Yelm, Washington witnessed an exciting start to the 2024 high school football season on Thursday night, as the defending WIAA Class 3A champions, the Yelm Tornados, kicked off their campaign with a 42-34 victory against the Mount Tahoma Thunderbirds. The game showcased a tight competition and was streamed live for fans across the region.
The two schools met in the Class 3A quarterfinals last fall, and the rematch did not disappoint. The game began sharply at 7 p.m. Pacific time and quickly turned into a back-and-forth battle. Yelm’s quarterback, Myers, showed off his skills, completing 9 of 11 passes for 88 yards and contributing two rushing touchdowns along with 119 rushing yards. Running back Nathan Ford also had a standout performance, rushing for 162 yards and a touchdown.
The Thunderbirds’ quarterback Cordero put up notable numbers, going 11 of 22 for 285 yards and throwing for three touchdowns. His top targets included Durr, who caught four passes for a whopping 154 yards and two scores. Mount Tahoma made a late push in the second half, with key plays including an impressive 7-yard run by Bailey after a controversial penalty led to an untimed down.
With the temperature soaring, reaching a heat index over 100 degrees, teams were required to take water breaks during the first quarter. This situation likely will continue to be a factor as teams face similar conditions through the opening weekend.
As the game unfolded, Yelm seized momentum, scoring three touchdowns in a span of less than seven minutes, which shifted the score decisively in their favor. Among these pivotal touchdowns was a 44-yard catch and run from Myers to Jacob Ford that highlighted the Tornados’ offensive firepower.
Looking ahead, Yelm hopes to build on this strong performance as they aim to defend their championship title while Mount Tahoma seeks to regroup and bounce back from this close loss.
