SEATTLE — Joe Cronin’s squad had never been under the bright lights of Husky Stadium, where teams play their respective state football title games. Though they went up 14-0 early, the No. 1 Archbishop Murphy Wildcats (13-0) were getting a crash course in how hard it is to close out a team like No. 2 Tumwater (12-1) in a title game setting on Saturday night.

Minutes after his team put in an insurance score to bring the game to its final resting point of 35-20, the third-year head coach got a chance to catch his breath.

“I’m glad that’s over!” Cronin said with a laugh as he greeted members of the media.

The win, as huge as it was in adding some hardware to the Wildcats’ trophy case, represented more than one season of hard work.

Archbishop Murphy, just three seasons removed from an 0-8 c

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