TACOMA — It was tough for either Capital or Holy Names Academy to throw the football in the steady rainfall all day at the Lincoln Bowl Saturday afternoon.
But by far the most difficult toss of the game converted in dramatic fashion for Holy Names Academy.
In a 7-7 tie game in the opening round of the 3A State Girls Flag Football Tournament, the Holy Names Academy Cougars faced a fourth down with three seconds left. Quarterback Zoe Hamaker dropped back and launched the ball roughly 30 yards toward the back of the end zone, and amid a sea of bodies, the ball somehow dropped into the open arms of a diving Maya Russell as time expired.
Capital’s season, full of ups and downs to get into the state tournament, came to a crushing end, with the Cougars players walking off the field in stunned silence as Holy Names Academy players swarmed Russell in jubilation.
“Unfortunately, that’s just the way football and sports work out. It sucks, but it is what it is,” Capital head coach Tristan Redman said. “Obviously, today was a heartbreaking finish, but I couldn’t be prouder as a coach.”
The first half of the state opener, similarly to the first half of the season, started rocky for Capital. After an opening-possession punt, the Cougars turned the ball over on a Tate Hanson interception thrown into traffic looking for Ashlynn O’Hara deep. Moments later, Holy Names Academy gambled on fourth down and converted to open up the scoring seven minutes into the game.
But Capital’s defense held strong for the remainder of the second half against a high-powered Holy Names Academy offense. The Cougars in maroon and gold got multiple fourth-down stops, and Norah Flynn intercepted a pass with nine seconds left in the first half.
Pippin Crump, a clutch player for Capital down the stretch, jumped in front of a pass midway through the second half and brought the ball to within five yards of the end zone. Hanson rewarded her defensive effort with a touchdown reception to tie the game at 7-7 with 11:35 to go in the game. Crump gave it her all despite feeling under the weather before the game, leading the team with 15 flag pulls and the interception.
“Pippin actually hasn’t been feeling well today. I was a little bit worried about how she would come out,” Redman said. “She gave me faith right away. I told her, ‘Be ready for something to come at you, Pip.’ And sure enough, it was there, and that was a huge play. Pip’s gonna do Pip stuff.”
Capital’s defense once again stopped Holy Names Academy on fourth down on the ensuing possession, but both teams exchanged punts as the clock sped down. Capital had three open looks on one possession but dropped three passes in perhaps the heaviest rainfall of the afternoon.
With 36 seconds left, the Cougars took over with a chance to take the lead, but their possession was over in just 13 seconds left, giving Holy Names Academy the ball back. On the final snap of the game on fourth down, Holy Names Academy quarterback Hamaker sent a prayer to the end zone, and it was answered by Russell, whose catch sent her Cougars on to the quarterfinals and the Capital Cougars home without a win in the state tournament.
Despite the sting of the postseason heartbreak during a moment where the entire Capital sideline anticipated overtime, Redman expressed pride in his team for a successful season. After a 7-8 start, the Cougars ripped off five straight wins, including a 35-21 rout of Gig Harbor and a 42-0 upset of Mount Tahoma in the district tournament last weekend. Capital finishes 12-10 and graduates two seniors — Devyn Zipperer and Brinlee Fakes.
“Things were looking a little rocky at the beginning of the year, and we bounced back. I didn’t really change a whole lot. It didn’t come from me,” Redman said. “The chemistry improved across the team. You could feel the love in the air. I was really proud of the fight that the girls had, making it as far as we did.”
Capital is poised to return a handful of contributors, including Crump, O’Hara, Hanson, and Kendyl Gritton, among others. The 3A has plenty of tough teams, but the Cougars are bound to be among the cream of the crop in 2026-27.
“This crew, assuming that they come back and play again next year, it’s pretty much the same team coming back. I’m excited for that,” Redman said. “We’ve got a young program. It was good for them to get a season under their belt. I’m expecting big things for next year.”
