled his way into the end zone for the final TD in the fourth quarter. David DeVries knocked the point-after through the uprights for the final.

“We needed to get back on track,” coach Keith Ross said.

The Spartan offense was on cruise control, racking up 374 yards rushing, while the defense was like a freight train barreling down the track, holding the rush-happy Cruisers to 94 yards on the ground, 16 in the second half.

Leading the defense were linebackers Jon Mayer and Haavik with 13 and 11 tackles, respectively. Brennan Mickelson and Tyler Salisbury each picked off a pass. Ben Taua tallied three tackles for loss.

Haavik led SHS runners with 156 yards. His sixth 100-plus rushing performance of the season. Clark scrambled for 73 and Salisbury picked up 72.

With two games remaining, Ross said it’s a good time for the Spartans to make a run. At 3-2, the Spartans are in a logjam for second place in the South Puget Sound League 2A with Clover Park, Franklin Pierce and Washington. The Spartans continue play at Washington at 7 p.m. Friday.