T-Birds celebrating ’89 title team tonight
HIGH SCHOOLS: Legendary Tumwater state champions to be honored by school
GAIL WOOD; The Olympian | • Published October 09, 2009
http://www.theolympian.com/highschoolsports/story/997818.html
Of Sid Otton's four state championship football teams, the 1989 Tumwater team that outscored opponents 566-92 and finished 13-0 was his best. It’s considered one of the best South Sound teams ever.
A Tumwater team that beat Cheney 27-7 in the 2A state championship game and was led by an all-state trio of Scott Gurnsey, Brad Otton and Lance Martin will be the guests of honor at tonight’s home game against Hoquiam.
“It was a unique team,” Sid Otton said. “No. 1, they were tremendous competitors. No. 2, they kept it on a consistent level. It didn’t matter who they were playing. They always had that business-like attitude.”
Gurnsey, the speedy wingback in Tumwater’s Wing-T offense, gave the T-Birds the game-breaking playmaker. Brad Otton, who threw 29 touchdowns with just three interceptions and went on to play quarterback for USC, gave them the long-ball threat. Martin, a hard-hitting linebacker who led his team in tackles, gave them a stopper, and a leader on defense.
Karl Pfaff, Bryan Lowe and Kevin Clark gave them the power running game. And Tony Doughty gave them the sure-handed receiver.
“I’d think Scott Gurnsey was our star, but there were so many kids who contributed,” said Pat Alexander, Tumwater’s defensive coordinator. “My favorite one was Lance Martin, who was our all-state linebacker.”
Tumwater’s defense dominated, shutting out four opponents and allowing only one team to score more than one touchdown during the regular season.
Tumwater outscored opponents 457-57 in 10 regular season games, with 21 points of that coming in a 45-21 win against White River. In wins against Olympia and Capital, the Thunderbirds outscored them, 97-15.
“They were a special group of kids,” Alexander said. “At the time, we didn’t think they were exceptionally athletic. But they were very focused. What stood out about that ’89 team was they were focused every game.”
In a 61-0 win against Aberdeen, Tumwater wanted to shut down Mark Bruener, Aberdeen’s all-state tight end who went on to play for the University of Washington and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“We knew they had an audible to Bruener if we stunted,” Alexander said. “So we had Lance fake the stunt and Chad Stussy stepped in front of Bruener and ran it back for a touchdown.”
Bruener finished with one catch for 4 yards.
In the playoffs, Tumwater beat Renton 41-15 and O’Dea 41-13 to reach the finals. Against Cheney in the finals, Tumwater led 27-0.
Seven players from that team went on to play college football.
“At every position, there was a very good player,” said Doughty, who had 46 catches for 627 yards and 11 touchdowns that season. “We didn’t have any weak spots.”
About 30 players off that 1989 team are expected at tonight’s game. They’ll be introduced before the game and then run through a tunnel formed by this year’s team onto the field. Gurnsey, who does the radio color commentary for the Montana Grizzlies, will drive back to Montana after the game to catch the Grizzlies game on Saturday.
That 1989 team won on the field and was friends off of it.
“That was the pinnacle to my athletic career,” said Doughty, who was an all-conference receiver at Whitworth College. “That was the most fun time. That was the best group I’ve been around.”
Tumwater won state titles in 1987, ’89, ’90 and ’93. |