High school football season preview: 3A Pierce County League
High school sports have returned, with traditional fall sports now underway in February. The News Tribune is previewing different high school football leagues around the area as games approach. Various leagues in the South Sound are holding jamboree games beginning Friday, Feb. 12. For most leagues in the area, official league games begin Friday, Feb. 19. Up first in the preview series: The Class 3A Pierce County League.
3A PIERCE COUNTY LEAGUE
WHO’S THE FAVORITE?
Lincoln, which won the league in 2019 and advanced all the way to the Class 3A state semifinal game, becoming the first Tacoma Public School to reach that stage since the Marcus Trufant-led Wilson Rams in 1998. The Abes lose highly-touted recruit Julien Simon (enrolling early at USC), as well as quarterback Caden Filer and running back Abner Sio-Fetaui to graduation.
But Lincoln is reloading with plenty of young talent, including sophomore quarterback Gabarri Johnson, who already holds multiple Power Five offers, despite not having started a game at quarterback at the high school level. 6-foot-5 sophomore defensive end Jayden Wayne is already a national recruit and junior tight end Chance Bogan, who transferred from Wilson, is a UW commit. Lincoln also has strong line play on both sides of the ball. 6-foot-5, 340-pound sophomore tackle Tapuloa Tusi already has a Florida Atlantic offer. Junior Tuaoa Tauiliili was a first-team all-league selection on the defensive line in 2019. Expect a reload, not a rebuild.
COULD ANYONE BE A SURPRISE CONTENDER?
It’d be hard to call Lakes a surprise contender, considering the Lancers just won the 3A PCL title in 2018. Longtime Lakes coach Dave Miller consistently has his teams in the Top 10 in the state. But Lincoln came away with a 42-21 win over Lakes in 2019 and are again the favorite this season. Junior Devon Nofoa-Masoe, Lakes’ most dynamic, versatile player and a member of The News Tribune’s 2019 All-Area team, tore his ACL in the offseason and will miss the season. Still, there’s plenty to like on this roster. Senior quarterback Justin Brennan has a year of starting experience under his belt, and senior Jaedon Hall figures to be one of the area’s top two-way players this season at receiver and safety. 6-foot-4, 320-pound junior offensive tackle Jorden Manu could be the next big recruit from Lakes.
Could Spanaway Lake make a run at the league title? With Bethel gone to the 4A SPSL, the pecking order is less clear in the PCL. The Sentinels have some talent: Sophomore corner Jasiah Wagoner has multiple Pac-12 offers and junior safety KeeKee McQueen is another dynamic player. But Spanaway Lake went 0-3 last season against the league’s top teams in Lincoln, Lakes and Bethel. If Spanaway Lake is going to be a contender, the Sentinels will have to prove it.
10 PLAYERS TO WATCH
QB Gabarri Johnson, Lincoln, soph.
DE Jayden Wayne, Lincoln, soph.
TE Chance Bogan, Lincoln, jr.
CB Jasiah Wagoner, Spanaway Lake, soph.
S KeeKee McQueen, Spanaway Lake, jr.
S Jaedon Hall, Lakes, sr.
OL Jorden Manu, Lakes, jr.
DL Tuaoa Tauiliili, Lincoln, jr.
RB Dylan Medges, Bonney Lake, sr.
QB Justin Brennan, Lakes, sr.
PROJECTED ORDER OF FINISH
Lincoln
Lakes
Spanaway Lake
Bonney Lake
Wilson
Stadium
Mount Tahoma
