Frustrated. Embarrassed. Deflated.

Take your pick. The Kentlake High football team felt all three after last week’s 34-7 drubbing by Kentridge.

Thursday night at French Field, however, the Falcons responded to that loss in fine fashion. Behind a strong rushing performance by sophomore transfer Latrelle Dukes and a stingy defense, Kentlake ran past, through and over Kent-Meridian, knocking off the Royals 49-20 in a South Puget Sound League 4A, North Division football game.

“It was a big week of practice, where the kids really worked hard,” said Kentlake coach Mike Shepard. “I told them (during the week) that they embarrassed themselves against Kentridge and didn’t play to their potential. Tonight, they came prepared.

“The kids really wanted to make a statement.”

Consider it made.

Dukes ignited a Kentlake offense that was stagnant a week earlier, rushing 23 times for 139 yards and three touchdowns.

A week after they struggled to get into the red zone, the Falcons, 1-1, scored on their first five possessions to take a 35-7 lead over the Royals, 0-2, into halftime.

Dukes began the onslaught on Kentlake’s opening drive, punching in a 1-yard score. Kent-Meridian quarterback David Jones answered moments later, going in from 6 yards out.

After that, it was all Kentlake, which rattled off 42 consecutive points before the Royals finally answered midway through the fourth quarter.

“It was a testament to the offensive line,” Shepard said. “We were humbled by Kentridge. The guys had to go out there and prove themselves. They played to their abilities.”

Part of the difference between the win over Kent-Meridian and the loss to Kentridge came from simplifying the game plan, Shepard noted. Instead of emptying out the playbook, the Falcons relied primarily on five different plays Thursday night.

The loss was particularly tough for Kent-Meridian, which played without fullback Va’a Logotala (neck) and lost running back B.J. Arceneaux (hyper extended elbow) during the game. The Royals were coming off a 30-29 overtime loss to Auburn Riverside, a game they led late in the fourth quarter.

“We got absolutely dominated at the line of scrimmage,” lamented K-M coach Trevor Roberts.

Kentlake pushed its halftime lead to 35-7 on touchdown runs from quarterback Tyler Borgen, 1 yard, Nick Kramlich, 30, Tyler Wright, 20 and another by Dukes, 8. Dukes added a 3-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

“He ran all over us,” Roberts said. “We tried tackling him high and there was no way that was going to happen.”

Kent-Meridian added a couple late touchdowns – a 76-yard pass from Jones to Davontae Hoffman and a 22-yard run by Jones – to finish out the scoring.

Kentlake played Thursday against Thomas Jefferson, 0-1, at Federal Way Stadium.

Erick Walker can be reached at ewalker@kentreporter.com.