Week 6: High school football games of the week, predictions

Three high school football games to watch this week in the South Sound and beyond. Plus, the state game of the week.

4A SPSL

CURTIS VIKINGS (4-1) VS. BELLARMINE PREP LIONS (2-3)

7 p.m. Saturday, Bellarmine Prep High School, Tacoma

About the Vikings: With standout RB Caleb Kwalalon (52 carries, 682 yards, 10 TDs) — who was leading the South Sound in rushing before injuring his ankle against Sumner — out for most of the past two games, Curtis have leaned heavily on second-year QB Kyle Russell (61 of 115, 1,100 yards; 34 carries, 301 yards; 15 total TDs) and a veteran offensive line. The Vikings have missed the playoffs the past two seasons, but are in a three-way tie for second int he 4A SPSL with Graham-Kapowsin and Rogers with four regular-season games remaining.

About the Lions: Fourth-year coach Brian Jensen is in the Curtis Hall of Fame, is a former state-champion quarterback there, and is 3-0 in his head coaching career against the Vikings. The past two seasons, the Lions have topped Curtis by two possessions, and in Jensen’s first season in 2015, they ended the Vikings’ most recent playoff run in Week 10. Bellarmine is also vying for a playoff spot after missing out last season, and its two losses to open league play came to powerhouses Puyallup and Graham-Kapowsin.

TNT pick: Curtis, 28-24

2A SPSL MOUNTAIN

FIFE TROJANS (4-1) VS. FRANKLIN PIERCE CARDINALS (4-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Franklin Pierce High School, Tacoma

About the Trojans: This is the matchup of the past two 2A SPSL Mountain champions. Fife blew out Franklin Pierce last season — and every other team in the division — to win the title, and Franklin Pierce edged the Trojans the year before. Fife has 10 consecutive division wins since that loss, and has already shut out Lindbergh and Foss this season. QB Gannon Ginnis (15 of 34, 258 yards; 58 carries, 375 yards; 11 total TDs) leads a Trojans offense that scores nearly 30 points per game.

About the Cardinals: Like Fife, which lost its opener to Rainier Beach, the Cardinals haven’t dropped a game since their Week 1 loss to Bonney Lake. Franklin Pierce is averaging 38.8 points per game in four outings — Foss forfeited its game against the Cardinals two weeks ago — and is tied with the Trojans and White River atop the 2A SPSL Mountain standings. RB/DB Rasheed Johnson has been a star in all phases, averaging 130.3 all-purpose yards per game and has a team-leading six TDs and two picks. TE/LB Toney Brown (11 catches, 194 yards, four TDs) leads the Cardinals in receiving and tackles (46).

TNT pick: Franklin Pierce, 21-20

2A SPSL SOUND

RIVER RIDGE HAWKS (3-2) VS. EATONVILLE CRUISERS (4-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Eatonville High School

About the Hawks: Eatonville beat the Hawks by two scores in this game last year at the same place, and it appears these two programs will duke it out for the 2A SPSL Sound’s No. 2 seed again with division rival Steilacoom the only remaining undefeated team in Pierce County. River Ridge has relied heavily on a pair of talented sophomores in QB Jevon Brown (28 of 56, 545 yards, seven TDs) and WR/DB Dontae Owens (22 catches, 470 yards, five TDs) in the passing game, while senior RB/DB Kieran Hunkin (68 carries, 516 yards, 10 TDs) controls the ground.

About the Cruisers: The Cruisers are the only team in the 2A SPSL Sound apart from Steilacoom — who they host next week — that still has an undefeated division record. Returning QB Tristan Schoepf (41 of 76, 741 yards, 10 total TDs) leads an offense that has averaged nearly 40 points per game since its opening loss to Archbishop Murphy, with junior WR/DB Zach Smith (nine catches, 318 yards, seven TDs) as his top target. Sophomore RB/LB Caden Jumper has averaged a team-leading 133 all-purpose yards per game in just two appearances.

TNT pick: Eatonville, 31-28

STATE GAME OF THE WEEK

NO. 1 EASTSIDE CATHOLIC CRUSADERS (4-1) VS. NO. 2 O’DEA FIGHTING IRISH (5-0)

7 p.m. Friday, West Seattle Stadium

About the Crusaders: Who is the top team in 3A this season? We’ll find out this week. The Crusaders have 12 players with college football offers — with 82 split between them — and two recruits ranked in the top 50 nationally in their classes. WR/LB J.T. Tuimoloau is the No. 1 recruit in the 2021 class, and leads the Crusaders with five sacks. WR Gee Scott (15 catches, 255 yards, two TDs) is the No. 68 recruit in 2020 and has a team-leading 16 Division I offers. RB/DB Sam Adams, who has 14 Division I offers, leads the Crusaders in all-purpose yards, averaging 100 per game. Eastside Catholic hasn’t lost a game in regular season 3A Metro League play since 2016 to O’Dea, and hasn’t missed the state playoffs since 2010, winning it all in 2014 and 2015.

About the Fighting Irish: The defending 3A state champions haven’t lost since their Week 6 matchup against the Crusaders last October. Eastside Catholic has won three of the past four in this battle of Metro League private schools dating back to 2014, ending a long string of O’Dea dominance — the Irish won eight of 10 over the Crusaders in the decade prior. After missing the state playoffs in 2015 for the first time in two decades, O’Dea has appeared in the 3A state title game the past two seasons, losing to Kamiakin in 2016 and routing league rival Rainier Beach last year to win the program’s fourth title. O’Dea coach Monte Kohler (329-53 in his 34th season) is the winningest active coach in the state, and trails only Tumwater’s Sid Otton (394-132 in 49 seasons) in all-time wins.

TNT pick: Eastside Catholic, 21-14