The 2021 edition of the Battle of the Bridge – the annual football skirmish between neighboring Enumclaw and White River high schools – returns Friday night.

A year ago, the traditional gridiron spectacle was scrapped for pandemic reasons.

Now, the tussle returns. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and Enumclaw hosts this time around, meaning the game will be played at the Enumclaw Expo Center.

The hosts enter the contest with a record of 5-1 in South Puget Sound League 2A play (6-2 overall) while the visiting squad from Buckley will arrive sporting a league mark of 3-3 (4-4 overall).

Here’s a look at how the Plateau programs fared a week ago.

WHITE RIVER

PHOTO BY KEVIN HANSON Joined by family and surrounded by members of this year’s White River High football team, Bob Walker was honored last week for his longtime dedication and contributions to the Hornet program. A special presentation took place during halftime of the Oct. 21 contest between White River and Franklin Pierce, the team’s final home game of the season. Walker is retiring from coaching after more than three decades as a Hornet assistant, having worked under seven head coaches at both historic Sheets Field and the current Arrow Lumber Stadium.

Playing on a Thursday night (Oct. 21) the White River crew happily registered its biggest offensive explosion of the season, routing the visiting Franklin Pierce Cardinals 48-6.

A steady rain pelted the turf at Arrow Lumber Stadium but that couldn’t slow the Hornets on Senior Night. The home team racked up 467 yards of total offense, compared to just 155 by the visitors (with 83 of those yards coming on a single pass play).

White River wasted little time, taking a lead early in the first quarter when Payne Plaster ripped off a 58-yard touchdown run.

The Cards quickly answered with a long TD pass play but that was all the Hornet defense would allow. Putting points on the scoreboard has been difficult for Franklin Pierce, which slipped to 0-5 in league play and has been outscored 226-49 during those games.

The White River offense, however, was far from finished. The remainder of the first half saw TDs scored by Riley Scogin, Nate Peckham and Josh Poulin. The points kept coming in the second half courtesy of touchdowns by Jacob Rennaker, Cooper Reeves and another by Plaster.

White River senior Nate Peckham turns the corner for good yardage during Thursday night’s victory over Franklin Pierce.

ENUMCLAW

The host Hornets posted a 21-14 victory over the Orting Cardinals at the Enumclaw Expo Center.

Enumclaw jumped on the scoreboard first, late in the opening quarter, when Dylan Watterson picked of a Cardinal pass attempt and raced 25 yards for a touchdown. Orting tied the contest with a rushing TD but EHS answered with a 15-yard scoring toss from Malcolm Harper to Watterson and took a 14-7 lead into halftime.

The visitors tied the game early in the third quarter, returning a Hornet fumble for a touchdown. Enumclaw soon scored the game-clinching touchdown when Emmit Otero found the end zone from two yards out.

A trio of Noah Seabrands extra-point kicks rounded out the EHS scoring.