High school football season preview: 3A South Sound Conference
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. For most leagues in the area, official league games begin Friday, Feb. 19. Up next in the preview series: The Class 3A South Sound Conference.
3A SSC: OVERVIEW
The league looks a bit different this year because of the pandemic. Gig Harbor and Peninsula moved to the 4A SPSL, and Central Kitsap moved to a league in Kitsap County. But the league adds Class 4A Olympia High School as a temporary member for the remainder of the school year. River Ridge also joins the league this year, but is a permanent member, moving up from the 2A SPSL during the last reclassification cycle.
WHO’S THE FAVORITE?
Yelm, which finished runner-up to Peninsula last year. With Peninsula out of the picture, the path to the league title becomes more clear. It all starts up front for the Tornados. 6-foot-4, 315-pound Cal signee Dylan Jemtegaard and Central Washington commit Slade Edwards highlight another typically physical Yelm offensive line. Junior Nathan Paul takes over at quarterback and will have sophomore Kyler Ronquillo — an all-league honorable mention selection as a freshman — at his disposal at receiver. On defense, Yelm returns all-league senior linebacker Sean Rohwedder.
COULD ANYONE BE A SURPRISE CONTENDER?
Olympia is the big question mark. The Bears weren’t a factor in the 4A SPSL in 2019, but could the temporary move down to 3A make Olympia a more serious contender? Nick Mullen, who built a strong program at Timberline, takes over as the head coach of the Bears this season and is eager to turn the program around. But the team doesn’t return any all-league selections from a season ago, and it’s unclear whether the Bears have the depth to challenge a more established program like Yelm. Senior offensive lineman Jacob Sipe, senior running back Alfredo Ramirez and junior linebacker Max Tuitele are players to watch.
Timberline was young last year and started to come on stronger as the season wore on, winning four of its final five games. The lone loss during that span came to Yelm, 35-30, in late October. Former assistant James Jones takes over the program after Mullen took the Olympia job. The Blazers figure to be as physical as ever. The offensive line includes two Nevada signees in 6-foot-6, 345-pound tackle Lysander Moeolo and 6-foot-4, 265-pounder D.J. Togiola, who will be a force in the pass rush, as well.
15 PLAYERS TO WATCH
OL Lysander Moe, Timberline, sr.
DL D.J. Togiola, Timberline, sr.
OL Armani Tonuao, North Thurston, sr.
QB Dontae Owens, River Ridge, sr.
LB Johnny Mapu, River Ridge, soph.
RB Darion Brown, River Ridge, sr.
QB Eli Hoffman, Capital, sr.
OL Slade Edwards, Yelm, sr.
WR Kyler Ronquillo, Yelm, soph.
LB Sean Rohwedder, Yelm, sr.
RB Alfredo Ramirez, Olympia, sr.
OL Jacob Sipe, Olympia, sr.
WR Jevon Brown, Timberline, sr.
OL Dylan Jemtegaard, Yelm, sr.
LB Max Tuitele, Olympia, jr.
PROJECTED ORDER OF FINISH
Yelm
Timberline
Olympia
River Ridge
Capital
North Thurston
This story was originally published February 19, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
