Class 2A: Lynden beats Tumwater again to claim state title

PUYALLUP — Cade Slayton expected to be the Lynden High School football team’s tight end this season.

But injuries pushed him into the mix as the Lions’ signalcaller and he’s used when the offense needed a jolt.

Slayton, a big bruiser at 6 foot 2, 215 pounds, provided another element under center despite playing most of the season with a significant shoulder injury.

Slayton, who played quarterback in four games this season, pounded out 88 yards rushing and three touchdowns as No. 2 Lynden beat top-seeded Tumwater 21-7 on Saturday evening in the Class 2A state championship game at Sparks Stadium.

The victory marked the ninth state title for Lynden (12-1) and the first one since back-to-back state crowns in 2012-13. The Lions beat the same Tumwater program for those titles, 41-7 in 2A in 2012 and 38-28 in 2A in 2013.

“The fun part of the story is Slayton can’t throw,” said Lynden coach Blake VanDalen after his first title in five seasons leading the program. “I think he’s going to have to have shoulder surgery. I think if teams knew that, they might play us a little differently. Those are things you kind of keep close to your chest.

“He’s a really great quarterback in his own right. It was kind of ‘Let’s just get out of you what we can.’”

Lynden went in front 9-7 when Slayton sneaked into the end zone for a 1-yard TD run with 10:55 to go in the first half. Slayton came in for starter Kaedan Hermanutz and directed the 22-yard scoring drive, which was set up by a 24-yard interception return from Collin Anker.

The Lions’ lead grew to 15-7 on a 2-yard TD keeper from Slayton with 1:45 left before halftime. Slayton made it 21-7 with a 1-yard TD keeper with 6:14 left in the third quarter, capping a 14-play, 62-yard drive that consumed 5 minutes, 38 seconds.

“Once again with that trust factor and buying into the program, when (coach) asks you to do something, you’ve just got to do it to the best of your capability,” said Slayton, who led the go-ahead drive in a 15-10 state semifinal win over North Kitsap last week. “I don’t know exactly what’s wrong, but I just played through it. We have a lot of guys hurt. Guys just played through it.”

The Thunderbirds (10-3) couldn’t get on track offensively, gaining just 141 yards of total offense. The T-birds could manage only three yards in the third quarter and 64 yards total in the second half.

Junior Collin Anker had two interceptions for Lynden, which picked off Tumwater quarterback Alex Overbay three times.