The second week of the WIAA Class 3A state football playoffs featured a win-or-go-home matchup between the No. 6-seeded Rainier Beach Vikings and the No. 11-seeded Mount Tahoma Thunderbirds in the Round of 16. Rainier Beach hosted the Thunderbirds, with both teams fighting to keep their state championship hopes alive.
In a hard-fought battle that saw Rainier Beach regain the lead early in the fourth quarter, Mount Tahoma scored 21 unanswered points to secure a 38-20 victory, advancing to the next round of the state playoffs and bringing the Vikings’ season to an end.
Rainier Beach came out strong offensively after receiving the opening kickoff, with Damari Ae Barrington and quarterback Esquire Williams leading the Vikings downfield with a combination of rushing and passing plays. Williams connected with Mykhai Stanton for an explosive 50-yard completion, a play that marked a significant milestone for the Vikings’ quarterback as he surpassed 3,000 passing yards for the season…