The undefeated Cashmere Bulldogs varsity football team has started the 2025 season with a dominant 4-0 record. With a staggering combined score of 251-0 through their first four games, the Bulldogs have bulldozed their way past Wapato, Kiona Benton, College Place, and Wahluke. However, the season’s first true test awaits this Friday.
On October 3rd, the Bulldogs travel to Royal City to face the #1-ranked Royal Knights, the perennial 1A powerhouse.
This matchup carries plenty of history. The Knights dismantled Cashmere twice in 2024, first with a 55-14 regular-season rout, then again in the state semifinals, a 44-7 statement win. Royal would go on to capture its fifth consecutive 1A state championship, winning 61-28 in the title game and earning national recognition as the highest-scoring team in the country at 60.8 points per game.
The Knights have been nothing short of a dynasty, winning 8 of the last 9 state titles. But for the first time in years, they face questions at quarterback. Star QB Lance Allred graduated last spring, leaving junior Grant Wardenaar, a standout basketball player, as the new signal caller. While still gaining experience under center, Wardenaar has the luxury of targeting WR/OLB Shea Stevenson, Royal’s most dangerous weapon. Stevenson, an all-league selection in 2024, has already scored six touchdowns in his first three games.
On the other sideline, the #3-ranked Bulldogs are determined to flip the script. Their leader is senior quarterback Rylan Hatmaker. Hatmaker was voted a captain for the 2025 season and also earned all-state honors in 2024. He holds multiple school passing records. When Hatmaker was asked how preparation changes for him against a team like this, he shared:
“Preparation against a good team like Royal means a lot of film watching, a lot of mental reps, and then preparing for certain throws that you’re expecting to make in the game,” Hatmaker explained.
Hatmaker will have no problem finding his receivers. The Bulldogs are led by Senior Logan Spies, who was named to all-state honors in 2024. Tom McDevitt is the other receiving weapon for the Bulldogs. McDevitt holds the record for YPC (Yards per Catch) in a season with 27.3.
Defensively, Cashmere will lean on Prin Fox, their star edge rusher and UNLV commit, ranked as the #9 overall prospect in Washington’s class of 2026. Fox will be tasked with pressuring Wardenaar and disrupting Royal’s rhythm in the passing game.
Head Coach Bryan Bremer was asked what the key factors are in a game like this: Bremer shared.
“In a game like this, you’re going to face adversity and challenges. It’s important to stay unified and together through all the ups and downs,” Bremer continued. “In this program, we will never play to beat an opponent; rather, we play for the love of our Bulldog Family. We execute and play to a high standard because we do not want to let our own teammates down”, Bremer shared.
The Bulldogs will depart Cashmere Friday afternoon at 2:55, heading into the heart of enemy territory at Dave Nielson Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
For Cashmere, this is more than a game. It’s a chance to avenge last season’s heartbreaking losses, to test themselves against the best, and to prove that the Bulldogs belong among the state’s elite.
