Eagles Dominate Stags in Deer Park Homecoming Game

Deer Park and Lakeside met on the football field for the first time since 2023 on Sept. 25 at Deer Park High School. The Eagles had a pair of promising early drives snuffed out by the Deer Park defense as Tristen Flugel recovered a fumble and Jayden Wilson recorded an interception on the first two Lakeside possessions; the second after 11 plays and over five minutes of possession. The Stags would take a 3-0 lead into the locker room at halftime. Ben Jordan connected on a 26-yard field goal at the conclusion of a 58-yard scoring drive that started with a 38-yard run by Carter Criss. The visitors from Nine Mile Falls would get on the board on their open- ing possession of the second half, driving 60 yards in five plays.

Quarterback Tanner Cummings would cover the final 35 for the score. The drive was kept alive by a 27-yard connection from Cummings to Nick Hernandez. On the Eagles’ next possession, Cummings would find Keston Perry for a 12-yard scoring pass, then Colton Weinberger for a two-point conversion pass play. The Stags would reduce the score to a one possession margin on their next possession, driving 75 yards for a 25- yard field goal by Jordan. The Stags junior cut the Lakeside lead to 14-6. Cummings and Perry would collaborate again, this time from five yards out for the Eagles final tally. Cummings added the two-point conversion run to push the Lakeside lead to 22-6.

Deer Park wrapped up the scoring on a game ending 13-play, 69-yard drive with quarterback Ian Olietti scoring from two yards out, then adding the two-point conversion run as time expired, producing the final tally of 22-14 in favor of the Eagles. Cummings’ stat line included 16 rushes for 150 yards and two touchdown passes. Kannon Almond was the Eagles top rusher with 44 yards on seven carries and 11 tackles on the defensive side, which was second on the team to Kellen Paulson’s 14. For the Stags, Criss posted his fourth 100- plus yard rushing total in as many games with 142 yards on 23 attempts. Eion Bogle added 42 yards on nine carries. Kale Blades was the top receiver with 38 yards on three receptions.

Kash Phillips paced the Stag defense with 13 tackles with Mateo Lightsy (11) and Carson Byrd (10) close behind. Both squads will be on the road Friday, Oct. 2, with the Eagles traveling to Omak for a 7 p.m. kickoff and Deer Park playing at Pullman at 6 p.m.