Mount Rainier celebrated its homecoming by posting a 23-7 victory over nearby South Puget Sound League North Division rival Thomas Jefferson.

"The guys came together and realized they can do it (win)," said Mount Rainier Rams head coach Tremain Mack after this team's first win of the year. "And we'll only lose a few guys, so they're young."

So Mack forsees a better future for his Rams, who host Emerald Ridge of the SPSL South at 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26. They finish with a "crossover" game against an SPSL South team with an equal finish Thursday, Nov. 1.
"We'll see what we can do," said Mack. "They're good kids and can play with anyone."

What the Rams did against the TJ Raiders was open the scoring with 37 seconds left in the first quarter.

Amani Brown ran the ball up the middle to score from the 3-yard line, capping off an eight play drive from the Mount Rainier 30.

Rain and a strong wind struck shortly after that but it did not stop the Rams from scoring a field goal with 5:15 to go in the second quarter.

Alberto Cervantes booted his 26-yard attempt through the uprights going into the teeth of the wind hitting the west side of the stadium.

The score remained seemingly stuck at 9-0 for the rest of the second quarter and all of the third quarter as the teams marched back and forth before Mount Rainier gave itself a cushion three seconds into the fourth quarter.
Brown struck on a 1-yard run and Cervantes kicked a line drive just over the crossbar for one more point and a 16-0 Rams lead.

The Mount Rainier side could not really feel safe against Thomas Jefferson until 1:22 remained in the game.

Brown sliced through the middle for an 8-yard touchdown run and Cervantes made the PAT for a 23-0 advantage.

The Raiders did not score until only seven seconds remained on the game clock.

Quarterback Niko Dela Cruz found McKay Owsley open on the left side for a 32-yard score, although Mack and the Mount Rainier side had some doubts that it really was a score.

Owsley fumbled the ball away just as he came to the goal line. It went through the end zone and out the back side, but it was ruled that Owsley lost it after he broke the plane of the goal line and the touchdown stood.

"That last TD, it will take me awhile to get over that one," Mack said. "Aside from that last TD, we played good defense."

Owsley kicked his own extra point after that to make it 23-7, then the ball went to Mount Rainier on the ensuing kickoff. Rams quarterback Logan Wagner took a knee on one play to end the game.

That concluded an all-homecoming football double-header at Highline Memorial that started at 5 p.m. and ended about 11:15 p.m.