Community Sports

Peninsula prevails, evening all-time Fish Bowl series

The all-time Fish Bowl series is even after Peninsula defeated Gig Harbor, 31-8, on Saturday at Mount Tahoma Stadium in Tacoma.

The Seahawks (1-2) earned their first win of the season and their 24th in the history of the Fish Bowl. Gig Harbor also owns 24 Fish Bowl wins and a 1-2 2026 season record.

The Peninsula Seahawks celebrate with fans after their 37-8 win over Gig Harbor.

Peninsula snapped Gig Harbor’s three-game Fish Bowl winning streak and gave second-year coach Clay Mauro his first win in the series.

Seahawks shut down Tides’ offense

The Seahawks kept the Tides’ Wing-T offense in check, allowing 89 rushing yards on 27 carries (all statistics are unofficial). The Gig Harbor passing offense wasn’t effective, either, as two Tides quarterbacks combined to throw for just 27 yards. The Seahawks picked them off four times.

After an uneventful first quarter, Peninsula took control in the second. Senior running back Thomas Marzano scored on two short runs, the second with less than a minute remaining in the half, to give his team a 14-0 lead.

Gig Harbor, meanwhile, couldn’t get out of its own way. Officials flagged the Tides for 13 penalties during the game, with the infractions ranging from holding and offsides to unsportsmanlike conduct. One penalty led directly to points at the end of the first half.

Gig Harbor appeared to have intercepted Peninsula quarterback Talen McDonnell as the half ended. But officials ruled they roughed McDonnell on the play and awarded the Seahawks a first down at the Gig Harbor 13-yard line. McDonnell got payback by booting a 30-yard field goal on an untimed play that gave his team a 17-0 lead at the break.

It was only three points, but it felt like more.

Peninsula coach Clay Mauro celebrates with his team following their 37-8 win over Gig Harbor on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, at Mount Tahoma Stadium. Photo by Vince Dice

Pouring it on

The Seahawks opened the second-half scoring on a 13-yard pass from McDonnell to Brycen McAnally at the 6:10 mark of the third quarter.

McDonnell, a senior, completed 14 of 19 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. He also contributed the field goal, two extra-points and a two-point conversion run.

The Tides got on the board in the third quarter on an 18-yard touchdown run by Taylor Carey. A two-point run by Lucas Olivas put Gig Harbor within two scores at 24-8, giving some hope to the Tides faithful.

But Peninsula salted things away with two fourth-quarter touchdowns: A four-yard pass from McDonnell to Logan Johnson and a four-yard run by Xavier Jones.

The Peninsula seniors had never beaten Gig Harbor before Saturday, a fact that McDonnell said was definitely on their mind last week

“We’ve been waiting all four years for this,” McDonnell said. “The seniors definitely realized that this is our last Fish Bowl. Last week was the best week of practice we’ve ever had.”

Peninsula had Gig Harbor pinned deep during the first quarter of the 2026 Fish Bowl. Photo by Vince Dice

Peninsula 37, Gig Harbor 8

Pen – 0-17-7-13 — 37

GH – 0-0-8-0 — 8

First quarter

Second quarter

Pen – Marzano 3 yard run (kick blocked), 7:04

Pen – Marzano 1 yard run (McDonnell run), 0:57

Pen – McDonnell 30 yard field goal, 0:00

Third quarter

Pen – McDonnell 13 yard pass to McAnally (McDonnell kick), 6:10

GH – Carey 18 yard run (Olivas run), 4:06

Fourth quarter

Pen – McDonnell 4 yard pass to Johnson (McDonnell kick), 6:10

Pen – Jones 4 yard run (kick missed), 2:41

Passing

Peninsula: McDonnell 14-19, 219 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 interceptions

Gig Harbor: Hayes 0-9-0-2; Alob 2-6-27-0-2

Rushing

Peninsula: McAnally 11-44; Marzano 10-37, 2 TDs; Jones 8-51, 1 TD

Gig Harbor: Olivas 11-41; Carey 2-18, TD; Schearer 5-17; Schwab 4-6; Hayes 3-6; Alob 2-1

Receiving

Peninsula: Johnson 1-8; Shonburn 1-15; McAnally 2-27, 2 TDs; Marzano 2-71; Coit 1-7; Johnson 1-4, 1 TD

Gig Harbor: Schwab 1-12; Carey 1-15