The Battle of the Bridge, the annual football showdown between Enumclaw High and White River, takes center stage this week.

The neighboring schools will square off this Friday, Nov. 1, at Arrow Lumber Stadium on White River’s campus. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Enumclaw has continued a trend of excellence built in recent seasons, currently boasting a 6-1 record in 3A North Puget Sound League play (7-1 overall).

This season, the Hornets had their toughest test in Week 1 when they faced the formidable Decatur Gators. The road trip saw EHS emerge on the short end of a 14-7 score.

Since then, the Hornets have been nearly unstoppable, scoring 372 points during a seven-game winning streak, averaging more than 53 points per outing. Defensively, EHS has been something of a brick wall, posting six shutouts along the way.

Last week, EHS stepped outside 3A NPSL play to defeat Life Christian Academy 27-0. The Tacoma school is a Class 1A member of the Nisqually League.

The Pierce County swarm of Hornets are experiencing a resurgence under second-year coach Wyatt Evenson. With a 5-3 overall record heading into Friday’s game, White River is guaranteed of posting its first winning record since 2018.

The squad would like nothing more than to knock off their across-the-river rivals. White River has registered few Bridge victories in recent years.

Most recently, White River fell to undefeated Decatur High. With a 7-0 record in league play (8-0 overall) the Gators have maintained a season-long grip on first place in the 3A North Puget Sound League.

On Thursday, Oct. 24, the Hornets lost 20-6 to the Gators at Federal Way Memorial Field.