10/24/2026
(Tumwater, WA) After a credible on-line threat of violence aimed at the Pioneer Bowl at Sid Otton field led to the cancellation of the annual crosstown rivalry game between Black Hills and Tumwater. The Pioneer Bowl has been re-scheduled and will be played on Monday night at 6pm.
The Pioneer Bowl was the second Thurston County game to be cancelled on Friday night after Centralia and Rochester officials called off their game earlier Friday afternoon.
The two threats appear to be coincidental. The threat in Centralia was focused on a single person who claimed to be affiliated with a gang and was threatening violence against another singular individual. A student came forward and notified a Centralia administrator, who then called law enforcement and contacted Rochester school officials. The suspect was identified but law enforcement are still looking for him at this time.
The Tumwater Black Hills Pioneer Bowl threat came from a 14-year-old suspect that then went on the run. Tumwater Police spent several hours searching for the teenager and located them at 1 am Saturday morning. The teen is currently in the custody of Thurston County Youth and Family Services.
Tumwater comes into this bowl game at 7-0 while Black Hills is 3-3 on the season. School officials and the teams are happy that the game will get played, of course, but it will lead to a short week for the final games of the regular season, set for next Friday. Tumwater will face off with WF West, also undefeated on the year, and that game will be for the league title. Black Hills will finish up with Aberdeen, with the winner taking third place.
The Pioneer Bowl will kick off at 6:00 on Monday night. If you purchased tickets online, those tickets should have been refunded from the Friday night contest. If you bought them at the school, they ask you to contact them for a refund or you can simply use them.
No word yet from Centralia or Rochester officials on when or if the Centralia-Rochester game will be rescheduled.
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