Kentwood, Kennedy Catholic again among favorites in 4A NPSL

One is focused on what’s returning, the other on how they will replace and keep the legacy going. But both may be destined for an October showdown as favorites in the Class 4A North Puget Sound League football race.

The Kentwood Conquerors return eight starters defensively. The Kennedy Catholic Lancers graduated maybe their most prolific senior class in school history including quarterback Sam Huard, who became the all-time Washington prep passing leader (13,214 yards), before graduating early and heading off to the University of Washington last spring.

“The seniors last year left so much information, and their work ethic, with us,” new Kennedy Catholic quarterback Mason Hayes said. “Just the way they were able to practice and everything they did. That made a big impact on how our seniors, juniors, sophomores and people are going to play this year. Sam was a huge impact on me, just being able to learn anything from football work to life skills. It’s just really amazing having it front of me.”

Kennedy and Kentwood face off on Oct. 22. Long before that Friday night, though, these teams must traverse seven weeks of games.

The turnaround from the spring’s Covid-19, delayed and shortened season has been quick. Teams completed those campaigns just four months ago, and are already back at it getting ready for the 2021 season that begins for most on September 3.

There is a sense of normalcy today that wasn’t there last March, however. Instead of six games or so (depending on Covid cancellations, etc.), there is a full schedule to play and a post-season to play for at the end.

Still …

“It’s kind of been a tough transition,” Kentwood coach Mike Bush said. “We’ve never really used July. It’s kind of family time. So, it’s a little different getting kids excited who have just finished football and playing other sports, to get back out there. Our numbers were a little down in July, but they’ve picked back up now that we’ve been doing lifting and running.”

From the 40 or 50 that turned out during July camps, Bush said, the numbers as practice began last week were closer to 70-75. Among those players are eight returning starters on the defensive side of the ball.

The mix of even those returning starters should keep the Conquerors competitive for a couple of years. Senior linebacker DeAndre Gill already has committed to play at UCLA next year. The man next to him on the inside is Elijah Mareko, who moved to Washington from Hawaii before last spring’s shortened season.

“Hawaii had no season because of Covid,” Mareko said. So my family sent me over here to live with my uncle.”

Kentwood became the beneficiary of Hawaii’s loss.

“I did pretty good in those five or six games (last spring),” said Mareko, who is drawing interest from Eastern Washington, Boise State and Oregon State. “It’s a blessing, every day to get better and better as a team, and now to hopefully dominate for a whole season.”

Up front, the Conquerors started a bevy of youngsters last spring. Nose tackle Elijah Napihaa will still just be a sophomore in his second starting season, while the guys on the outside – Palamveer Dhaliwal and Zekiel Seumalo – are both now juniors.

“They’re all back and they’re a year older, a little bit bigger,” Bush said.

And they all also play along the offensive line, as well.

“We have pretty good depth on both sides of the lines,” Bush said. “When you go through a season playing a lot of good teams, and then get into the post-season, it’s the line where you seem to falter. So we’re super excited about that.”

With such returning depth comes the inevitable expectations, of course.

“Every year we just try to play hard,” Bush said. “Our guys are always underdogs. We have a good group coming back, minus a few offensive positions. But our guys have worked their way into being recognized in our league – that they are going to play hard, they’re going to play the right way.”

Exactly how far that will take Kentwood in 2021 will depend on a few specific weekends. Federal Way and Tahoma believe they have teams good enough to compete.

And there is that Oct. 22 potential showdown, when they host the Lancers.

““We’re definitely their rivals in our group,” Hayes said.

This story was originally published August 25, 2021 at 5:00 AM.