After being beaten mentally and physically by the Liberty Patriots two weeks ago on its own homecoming, Juanita’s first-year head coach Shaun Tarantola sent his team back to basics.
One week later, the focus on fundamentals paid off in big ways when the Rebels traveled to Interlake High School to take on the surprising Saints.
Juanita scored on its first four drives of the game and shut down the powerful Interlake offense until it was too late for the Saints, as the Rebels won a rout 49-18.
Juanita limited the Saints, which had been averaging 32 points per game, to only 106 total yards in the first half, building a 35-6 halftime lead that was too much for Interlake to overcome.
“After the Liberty game, we really got after the fundamentals and the basics and it showed tonight,” Tarantola said after the game. “It came down to the way we prepared. Our kids were really hungry to play better and they performed.”
The Saints defense couldn’t contain the powerful Rebels (4-2, 2-1 KingCo 3A) running game, as Juanita ended the game with 10 different players with positive rushing yards. Sophomore Jerimiah Laufasa led all rushers with 143 yards on 21 attempts, and the burly 5-11, 190-pounder scored twice on 1-yard runs in the first-half. Fellow sophomore Robert Golden provided the speed to Laufasa’s grit, going for 125 yards on only 11 carries.
“The thing about their offense is that if they get guys in space, and you miss tackles, they’re going to make you look stupid,” said Interlake coach Sheldon Cross. “And they did. Their running game is phenomenal.”
After Cole Graves, Jack Bayley and Laufasa gave Juanita a 21-0 lead in the first quarter, the Saints (4-2, 2-2) finally got on the board when sophomore quarterback Matt Malos scrambled five-yards for a touchdown. The scoring play was set up by a 58-yard pass from Malos to junior receiver Dylan Amell, who finished with 162 yards receiving.
Juanita bounced right back, however, as Laufasa finished off a 11-play drive with his second touchdown of the night, a one-yard rush that put the Rebels back up by 21.
The Rebels finished off the first-half scoring when Graves threw a 44-yard halfback pass to Kyle Bowdwn with 1:45 left in the second quarter, putting the Rebels up 35-6 at the half.
“We have to be able to come in to the game focused and ready,” Cross said. “In the KingCo Conference you have to come ready to play. If you don’t bring your ‘A’ game, you’re going to get embarrassed.”
Malos got the Saints on the board again early in the third quarter when he hit Amell for a 50-yard score on a fourth-and-nine situation for the Saints. After Juanita scored twice more, Malos and Amell connected again for the game’s final points on a nine-yard touchdown pass. Amell finished with 162 yards and two touchdowns on six catches while Malos ended the game going 12-for-23 for 248 yards and two scores. He was intercepted twice.
“You could see our offense was still there, there were flashes,” Cross said. “But they also kept our offense off the field and that’s the best defense against us. Plus we couldn’t stop them. We couldn’t even slow them down.”
Things don’t get any easier for either team. Juanita heads off to play undefeated conference-leading Bellevue High, while the Saints face a team with another powerful running offense in Liberty High School, who blew out Hazen High of Renton 65-0 Friday night.
“Hopefully this loss was a wake-up call,” Cross said. “I expect to see a better effort. I expect to see a better team than we saw tonight.”
Other games
Bellevue 38, Sammamish 0
Freddie Levine scored twice in the first quarter as the Wolverines rolled over Sammamish 38-0 at Bellevue High.
Will Fields, Joe Joe Connor and Joey Mangialardi all scored rushing touchdowns for Bellevue (6-0, 3-0) in the win. Houston Hubert added a 33-yard field goal for the Wolverines.
Sammamish fell to 0-6 overall with the loss.
Newport 42, Garfield 14
Ian Case rushed for 127 yards and three touchdowns, and Jonte Giacomino had 110 yards and a touchdown on seven carries as Newport rolled over Garfield.
Sunny Kim and Tyler Wright also had rushing scores for Newport (4-2, 2-1 KingCo 4A). Darian Pelzer and Carson Dunn scored touchdowns for Garfield (0-6, 0-3).
Joel Willits can be reached at 425-453-5045 or at jwillits@bellevuereporter.com.
