Royal had a diverse game plan ... until Wiley Allred saw something he really liked against Eatonville: 3 observations

LAKEWOOD - Once again, the No 1 Royal Knights are kings of Class 1A football.

The most dominant small-school program in WIAA history added another chapter to its storied run of success Saturday afternoon, making it an even 10 state titles with a 41-0 victory over second-ranked Eatonville at Harry E. Lang Stadium.

Longtime coach Wiley Allred wasn't concerned about the growing total of state titles, instead focusing on the one his Royal team convincingly captured on this drizzly day.

"The one (1A title) right now is the one that matters," Allred said. "For these kids, it is great to get one more to finish off the season, and play the way we did."

Senior Avery Ellis scored a state-championship record five touchdowns, four coming in the first half as the Knights built a 34-0 lead. He finished with 175 rushing yards as Royal racked up 472 total yards, to the Cruisers’ 48 yards.

The last score of the half was set up after an Eatonville fumble at its own 10-yard line in the final seconds.

On the first play, quarterback Derek Bergeson lofted a pass to Ellis down the right sideline. The tailback grabbed it over two Cruisers’ defenders for the score with seven seconds remaining.

Ellis also scored on two runs (22, 1), and added a 9-yard fumble return off a high snap on an Eatonville punt to give the Knights a 27-0 lead with 3:30 to go in the first half.

The Knights outgained Eatonville, 326-53, in the decisive first half.

Ellis set the new 1A title-game touchdowns mark with his 14-yard scamper on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Royal won the 1A title two years ago with a 26-22 victory over Lynden Christian on this same field under the WIAA’s new three-site championship format.

Here are three observations from the Royal-Eatonville game:

ALTERNATE PLAN CAME EARLY

All week, Allred planned on staying balanced by letting Bergeson throw and attack the Eatonville secondary, and then run right at the defense.

But after Ellis ripped off quick runs of 12 and 15 yards on the team's first drive, the coaching staff had a second thought.

Keep running.

"It changed my whole game plan when I saw Avery hitting 10 and 12 yards (on runs), and the guys blocking like they did," Allred said. "We were going to mix in the run a little bit more."

On 44 of 62 plays. And Royal totaled 303 rushing yards, led by Ellis (175) and Bergeson (121).

"We knew it was going to be a ground-and-pound game," Bergeson said.

ELLIS' ALERT SPECIAL TEAMS PLAY DID IN CRUISERS

As bad as it was going early on, the Cruisers only trailed 20-0 late in the first half.

They lined up to punt with 3:40 remaining, but the snap went over the head of everybody.

Ellis beat everybody to the bouncing football. He scooped it up and dashed 9 yards for a back-breaking touchdowns - and 27-0 Knights' lead with 3:30 remaining.

"I really wanted to block that one," Ellis said. "But I was lucky enough (the snap) went over his head, and he couldn’t get it. So I went and got it."

Eatonville coach Gavin Kralik called it a "big momentum play" for Royal.

BIGGER CRUiSERS COULD NOT RUN FOR ANYTHING

Even though Royal's defense had shut every rushing attack down all season, it had not seen an offensive line quite as imposing as the Cruisers.

And Kralik thought quarterback Kevin Wulff, and running backs Kaden Olsen and Dylan Norman would find running lanes.

It didn't happen. Eatonville finished with 48 yards on 28 attempts.

"They were able to defend the run without a ton of guys actually up in the box," Kralik said. "That was surprising. I wasn't expecting it."

Bergeson said Royal's defensive front was the team's real heroes.

"They keep saying, 'Royal is too small.' But they work their butts off and play with technique," said Bergeson, who also plays linebacker. "It was them that brought (the 1A title) home. They did a heck of a job for us - today and all season."

(Featured photo by Paul Caldwell)