Tuivaiave’s Eight TDs Power No. 3 Graham-Kapowsin Past Panthers in League Debut
- The Insider
- Sep 26, 2025
- 3 min read
Bonney Lake shows offensive firepower early before powerhouse Eagles pull away in second half
Bonney Lake High School opened SPSL 4A league play Thursday night under a crisp September sky, with food trucks lining the entrance and a packed student section shaking the home stands. After last week’s chaotic, cut-short game against Lakes left a sour taste in the community, the Panthers came hungry for a reset. But their first league test was no easy one: the Graham-Kapowsin Eagles, ranked No. 3 in Washington by MaxPreps and a favorite to win the 4A state title, rolled into town unbeaten at 3–0.
What followed was a tale of two halves. Bonney Lake traded scores and matched the Eagles’ energy through an action-packed first half, trailing just 35–21 at the break. But Graham-Kapowsin’s high-powered offense, led by sophomore quarterback AJ Tuivaiave, erupted after halftime to secure a 61–34 win.
First Half — Panthers Land Early Punches
Quarterback Colt Miller opened with confidence, mixing throws to receiver Chris Conte and running back Gavin Davis to move the chains before keeping the ball himself and sprinting around the edge for a five-yard touchdown and a 6–0 lead.
Graham-Kapowsin answered immediately. Tuivaiave launched a 43-yard strike to put the Eagles up 7–6, then capitalized on a quick three-and-out by Bonney Lake to add a second touchdown from the Panthers’ 21-yard line, making it 14–6. Two minutes into the second quarter, Tuivaiave connected again for a 21–6 cushion.
The Panthers weren’t rattled. Miller responded by hitting Trey Rodde on a stunning 73-yard bomb that electrified the stadium. He then ran in the two-point conversion to pull within 21–14. But the Eagles’ sophomore phenom answered back with his fourth TD of the half for a 28–14 lead.
Bonney Lake showed grit late in the second quarter. Facing fourth-and-six at the 40, Miller kept the drive alive, then later scrambled in from the 10 to bring it to 28–21. Still, Tuivaiave needed only one play on the next drive, hitting a 55-yard touchdown to make it 35–21 at halftime. The Panthers had scored often enough to stay in striking distance but couldn’t slow an Eagles offense that scored on all five first-half possessions.
Halftime festivities kicked off with Bonney Lake’s award-winning Pantherettes dance crew showing why they’re one of the state’s teams to beat, drawing huge cheers with a sharp, high-energy routine. Then the night took a memorable turn as the Panther and Graham-Kapowsin cheer squads came together for a joint performance — dancing in unison to the same song and earning loud applause from both sides of the stadium. The rare collaboration was a highlight of the night and a reminder that high school sports can bring communities together even in fierce competition.
Second Half — Eagles’ Star QB Takes Over
The third quarter opened much like the first half ended. Tuivaiave fired his sixth touchdown on the Eagles’ first possession, stretching the lead to 42–21, then added a seventh from midfield to make it 48–21. With 4:30 left in the third, Graham-Kapowsin rested its star quarterback.
Bonney Lake capitalized when defensive back Kawai Leopold intercepted the backup to set up a drive that ended with Miller hitting Alex Slaughter in the corner of the end zone early in the fourth, cutting it to 48–27.
But the Eagles reinserted Tuivaiave for one more series, and he promptly fired an eighth touchdown from 50 yards out for a 55–27 lead. Graham-Kapowsin added a late rushing score to reach 61–27.
Backup QB Aidan Samson led one last drive for the Panthers, connecting with Peyton Lindgren on a 26-yard touchdown with five seconds left to bring the final score to 61–34.
Looking Ahead
Despite the final margin, Bonney Lake’s offense flashed explosiveness behind Miller, who combined smart decision-making with big-play strikes to Rodde and Slaughter. Against one of the state’s top-ranked programs, the Panthers showed they can trade punches with elite competition.
Bonney Lake will look to build on those bright spots when they travel to Olympia on October 3rd.
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