4A football state bracket breakdown: Will anyone stop Graham-Kapowsin?
High school football tournaments begin this week in Washington. Here’s a look at the Class 4A bracket and what to watch for.
THE TEAM TO BEAT
Graham-Kapowsin came into the season with a state-title-or-bust mentality, returning the bulk of its roster following an undefeated spring season. On paper, we felt Graham-Kapowsin was the best team in the state before the season began. Nothing we’ve seen this season has done anything to change our minds.
Graham-Kapowsin, simply, has been dominant. Just how dominant? The Eagles have outscored opponents 473 to 35 through 10 games, good for an average win margin of 43.8 points. They’ve pitched six shutouts. In two league games against teams that are also in the state tournament, G-K beat Puyallup 34-3 and defeated Sumner 41-14.
This is Eric Kurle’s best, deepest and most complete team in his 26 years of coaching. It all starts up front, with a hulking offensive line, led by UW commit and left tackle Vega Ioane, a 6-foot-4, 320-pounder. Twin brothers Curtis and Hunter Hill are both maulers. Zack Lee has been the statistical leader behind that line, rushing for 690 yards and six touchdowns on 70 carries. Khalil Yarbo (518 yards and five touchdowns) and Jalen Davenport (429 yards and nine touchdowns) also feature prominently in the run game.
So too does senior quarterback Joshua Wood, who recently announced his verbal commitment to Eastern Washington. Wood, a dynamic dual-threat QB, has completed over 70 percent of his passes this season, throwing for 1,712 yards and 25 touchdowns to just three interceptions. On the ground, he has racked up 278 yards and seven touchdowns on 31 carries. And in the biggest games, he’s been at his very best. On the road against Sumner, Wood completed 15-of-20 passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing seven times for 71 yards and two scores.
“I thought today (Wood) was lights out,” Kurle told The News Tribune after the 41-14 win over Sumner. “His energy he brought to the team, his leadership. He’s just got it. He’s just special. He made some throws tonight that were just lights out.”
247sports.com national recruiting director Brandon Huffman went as far as to say he’s never seen G-K’s offense run this well, even under four-year starter Dylan Morris, who’s now playing for UW.
“I don’t want to call him a game manager, because I think that undermines how dynamic a playmaker he is,” Huffman told The News Tribune in late September, after Graham-Kapowsin handled Puyallup. “But he runs that offense to perfection. He can beat you with his legs, arm, beat you in a myriad of ways. I think he’s really an all-around quarterback. He’s got that capability to extend plays with his legs. His best trait is his willingness to sit in the pocket and wait for the play to evolve. A lot of guys, if the receiver isn’t open within seconds, they’re tucking it and running.”
Senior Julian “Juice” Mason has been Wood’s No. 1 target in the passing game. The duo seem to always be on the same page, with Wood hitting Mason before he’s even out of his breaks. They’ve been playing football together since they were six years old, so the chemistry is the byproduct of familiarity and a close friendship off the field. Mason has caught 47 passes for 692 yards and six touchdowns.
Senior tight end Andrew Savaiinaea, who transferred after his junior year from Eastside Catholic, might be the player who puts G-K over the top. The three-star recruit (offers from Oregon, UCLA, others) is fast for his size, has good hands and has been a reliable target in the passing game.
And then there’s Jalen Davenport, a linebacker and running back who we feel has become something of an unsung hero for G-K. Davenport has been through a lot in his personal life: he lost both his parents in the span of two years. His mom, La’Trevia, died after a lengthy battle with cancer. His dad John, a beloved youth football coach in the community, died from covid complications.
Davenport’s late father imparted mental toughness, giving Jalen a motto to play by: Be the man that beats the man.
Watch Davenport play, and it’s clear he takes that motto to heart. He’s runs with reckless abandon and hits hard, instinctually flying to the football on defense and shedding blocks with ease at running back.
There are no glaring weaknesses on Graham-Kapowsin’s roster. We like Kurle’s chances to win his first state title this fall, but it won’t be a cakewalk. Eastlake, Lake Stevens and Kamiakin all pose legitimate threats, and defending state champion Camas (2019) has come on strong, too.
WHICH SOUTH SOUND TEAMS COULD BE CONTENDERS?
Aside from top-seed Graham-Kapowsin, No. 7 Sumner, No. 12 Puyallup and No. 16 Kentwood are the locals in the bracket.
There’s a lot to like about Sumner: Senior quarterback Bo Carlson (1,875 yards, 25 touchdowns) is playing the best football of his career for the Spartans. Air Force commit Andrew Tillett is a presence on the line, Arizona State commit Tristan Dunn flies around at safety and Jay Mentink has made big plays at receiver and defensive back. Unfortunately for the Spartans, they’ll be without their best player for the state tournament in Peyton Wing, the reigning 4A SPSL MVP from the spring season.
He’s been battling a knee injury for most of the season and has tried to play through it, but is officially out after having ACL surgery in late October. Expect linebacker/running back Eric Buck (518 yards, nine touchdowns) to pick up some of the slack in Wing’s absence. It’s hard to overstate how big of a blow Wing’s absence is for Sumner. With Wing on the field, we could see Sumner making a deep run through state. Without him, it’s going to be a tougher ask.
Puyallup, meanwhile, has only lost two games: to Graham-Kapowsin and Sumner, which came down to the final play with a chance for the Vikings to win. Puyallup is physical up front, led by 6-foot-5, 320-pound Oregon commit Dave Iuli and 6-foot-4, 300-pounder Tyler Lawrence. Jordan Dwyer is one of the area’s best two-way players at receiver and corner; he has hauled in 59 receptions for 1,073 yards and 10 touchdowns. Ryan Cramer (872 yards, 14 touchdowns) and Ziere Ford (571 yards, four touchdowns) give the Vikings a formidable 1-2 punch at running back.
DIFFERENCE MAKERS FROM SOUTH SOUND TEAMS
Joshua Wood, Graham-Kapowsin, sr. — True dual-threat quarterback’s biggest strength may be his even-keel demeanor and ability to deliver in big games. Has completed 119-of-168 passes for 1,712 yard sand 25 touchdowns, adding 278 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.
Vega Ioane, Graham-Kapowsin, sr. — Big, powerful left tackle and UW commit is a big reason why Graham-Kapowsin runs the ball so effectively.
Julian Mason, Graham-Kapowsin, sr. — Idaho State commit is always there when Wood is looking his way. Sure-handed, fast and a good route runner. Has a team-high 692 receiving yards and six touchdowns on 47 receptions.
Jalen Davenport, Graham-Kapowsin, jr. — Whether he’s at running back or linebacker, opponents are going to feel Davenport coming. Has 429 yards and nine touchdowns on offense. Defensively, he has a team-high 64 tackles and has one interception.
Andrew Savaiinaea, Graham-Kapowsin, sr. — Tight end/defensive end has the speed to get loose downfield. He has 169 yards receiving and six touchdowns on the year. Defensively, has three sacks.
Dave Iuli, Puyallup, sr. — Quick feet, nimble with plenty of power, he opens a lot of holes for Puyallup’s run game.
Jordan Dwyer, Puyallup, sr. — One of the area’s best two-way players, Dwyer makes his impact felt in the receiving game and on defense.
Bo Carlson, Sumner, sr. — Steady commander of Spartans’ offense has thrown for 1,875 yards and 25 touchdowns this season. He’s also a strong runner, rushing this season for 384 yards and eight touchdowns.
Andrew Tillett, Sumner, sr. — Tone-setter at defensive tackle and on the offensive line for the Spartans. Has the ability to make life difficult for the opponent’s offense, dropping running backs and QB’s in the backfield.
FIRST-ROUND PREDICTIONS
No. 1 Graham-Kapowsin vs. No. 16 Kentwood: Graham-Kapowsin hasn’t been challenged yet this year, and it’s unlikely to come in the first round against an opponent from the North Puget Sound League, which fared poorly in nonleague games this fall. Expect a comfortable win for the Eagles to begin their state championship pursuit. TNT pick: Graham-Kapowsin 49, Kentwood 14
No. 2 Eastlake vs. No. 15 Eastmont: Eastlake (9-0) took the KingCo crown in Kyle Snell’s first season as the Wolves’ head coach, after Eastlake beat Bothell, 21-3. It was Eastlake’s first league title in 20 years. Senior quarterback Parker Barrysmith was named the league’s offensive MVP. Only one team has scored more than 14 points against Eastlake this season, when Mount Si scored 20 in a losing effort. TNT pick: Eastlake 42, Eastmont 7
No. 3 Lake Stevens vs. No. 14 Richland: Lake Stevens (8-0) lost starting senior QB Grayson Murren late in the season when he fractured his leg. The Vikings turned to freshman Kolton Matson last week in a rout of Emerald Ridge and he delivered, completing 11-of-12 passes for 229 yards and a touchdown. He won’t be asked to do too much, as Lake Stevens figures to lean heavily on its running game, led by four-star recruit Jayden Limar (offers from Notre Dame, Michigan and others). He has 1,152 yards rushing, 272 yards receiving and 17 touchdowns this year. Richland relies on its defense, led by Eastern Washington commit and linebacker Elijah Rodriguez. TNT pick: Lake Stevens 38, Richland 10
No. 4 Kamiakin vs. No. 13 North Creek: Kamiakin quarterback Henry Mercado, the Mid-Columbia Conference offensive player of the year, has thrown for 2,049 yards and 33 touchdown passes this year, spreading the ball to a talented group of receivers, including Gonzaga baseball commit Payton Graham (559 yards, eight TD), Fabian Hernandez (395 yards, eight TD) and Aidan Canada (eight TD). Luis Salgado leads the team with 21 rushing touchdowns and 990 yards on 137 carries. Linebacker EJ Hawkins and junior corner Gabe Tahir (Penn State offer) are defensive stalwarts. TNT pick: Kamiakin 39, North Creek 10
No. 5 Camas vs. No. 12 Puyallup: No team’s record is more deceiving than the Papermakers’ 6-4 mark. In fact, Camas started the season 0-4 against a selection of perennially strong Oregon programs in Central Catholic, Clackamas, Jesuit and West Linn. Since then? Six straight wins against Washington programs, including back-to-back 17-7 wins over Skyview and Union. Shifty, downhill back Jon Schultz has rushed for over 500 yards the past three weeks, including a 223-yard effort in the Week 10 playoff win over Mount Rainier. Puyallup, meanwhile, hasn’t had the same type of roller coaster season. They beat up on the middle and bottom tiers of the 4A SPSL, lost a tough-fought game to Sumner and like everyone else, weren’t competitive against Graham-Kapowsin. Can the Vikings pull the road upset? They’ll need a big game from quarterback Micah Balzarini and receiver Jordan Dwyer, who are capable. We’re taking the upset. TNT pick: Puyallup 28, Camas 26
No. 6 Gonzaga Prep vs. No. 11 Moses Lake: Ryan McKenna was born to lead this Bullpups offense. The son of Gonzaga Prep head coach Dave McKenna, Ryan has been mastering the triple-option offense since he was a six-year-old ballboy for the team. McKenna, who’s also a high-level junior hockey player in Spokane, has rushed for 1,346 yards and 18 touchdowns this year. Gonzaga Prep passes the ball just a few times each game, but he’s made the most of those chances, throwing for another nine touchdowns. 6-foot-5, 245-pound defensive end Kaz Melzer terrorizes opposing QB’s. TNT pick: Gonzaga Prep 38, Moses Lake 14
No. 7 Sumner vs. No. 10 Skyview: Sumner will have to go at it without the reigning SPSL 4A MVP in Peyton Wing, who was officially shut down for the season to have ACL surgery. But a senior-heavy, talented roster led by defensive tackle Andrew Tillett, running back/linebacker Eric Buck and safety Tristan Dunn won’t have the Spartans feeling sorry for themselves. Skyview has big, physical line play to mirror Sumner’s. 6-foot-4, 220-pound tight end/linebacker Tanner Beaman is the Storm’s top player. Could we see a defensive battle? Sumner kicker Wyatt Redding, who can boot it from 50-plus, could be the difference maker. TNT pick: Sumner 17, Skyview 14
No. 8 Glacier Peak vs. No. 9 Bothell: Junior Trey Leckner paces the Glacier Peak offense with 883 rushing yards, 380 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns on offense. Junior QB River Lien has thrown for 1,522 yards and 18 touchdowns for the Grizzlies. Bothell is a bit down this year, ceding the KingCo title to Eastlake. Still, the Cougars have the potential to knock off any team any given week. They’re tough up front, led by Oregon State-bound tackle Luka Vincic. Running back Bryce Kooy has 932 yards and 12 touchdowns on 162 carries. TNT pick: Glacier Peak 28, Bothell 27
This story was originally published November 11, 2021 at 10:12 PM.
