Tyler's been dodging tentacles for the last year and a half, off and on. He's learned a trick to it, if any of the peanut gallery pick up on it.

He watches the tentacle, sees where it draws back to, and when it lashes out, THAT is the direction he lunges towards, leaving the attack to overshoot him by a foot or so. Using this technique, he makes it to the swinging-tire bridge, just in time for Phil to unleash the screaming mimis.

Take notes class, this kid isn't trying to actively BATTLE anything.