It wasn’t a thing of beauty, but the Todd Beamer High School football team will definitely take it.
The Titans snapped a 20-game losing streak last Friday night at Federal Way Memorial Stadium, knocking off Auburn Riverside 13-7 in a nonleague game. The losing streak was the longest in the South Puget Sound League.
“This feels pretty good,” said Beamer quarterback Ben Draeger, who also nailed a pair of field goals in the win. “It’s kind of indescribable. We have worked really hard for this, and it’s nice to get rewarded with a win. We always prepare to win, but this year there is more of an expectation to win.”
Beamer’s last victory came during the second game of the 2007 season, when it beat Decatur, 31-21. Since then, the Titans finished 2007 on an eight game losing streak, went winless (0-10) last season and opened this season with defeats to Spanaway Lake and Graham-Kapowsin.
“It feels good,” said first-year Beamer head coach David Sundheim, who was drying off after having the Titans’ water bucket dumped over his head following the final gun Friday night. “It’s my first win and the team’s first win in 20 games. It’s nice to get the monkey off our back.”
It was the second straight loss for Auburn Riverside (1-1 in SPSL North play, 1-2 overall), which opened the season with a 30-29 overtime victory over Kent-Meridian.
Despite the loss, there were some bright spots for Auburn Riverside, which held Beamer to 232 yards of total offense. In addition, the 13 points the Ravens ‘D’ allowed was a season low. As good as the Ravens’ defense performed, the team’s normally potent offense, a group that had scored 54 points in its first two games combined, was nowhere to be found. The Ravens managed just five first downs in the loss, 82 yards of rushing and 38 of passing.
Beamer tallied the game’s first touchdown on its second possession, going 34 yards on six plays capped off on a 1-yard scoring plunge from Marley Liulama. Liulama was held to 15 yards on six carries in the game.
Auburn Riverside responded on the following possession, when running back Connor Bjornstad broke free for a 32-yard touchdown run, tying things at 7-7.
The Ravens managed little from that point on. Their following seven possessions resulted in two interceptions, four three-and-outs and one nine-play drive that managed to take minutes off the clock, but put nothing on the scoreboard.
This night, however, was more about the Beamer defense than it was the lack of AR offense.
Bjornstad led the Auburn Riverside offense with 52 yards on 13 carries and the one touchdown. The junior also led the Raven defense with 7.5 tackles. Tyler Standish chipped in six tackles and Kell Garrison finished with five tackles and an interception.
Auburn Riverside will try and snap its two-game losing streak at 7 p.m. Saturday, when it plays Kentwood (1-1 in league, 2-1 overall) in an SPSL North showdown.
