Emeka Egbuka’s state football playoff diary: Steilacoom 'locked in' for Prosser in WIAA 2A quarterfinals

Editor’s note: Each week throughout the Class 2A state football playoffs, Steilacoom High School’s star wide receiver Emeka Egbuka will write a player diary for

Editor’s note: Each week throughout the Class 2A state football playoffs, Steilacoom High School’s star wide receiver Emeka Egbuka will write a player diary for Scorebook Live. Egbuka is the nation’s top-rated “athlete” recruit nationally for the Class of 2021, according to 247sports.com, and currently holds more than 30 BCS offers — with Alabama, Clemson, LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Stanford, USC and Washington on his top-10 list.

We opened the state playoffs against Ridgefield, and came out really fast and hit them in the mouth early. On their first punt, I took it to the house (67 yards). The blocking was set up great. We just started so fast, and basically got it over with in the first half. We were able to rest our starters and get ready for Prosser.

At practice this past Monday, we went over our defensive plan for them. It was a good practice - a light practice - but we were locked in.

I love facing a passing team like Prosser. If they want to throw my way, I am all for it. It is fun for me to be able to get tested.

This week’s mood, it has been bit of both fun and serious, honestly.

This is a big step. This school has never been past the quarterfinals ever. But we are really focused on becoming the best Steilacoom team to ever walk the halls. Winning this game, that would be a huge deal for us.

As much as we are all great competitors, and want to keep advancing to the next week, this is also about spending more time together with your brothers. We enjoy each others’ time together. We are all friends. I mean, we’ve all known each other since we were in elementary school.

I wasn’t aware that we were the only (11-man) football teams in the state playing Friday night. It’s not that big of a deal - we are going to come out and play our brand of football. But whoever wants to come and watch the game, we are excited to put on a show for them.

As far as my family who comes to the games - it is my parents, my siblings, my aunts and uncles and my grandparents. They are all on my mom’s side. My dad’s side of the family, they are scattered all over the world.

If we make it to the state championship, my best friend (Sloan Crawford), who went to school here and moved to Idaho two years ago, said he would drive here to watch the game. We are in contact every day.