TUMWATER — Sunday rolls around and a notification dings on phones across the Tumwater High School football team.
Open up X and a photo loads. It’s a detailed schedule from Monday-to-Sunday, morning to night. Most days have three things listed, but on gamedays, there’s a litany of items that the Thunderbirds follow to a tee.
It is dubbed as the “Plan for the Week.”
In red text, there’s a warning: “Do NOT take a nap.”
Really, no naps?
“We’re gonna wake them up at their normal time, get them in here so they sweat,” Tumwater head coach William Garrow said. “The coaches would tell you that it is because I’m crazy.”
Crazy works.
Since Garrow took over as head coach three years ago, he’s guided the Thunderbirds into the Class 2A state championship every single season, but has yet to come away with the elusive title. That could all change on Saturday afternoon at Husky Stadium.
No. 1 Archbishop Murphy versus No. 2 Tumwater. Kickoff is slated for 3 p.m. on the campus of the University of Washington. It is a rematch from the 2024 semifinals where the T-Birds decimated the Wildcats 42-0.
“It is super exciting, been a lot of fun,” senior quarterback Jaxon Budd said. “One major key is we trust each other and we’re prepared.”
Garrow creates the weekly plan and harps staying in a routine. Players wake up roughly around 6 a.m., watch film on Monday and Wednesday mornings while Tuesday and Thursday are weight workouts.
Pay attention in all classes, practice at 2:30 p.m. then more film afterward. Oh, and after all of that, any homework is next on the docket. Go to bed and get ready to do it all over again.
Wash, rinse, repeat from the spring until December.
“I thought it was super special,” Budd admitted. “Made it feel really big. Doing this for this long, you kind of live on that schedule. It gets a lot easier.”
Blake Heryford had a unique way of being introduced to the schedule. He was on the ‘C’ team his freshman season, but some varsity linebackers missed time due to injuries which forced the coaches’ hands.
Now, Heryford is grateful for what the schedule allowed him to learn.
“There is a purpose to everything we do,” he said. “It went from zero to 1,000. As soon as I slowed everything down, I started to feel comfortable.”
Going to different clinics and getting advice from the last two T-Bird coaches Bill Beattie and the legendary Sid Otton allowed Garrow to mold the schedule his way.
More so than the players, Garrow appreciates how much the parents and community understands that in order for success to be achieved, this is the best path.
“There is no ambiguity,” Garrow said. “You either show up and do all of these things if you want to reach your goals that you say you do, or you won’t. There is no other way around it, not if you want to play at a high level.
“It is either you meet it or you don’t play.”
Archbishop Murphy is attempting to stop the T-Birds from reaching the promised land. A pair of Wing-T programs, the Wildcats and Tumwater have been on a collision course all year. They’ve both beaten plenty of opponents by 30-plus and seemingly been 1-2 in a lot of rankings.
Three Division I recruits for Archbishop Murphy anchor its offense. Jack Sievers is off to Wisconsin, Henry Gabalis is an Arizona recruit and Hakeim Smalls will head to Boise State. Garrow has repeatedly called them one of the best 2A teams this season.
“Still got to play,” he said. “We think we’re in for a dogfight.”
Budd and Heryford each gave credit to the scout team over the last few weeks in getting them prepared for what to expect. It is the trickle down effect of players buying into the schedule and coaches buying into developing a game plan.
“They are so good at doing what they do,” Heryford said. “If it weren’t for the looks we get, we wouldn’t be here.”
Very rarely can Tumwater play the role of underdog. This will be the first time in the last three years where it will be on the visitors’ sideline and visitors’ locker room.
And for the seniors, they get one more shot at a proper ending.
“If we make a bad play, we can’t hang our heads,” Budd said. “It is going to be a physical fight. It is going to come down to who wants it more.”
Class 2A State Championship: No. 1 A. Murphy (12-0) vs. No. 2 Tumwater (12-1)
When: Saturday, Dec. 6
Where: Husky Stadium, Seattle
Time: 3 p.m.
Road to Husky Stadium: Tumwater ran through the Evergreen Conference unbeaten and beat Sultan in the Round of 32. It thumped Washougal in the Round of 16, squeaked by Franklin Pierce in the quarterfinals and shut out East Valley (Yakima) in the semifinals. Archbishop Murphy won the always difficult NWC league, then destroyed Pullman in the Round of 32. It blew by Olympic in the Round of 16, cruised past Sehome in the quarters and destroyed two-time state champ Anacortes in the semis.
State Championship history: Since Tumwater has been in 2A, it has won two state titles in 2010 and 2019. The T-Birds won three times in 3A and once in 4A, all under Sid Otton. This appearance marks three straight for the program. The Wildcats’ last 2A championship was in 2016 and it also won a pair of 1A titles in the early-2000s.
Follow on X: @drksportsnews
AM players to watch: Jake Sievers, sr., TE/DL; Henry Gabalis, sr., RB/WR/DB; Evan Ruiz, sr., QB/DB; Isaiah Smith, jr., RB/DB
Tumwater players to watch: Peyton Davis, sr., RB/DB; Grady Wall, jr., RB/DB; Jaxson Budd, sr., QB/DB; Landon Anchors, jr., OL/DL
On the sidelines: These two programs meet in the state tournament for the second consecutive season, one step further than last fall. The T-Birds blanked the Wildcats 42-0 to advance to Husky Stadium a season ago. Tumwater has reeled off 12 straight victories since a Week 1 loss to 4A Puyallup. Tailback Peyton Davis reached 1,000 yards this season in the semifinal win over East Valley Yakima and the secondary had several PBUs. Archbishop Murphy boasts three Division I recruits, one offensive lineman and two skill position players. Senior Jack Sievers, bound for Wisconsin, is close to 30 tackles for loss and 15 sacks on the season. The Wildcats have averaged over 50 points per game this postseason.
