As the crisp November air settled over the field and the hometown crowd buzzed with excitement, the Bonney Lake Panthers took the field one last time. In a season that saw them navigate the challenges of a new league and a fresh start with head coach Javid Shoemaker, the Panthers gave their fans a finale to remember, dismantling the Kent-Meridian Royals 58-21 in a crossover matchup on Wednesday night.
Fresh off their first victory of the season over Rogers on Halloween night, the Panthers came in hungry, bolstered by the chance to notch a second win. For Kent-Meridian, who had also found a rare win just the night before against Kentlake, the evening held a similar significance. This crossover match—unexpected for both teams—was a final shot to end the season on a high note.
And in front of a fired-up hometown crowd, Bonney Lake delivered in a big way.
The action kicked off fast and furious as sophomore Colton Miller set the tone early, racing down the right sideline for his first of three touchdowns just minutes into the first quarter. With a 15-yard burst, Miller broke free, and when teammate Jaedon Kaiser charged in the 2-point conversion, the Panthers took a quick 8-0 lead.
The Panthers weren’t slowing down. A mere five minutes later, quarterback Clete Gilbert drove the offense to the goal line and punched it in himself from five yards out, with Brady Liston converting the two-pointer to make it 16-0.
Then came a defensive spark. Jackson Elliot snagged an interception at the Royals’ 35-yard line, giving the Panthers prime position. Not content with just setting up a play, Elliot capitalized on his moment, rushing it in from the 11 to add to Bonney Lake's growing lead.
The crowd roared with approval, and with one minute left in the first quarter, Miller struck again. Taking over at the Royals' 20 after a turnover on downs, Miller found the end zone again and with the 2-point conversion, put Bonney Lake up 30-0 by the start of the second quarter.
In the second, Bonney Lake continued to dominate. Brady Liston punched in a 1-yard score with Gavin Raggenberg on the 2-point conversion to push it to 38-0. Minutes later, CJ Ebert barreled in from the 2-yard line, extending the lead to 45-0. Miller wasn’t done yet, capping the half with a 60-yard breakaway touchdown, igniting the stands one final time before halftime.
With halftime festivities underway, the Bonney Lake dance team and alumni gave the crowd one more reason to cheer, as the band struck up the school anthem. When the teams returned, the Royals, still fighting, managed to crack Bonney Lake’s defense with a rushing touchdown, putting themselves on the board at 52-7 as time expired on the half.
The third quarter proved quieter, with Kent-Meridian holding their ground and adjusting to Bonney Lake’s relentless pace. But just when the Royals thought they’d settled in, Jackson Elliot struck again, recovering a fumble just past midfield. This time, Gilbert looked to the air, connecting with Jaedon Kaiser for a short pass and beautiful 56-yard touchdown run that put the Panthers up 58-7.
The Royals managed to add two more rushing touchdowns, one in the third and another in the fourth, closing the gap but never truly challenging Bonney Lake’s commanding lead. When the final whistle blew, the scoreboard read 58-21, sealing Bonney Lake’s second win and marking a triumphant close to a challenging season.
As the clock wound down, the Panthers celebrated their hard-earned second win, marking the end of a season filled with lessons learned in the SPSL 4A league and a new beginning under their head coach, Javid Shoemaker. They leave with heads held high, eager to carry this momentum into the next year, armed with the resilience forged during a season of growing pains and the memories of a powerful final win.
With young talents like Miller and a community ready to rally, Bonney Lake is poised for a new chapter. And for this final night under the lights, they reminded everyone just what it means to be a Panther.
Comments