9/5/2026
Olympia 41, Capital 25
(Olympia, WA) The annual Spaghetti Bowl was a thriller once again in one of the longest rivalries in Thurston County. A packed night at Olympia High School, where it seemed like all of the city was there. Weather delays pushed the game back, but it didn’t matter to the fans as they continued to pile in and jam-pack the stadium. A great first game of the season where Olympia got to see what it will be like under new head coach Cary Nagel and the Wing-T offense. Capital showed a lot of great things as well with a balanced offense and multiple turnovers. A great night on the turf in a game thats has been going on for the last 40+ years.
1st Half
Capital received the opening kick and wasted no time getting into a rhythm on offense. QB Nolan Potts was quick with his passes and spread the ball around the field, with running back Nolan Rea getting decent yards on the ground. They would march down the field and end the opening drive with a 9-yard touchdown reception from Carter Pennington for the first score of the game. Olympia did not take long to respond, though, as they implemented their Wing-T offense effectively from the gate. Running back Ibrahima Diallo got his night started early and ran through Capital’s defense with ease. He capped off the opening drive with a 6 yard touchdown run to tie the game 7-7.
The first two drives took up all of the first quarter and well into the second. Capital would get the ball back and only took a few plays to get the lead back. Potts would find Kash Valentine over the middle for a 43 yard catch before launching a 20-yard touchdown pass to Carter Pennington one again to take the one score lead. Olympia would get the ball back and start to put together a productive drive. However, on their first pass of the game, defensive back Mason Bottin perfectly timed the screen and intercepted the ball.
With the ball back in their hands, Capital started with great field position, but penalties backed them up. It didn’t matter in the end because on fourth down at the 28-yard line, they would send out their field goal unit. Nolan Potts is not only their QB but the kicker as well, and he launched a 45-yard field goal right through the uprights. Olympia responded well, though, as Diallo, Braden Barrett, and Noah Miller helped the Bears storm down the field. They would bring the game within three after a 16-yard touchdown run from Diallo before the half ended. Capital led 17-14
2nd Half
Olympia’s first drive of the second half ended in a fumble, which Capital recovered. Both teams needed to capitalize on turnovers, and Capital did on their first drive of the third quarter. Their quick slants, sideline catches, and finally run game helped them take an 11-point lead as Nolan Rea broke free for a 10-yard touchdown run after a successful fourth-down conversion to Kennon Valentine for 40 yards. Olympia never broke through, even down two scores. At times, the Wing-T proved too much for the Capital defense as Diallo had his way. He was good for almost 10 yards every time he got the ball. He once again lifted the Bears with his third touchdown of the game from six yards out.
Capital led 25-21 and once again began to put together a productive drive, but tragedy would strike at the 30-yard line. A mishandled snap would fall right into the hands of linebacker Elijah Butler, who would return the fumble 65 yards to the house and give Olympia the lead. This was the biggest turning point in the game and gave all the momentum to the Bears. Capital from this point on could not get much going on offense. Penalties and turnovers gave the ball right back to Olympia multiple times as they would score two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter to put the game away. A ten-yard TD run from Diallo once again and a 26-yard touchdown from Noah Miller. Olympia avenged last year’s overtime loss to Capital in a major way; you couldn’t ask for a better start to the season for new head coach Cary Nagel than beating a rival school to open up the year.
Sumner Holiday Inn Express MVP
The Sumner Holiday Express MVP of the game went to Ibrahima Diallo, who had four touchdowns on the day and tallied 199 yards on 24 carries. An unbelievable game for the senior running back who outscored Capital by himself. It seemed like he was good for a first down every time he got the ball and had nine carries for 10 or more yards throughout the game. He thrived in the Wing-T offense, and there wasn’t anyone stopping him, and there might not be anytime soon. An amazing start to the season for Diallo.
What’s Next?
Olympia left this game 1-0 and will face Stadium High School on the road on Friday, September 11th with a 7:00 pm kickoff. Capital is now 0-1 but is looking to bounce back at home against Kelso High School on Friday, September 11th with a 7:00 pm kickoff time.
Game Stats of Interest
Olympia:
- Ibrahima Diallo: 199 yards on 24 carries, 4 TDs
- Noah Miller: 97 yards on six carries, 1 TD
- Elijah Butler: 70-yard fumble-recovery TD
Capital:
- Nolan Potts: 15/24 – 197 yards, 2 TDs, 1 Int
- Carter Pennington: 8 catches for 86 yards, 2 TDs
- Nolan Rea: 8 carries for 57 yards, 1 TD
- Mason Bottin: Int
Game Highlights
Ibrahima Diallo Gets the First TD of the Game for Olympia
Carter Pennington Catches His 2nd TD of the Game
Mason Bottin with the Interception for Capital
Elijah Butler with the 65-Yard TD Return on the Fumble
Tyler York with the Interception for Olympia
www.west42sports.com