By Karrington KincaidThe Seattle Medium
On a rainy afternoon at Renton Memorial Stadium, the Federal Way Hawks 12U team, in its first year of membership in the Northwest Premier Junior Football League, took on the Renton Rangers on opening day. The music was loud and the crowd was excited, excited to watch their kids play in their first game of the year.
Both teams went into the game full of confidence and expected great things from each side. Each team had their own pre-game ritual to get everyone in the mood for what was to come, which made the event even more exciting.
Derrick Cage, head coach of the Renton Rangers 12U, went into this duel confidently, as he believed that his team was well prepared for the challenges of the coming season.
“I’m happy with this team as far as the season is concerned. Of course we have a lot of regulars and a lot of freshmen stars,” said Cage. “If we can get as much out of our freshmen as I expect, I think we can do something special at the U12 level.”
Cage said roster depth is one of his team’s strengths, but it also presents a challenge early in the season because it’s about getting all the players to the same level and having them play as a unit, regardless of who is on the court.
“We have a lot of rotating players, so I think if someone goes down, we have a lot of people who can step in,” Cage said. “We’re going into it with a lot of energy, but I’m also nervous because it’s the first game. At the same time, we’re trying to get rid of the nerves and get going.”
Dwayne Bell, head coach of the Federal Way Hawks 12U, was also satisfied with his team before the first game of the season.
“I’m encouraged, but we have a young team,” Bell said. “We dominated the 11U, but we’re in a new league, so it’s a new format for us. So 11 and 12 are together, but I’m ready to play with these kids.”
The Hawks’ first offense started efficiently, led by running back Tuigafue Sialega. On a 4th-and-2 play, Sialega got the first down to move the Hawks’ offensive lines. On the next play, Sialega got outside and ran for a 40-yard touchdown, followed by a 2-yard extra point conversion by Tali Talakai, making the game 7-0 to the Hawks.
On defense, the Hawks, led by Papaz Tauanu’u, Tali Talakai and Tuigafue Sialega, performed strongly and stifled the Rangers’ offense. The Hawks’ sideline-to-sideline speed made it almost impossible for the Rangers to win the offensive line from the outside.
The time control was part of the game plan of the Federal Way Hawks, who continued to play down the clock and led 7-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Early in the second quarter, Federal Way continued to control the line of scrimmage, and Sialega scored his second touchdown on a 33-yard run, giving his team a 13-0 lead after a failed extra point attempt.
Renton lost the ball on the ensuing possession as they struggled to get the ball moving against the Hawks’ stingy defense.
However, the Rangers stood firm. Led by Amare Smith, Azia Williams and Jeremiah Wilks, the Rangers showed presence on defense and slowed down the Hawks’ offense. Unfortunately, that good feeling was short-lived as Emmit Jackson ran 23 yards on a reverse, leading to a 3-yard touchdown run by Tali Talakai, making the game 19-0 at halftime.
Federal Way started the third quarter with ups and downs; the defense forced another turnover, only to give the ball back to the Rangers after a fumble by Nick Hunter.
The change didn’t last long, however, as Ryder Martinez and his team prevented the Rangers offense from gaining any more yards and forced another turnover. The Hawks continued to control the game by running down the clock late in the third quarter, maintaining their 19-0 lead until the final quarter.
Just as the Tennessee Titans used Derrick Henry to get the job done, Federal Way had its own version of “Derrick Henry” in Tuigafue Sialega, who they continued to pound down the field throughout the fourth quarter. Sialega scored a 30-yard touchdown run that put the Hawks up 26-0 and put the game virtually out of reach. But the Rangers continued to fight and charged down the field efficiently, only to be stopped at the 20-yard line by the Hawks defense.
After Federal Way took possession, the team ran down the clock until the final whistle sounded, securing a 26-0 victory over the Renton Rangers and its first win in the NWPJFL.
After the game, Federal Way’s Tali Talakai was very confident that his team would move on after defeating a strong Renton Rangers team.
“I have confidence in this team,” Talakai said. “We have a lot of talent on this team and I’m confident that we will win it all at the end of this season.”
