A key fake punt conversion on a fourth-and-12 in a one-score game helped spark a second-half run of 21 unanswered points for the Capital football team in a 28-6 win over North Thurston on Friday, Oct. 16.
Capital took an early 7-0 lead on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Nolan Potts to Carter Armstrong in the first quarter, and the Rams responded with Toa Tunai’s 12-yard touchdown run just before halftime.
Midway through the third quarter, leading 7-6, Capital faced fourth down and 12, and Potts, lined up a punter, sprung his way for a first down at midfield. Potts finished the drive by scrambling and connecting on a dart to the back corner of the end zone to Julien Mikealson to put the Cougars ahead 14-6.
Cougars running back EJ Singleton punched in a 25-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, and Potts tossed his third touchdown of the night to a third different receiver, as Kash Valentine caught a fourth-down touchdown to seal a 28-6 win.
Despite the 22-point loss, North Thurston head coach Deon Toliver said he was the most encouraged he’s been in weeks, especially with the first half performance against Capital.
“We played with heart. I actually thought we were a little bit more physical than them,” Toliver said of the first half. “It was a good fight. I was proud of them. I could see the progress.”
Potts threw for 265 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions of 25 of 37 passing. Without top wideout Carter Pennington, several Cougars wideouts stepped up, including Valentine with eight grabs for 109 yards and a touchdown and Armstrong with 88 yards and a touchdown on nine catches.
Rams quarterback Nick Nutu returned and threw for 136 yards and one interception on 14 of 32 passing.
All that’s left is one final week of the regular season. North Thurston (1-6, 0-4 Puget Sound League) will close out the season with a matchup against River Ridge (0-7, 0-4 PSL) on Friday, Oct. 23, while Capital will return to South Sound Stadium to face Timberline (5-2, 2-2 PSL) on Thursday, Oct. 22.
