The fall athletic season has run its regular course and now the time has come for Enumclaw High and White River athletes to turn their attention – and talents – to postseason action.
Here’s a look at where things stand for both Hornet programs, those found in Enumclaw and in Buckley.
BATTLE OF THE BRIDGE
The Plateau rivals concluded the regular football season Nov. 1 with Enumclaw rolling to a 41-13 victory on White River’s home turf.
The tone was set early when the hosts were forced to punt after just three offensive plays. Moments later, Enumclaw used its third play of the game to reach the end zone, courtesy of a 34-yard touchdown run by Louis Chevalier. White River appeared to get a spark when Blake Bargelt intercepted an EHS pass, but Enumclaw responded with an interception of its own and Chevalier scooted to the end zone for his team’s second score.
After another EHS touchdown White River cracked the scoreboard when Trevor King crashed through the middle of the line.
Enumclaw built on its 21-7 lead with three TDs in the third period, two of those coming in the span of 70 seconds (a TD reception by Colton Paulson and a 40-yard scoring run by Seamus Twohey). White River’s final touchdown of the regular season came in the game’s final seconds on a 27-yard strike from quarterback Chaz Strickland to Levi Northam.
MORE FOOTBALL
With the nine-game regular season forever in the record books, the Enumclaw and White River squads head into Class 3A postseason play.
The first step involves a field of 32 teams from all corners of the state, all engaged in a “play-in” round. They will be paired in 16 games of the loser-out variety, with winners advancing to the state playoffs.
The highly-regarded Enumclaw High crew finished the regular season with an 8-1 overall record and a statewide No. 6 ranking according to the RPI system used by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association. That landed the Hornets a home game at 5 p.m. this Friday, Nov. 8, at the Enumclaw Expo Center. Enumclaw will face the Southridge Suns, a Kennewick team from the Mid-Columbia Conference.
Southridge will travel to Enumclaw with a 5-4 record and No. 33 RPI ranking. Despite the less-than-stellar record, Southridge enters on a three-game winning streak while the Suns have outscored opponents 152-13.
The Hornets will be looking to continue their recent postseason success. The past two seasons (while playing at the Class 2A level) EHS has advanced to the state semifinals.
White River steps into postseason play with a record of 5-4 and a No. 28 RPI ranking. The squad opened the season 4-1 before hitting the toughest part of its schedule, which included season-ending losses to Decatur and Enumclaw.
White River’s play-in game is against the Lakes Lancers, a member of the Nisqually Division of the Puget Sound League. The Lancers won the division title with a 5-1 record, went 8-1 overall and ended the regular season with a No. 10 RPI ranking.
The game is set for 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8, at Harry Lang Stadium in Lakewood.
For White River, the playoff appearance continues an upward trend under second-year coach Wyatt Evenson. The team’s regular-season record of 5-4 is the first time above .500 since 2018. A year ago, the team received an at-large berth into the playoffs, where the Hornets fell to the eventual state semifinalists from North Kitsap.
VOLLEYBALL
The successful volleyball teams from both Plateau high schools will begin play Nov. 15 in the District 3/4 tournament. Seven squads in the field of 16 will qualify for the Nov. 22-23 Class 3A state tourney at the Yakima Valley SunDome.
At press time, the district bracket had not been released.
During the regular season the Plateau pair were the cream of the 3A NPSL crop. White River finished league play with a perfect 16-0 record while Enumclaw placed second with a 13-3 mark. White River is the only 3A school in the state with an unblemished record and sits at No. 3 in the RPI rankings. Enumclaw is No. 9 in the WIAA’s ranking system.
GIRLS SOCCER
The teams from both White River and Enumclaw High qualified for the 16-team District 3/4 soccer tournament, both opened on the road, both were involved in first-round shootouts and both were dropped into the loser’s bracket.
First-round games were staged Saturday, Nov. 2. District play wraps up this Saturday and will send seven teams to the Class 3A state championships.
Enumclaw was seeded No. 5 into district play and opened against No. 4 Mountain View, traveling to face the Vancouver-area school. The host team sent EHS home on the losing end of a 3-2 score. Enumclaw was helped early when Mountain View was guilty of an “own goal” and hit the scoreboard again in the 62nd minute when Sutton Kelsey scored off an assist by Sydney VanHoof.
After 80 minutes of play and two overtime periods the contest went into a shootout, where Mountain View secured the win. Converting for EHS were Ruthie Landwehr, Ally Mavin, Madi Holden and Senna Burt.
The loss put Enumclaw into a loser-out contest against Tacoma’s Silas High that was played Tuesday at Harry Lang Stadium in Lakewood. If the Hornets were successful they will play again Thursday in a winner-to-state game.
White River headed into district competition as the No. 6 seed and traveled to Roy Anderson Stadium in Purdy to take on Peninsula High. Play ended with a shootout and saw the host Seahawks emerge as 4-3 winners.
White River played again Tuesday of this week, challenging Kentlake at French Field. It was a loser-out affair, with the victor slated to play again this Thursday in a winner-to-state game.
CROSS COUNTRY
Runners from Enumclaw and White River were among the nearly 800 athletes who flocked to Chambers Bay Regional Park for Saturday’s West Central District cross country championships.
All were striving to be in the elite class of seven teams and 49 individuals whose performances landed them a trip to the upcoming state meet. The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association will stage the state meet at the traditional site – Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco – this Saturday, Nov. 9.
From district competition, the White River girls were the only team to qualify for state. They placed third in a field of 16 teams, trailing only first-place Gig Harbor and Central Kitsap. Leading the way was Paeton Poelman, who finished ninth among the 134 girls in the Class 3A field. Others making the state trip are Victoria Blakley, Vivian Kingston, Nativity Leddy, Paityn Kaydus, Lily Rodarte and Naomi Carthum.
Also on the girls side, Enumclaw High finished ninth in the team standings. Earning a state berth as an individual entry was Lillian Haas, who placed 13th in the 3A race.
In the boys race, White River placed 10th and Enumclaw was 13th.
Representing White River at state will be Michael Marlow, who finished No. 20 at the district race, and Cannon Ross, 33rd.
Heading to the state meet from Enumclaw is Elliott Cheney, who placed 46th at the district race.
BOYS TENNIS
The Enumclaw High doubles team of King Gisa and William Stuenkel survived last week’s bi-district championships and earned a berth in the Class 3A state tournament.
Bi-district play was contested October 30-31 at the Boeing Employees Tennis Club in Kent.
With the fall-and-spring format, the EHS pair will wait until late May to test their skills against the best the state has to offer.
White River does not have anyone advancing to state play.
Photo by Todd Overdorf / sonscapeimages.com EHS’ #71 Fernando Reyes Villasenor harassed White Rivers backfield all night during Friday’s game.
PHOTO BY KEVIN HANSON Enumclaw running back Louis Chevalier (24) looks to fend off White River tacklers led by Ray Palmer (8) during the game’s early stages.
PHOTO BY KEVIN HANSON Friday night brought the much-anticipated 2024 edition of the Battle of the Bridge, the annual football game between Enumclaw and White River high schools. Here, at the conclusion of the contest, Enumclaw players, led by senior Fernando Reyes Villasenor, rush to hoist the traveling trophy that stays with the winner until next season. Enumclaw kept its winning streak intact with a 41-13 triumph.
