The Renton Rangers Peewee team continued their dominant run in the North Sound Junior Football League on Saturday, shutting out the Mariner Peewee squad 38-0 in a complete performance on both sides of the ball.

From the outset, Renton controlled the game with a swarming defense and explosive running attack. Their defensive front consistently disrupted Mariner’s backfield, while the offense produced big plays at key moments. Renton’s game plan emphasized team pursuit and ball control, and it paid off across all four quarters.

The game began with both teams testing each other’s defenses, but it was Renton that struck first late in the opening quarter. Facing a 4th-and-12 near midfield, Malakai Armstead took a handoff and raced 42 yards to the end zone. The extra point was good, giving Renton an early 7-0 lead. The momentum carried over immediately to the defensive side, as Otulau Kamoto and Armstead each recorded tackles behind the line of scrimmage, halting any progress Mariner tried to make. Mariner’s best early opportunity ended with a fourth down rush that was stuffed by Messiah Reynolds, turning the ball over on downs.

In the second quarter, Renton’s offense found another gear. On the first play of a possession, Dowlen burst through the line and raced 41 yards for his first touchdown of the day. Moments later, Renton capitalized on a fumble by Mariner’s Octavious Thomas, which recovered by Dowlen. On the next play, Lonzell King found a lane and outran defenders for a 43-yard touchdown, extending the lead to 19-0. M

Mariner continued to struggle offensively. Their attempts to get the ball moving with Octavious Thomas under center were repeatedly met with backfield pressure. Renton’s defensive line closed every gap, leading to negative yardage and multiple turnovers.

By halftime, Renton had built a commanding 25-0 lead, and their defense had not allowed a single first down.

The third quarter saw more of the same, as Renton continued to dominate both sides of the ball. After a couple of incompletions, Dowlen took matters into his own hands once again, breaking free for a dazzling 70-yard touchdown run on fourth down. His patience and vision allowed him to find the seam, and once he hit the second level, no one could catch him. He would later add a short 5-yard run to convert the extra point, pushing the score to 32-0 midway through the quarter.

Mariner’s offense, while resilient, struggled to gain momentum. Thomas, Mariner’s primary ball carrier, faced constant pressure and had little room to operate. On one series, he was sacked by Kamoto and then fumbled the ball on the following play, which Kamoto recovered. Renton’s defense swarmed to the ball all afternoon, with multiple players contributing on nearly every tackle. Armstead, Kamoto, and Dowlen all made key defensive stops, while Reynolds chipped in with a big fourth-down tackle.

Renton’s final quarter featured two more scoring drives. Devan Burrell-Lofton Jr. added to the scoreboard with a 42-yard touchdown run. Then, after a long 34-yard carry from Dowlen, he finished the drive with a 1-yard plunge into the end zone. While the Rangers missed the extra point on their final score, as they posted a 38-0 win over Mariner.

Dowlen led the way for Renton with 151 rushing yards and three touchdowns, also adding a fumble recovery on defense and playing a key role as quarterback and offensive leader. The Rangers totaled over 300 yards on the ground with five different players contributing to the scoring effort.

With the win, Renton improves to 4-0, while Mariner falls to 2-2 on the season.

After the game, head coach Darrel Gant reflected on the team’s defensive identity.

“Man, everybody’s hungry,” said Gant. “Everybody wants to be on the tackle, and that’s what it’s about. Everybody gets to the ball. Whoever gets there first, make a tackle.”

On Dowlen’s performance, Gant offered high praise for his quarterback’s playmaking ability and leadership:

“At any moment, at any time, that man can go,” said Gant. “We call him 21 problems. He’s actually a 50 problem—50 yards per carry. He’s a great leader too. He leads my team. He can pass, run, hand the ball off, and he calls the plays. An all-around threat.”

Gant emphasized the team-first mindset that drives the Rangers’ success.

“100% not perfect, but overall, man, a team effort with everybody who wants to do great,” says Gant.

Player Stats:

Renton Rangers (Offense):

Dondre Dowlen: 8 carries, 151 yards, 3 TDs; 1 fumble recovery

Lonzell King: 3 carries, 46 yards, 1 TD

Malakai Armstead: 2 carries, 43 yards, 1 TD

Devan Burrell-Lofton Jr.: 3 carries, 44 yards, 1 TD

Renton Rangers (Defense):

Malakai Armstead: 3 tackles

Otulau Kamoto: 2 tackles, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery

Mariner (Offense):

Octavious Thomas: 13 carries

Mariner (Defense):

Octavious Thomas: 4 tackles

Atticus Soterakopoulos: 2 tackles

Malachi Medina: 2 tackles

Jamari Dennis: 1 tackle

Nehemiah Laycock: 1 tackle