By Kiara Doyal, The Seattle Medium
The Roosevelt Roughriders knocked the Seattle Prep Panthers out of the race to the 3A State Championships, with a decisive 49-21 victory last night at Memorial Stadium.
The Roughriders wasted no time setting the tone on their opening drive, with Mar Mar King and Nolan McWilliams leading the charge down the field. King capped off the drive with a touchdown, though Malaki Davis was stopped short on the two-point conversion attempt, leaving Roosevelt with an early 6-0 lead.
Seattle Prep looked to answer on their first possession of the game as they quickly moved the ball downfield. However, Roosevelt’s defense quickly made its presence felt. Deon Vann delivered a key sack on quarterback Beau Oaksmith, and a false start penalty pushed the Panthers back further. After the penalty, Roosevelt’s Islwy Suapaia sacked Oaksmith again. Prep attempted a 27-yard field goal but came up empty, giving the ball back to Roosevelt. Despite strong runs from King, Roosevelt’s drive stalled, and the first quarter ended with the Roughriders clinging to their 6-0 lead.
The second quarter was a back-and-forth battle until Seattle Prep’s Alec Greenwood made his presence known with a tackle on Roosevelt’s Dalton Anderson, knocking him out of bounds. After a personal foul on Roosevelt and a sack by Prep’s Sam Davidson, Greenwood intercepted a pass in the end zone, swinging momentum toward the Panthers.
Roosevelt’s defense responded with authority. Ethan Spencer and Chris Ah-Loe combined to bring down Oaksmith on third down, and Kash Lexing broke up a critical fourth-down pass. With Prep’s offense faltering, Roosevelt regained possession and looked to extend their lead.
With 1:57 remaining in the first half, Roosevelt’s defense continued to shine with crucial tackles from King. Forcing the Panthers to punt on fourth down, King quickly returned the ball back down the field to give the Roughriders great field position. With 30 seconds left in the half, Anderson found an open lane for a 13-yard touchdown run. The Roughriders then managed a successful 2-point conversion, from Anderson to McWilliams, bringing the score to 14-0 at the end of the first half.
Prep started the new half with the ball, but Suapaia kept them from gaining much ground. Despite strong defensive efforts from Roosevelt’s Jojo Paaga and King, Seattle Prep’s Ezra Maul managed to score the first Panther points of the night, followed by a successful kick by Keaton Oseran, making the score 7-14 with just under 9 minutes left in the third quarter.
Roosevelt answered swiftly. Davis hauled in a pass near the 6-yard line, setting up King for another touchdown. Jason Page’s extra point extended the Roughriders’ lead to 21-7. Prep’s offensive woes continued with penalties and defensive stops by King, and with just over a minute left in the third quarter, King added another touchdown to make it 27-7.
On the next play, Oaksmith fumbled, and Roosevelt’s Pana Tuputala recovered the ball, running it in for a 25-yard touchdown with 23 seconds left in the quarter, making the score 35-7. Seattle Prep responded quickly as Oaksmith scored a 59-yard touchdown run, narrowing the score to 35-14 at the end of the third quarter after a successful extra point attempt.
The fourth quarter began with Roosevelt continuing their dominance. McWilliams broke free for several long runs, and Lexing scored a wide-open touchdown with no defenders in sight, further stretching Roosevelt’s lead to 42-14. Seattle Prep tried to mount a comeback, but Roosevelt’s defensive line proved impenetrable.
Despite the Roughriders’ commanding lead, the Panthers fought until the end. Late in the game, Roosevelt’s Isaac Macebo fumbled the ball, and Prep’s Natnael Menbere recovered it, returning it for a touchdown. The extra point brought the score to 42-21 with just minutes left to play. However, King had the final say, breaking free for a 47-yard touchdown to secure Roosevelt’s 49-21 victory.
After the game, Seattle Prep Head Coach Aaron Maul reflected on his team’s effort and growth throughout the season.
“I couldn’t be more proud of our kids. I feel like we played the game the right way. Our kids really love each other and stay united until the end,” said Maul. “I am really proud that our kids continue to develop throughout the course of the year, and I feel like there is more football left in us, but unfortunately, that wrapped up tonight.”
Pictorial Highlights of Roosevelt vs. Seattle Prep
