3A football state bracket breakdown: Several teams vying for championship
The Class 3A high school football tournament in Washington begins on Friday. Here’s what to watch for and which local teams and players could make an impact.
THE TEAM TO BEAT
Bellevue (10-0) is the No. 1 seed this year after steamrolling through the 3A KingCo, outscoring opponents by an average of 42 points per game. Coach Michael Kneip, who took over in 2018 after a career at the University of Washington, has his alma mater back to its winning ways.
“These guys have played together for a long time.” Kneip said of this year’s team. “This is the first group we’ve gotten to grow up with and have graduate with us. It’s been really fun.”
Bellevue was hit with a series of sanctions in 2016 after multiple investigations found violations of WIAA rules regarding recruiting and out-of-season coaching. The sanctions included a postseason ban and having its 2012, 2013 and 2014 playoff results vacated. Bellevue’s 2012 and 2013 teams won state titles, beating Eastside Catholic.
Kneip wanted to put all of that in the rearview mirror and return Bellevue to what made it a household name and state powerhouse in the first place: bringing up players through its youth football program with an emphasis on running the Wing-T offense to perfection.
“That’s kind of been a mission and the goal of a lot of our coaches,” Kneip said. “We have eight-plus alumni (on the coaching staff) that played with me at Bellevue. All guys that I’ve talked to every single day for the last 14 or 15 years. It’s been really special to have the alumni rebuild it and really express that to the kids — working hard, being disciplined. … It’s really special to see the community come alive and get the alumni out of the woodwork.”
Bellevue has a stable of backs and a pair of 1,000-yard rushers, led by William Wang, who has 1,285 yards and 14 touchdowns. Blake Teets has 1,082 yards and 10 touchdowns in one fewer game played.
Junior corner Ishaan Daniels, who recently took an unofficial visit to Cal, gives the Wolverines speed around the edge. He’s racked up 991 all-purpose yards and 13 touchdowns. 6-foot-5, 200-pound sophomore tight end Hogan Hansen is a future Division-I tight end. Aside from the challenges of simulating a well-oiled Wing-T offense on a scout team, there’s depth and balance that makes Bellevue difficult for opponents to match up against.
“I think it really goes back to the culture of our team,” Kneip said. “The selflessness has shown itself. Hogan is blocking a lot, Ishaan is doing a lot of blocking. … That balance has been nice to keep guys healthy. It’s been nice to spread the wealth.”
Bellevue might be the No. 1 seed, but they’re not a clear-cut favorite like say, Tumwater in 2A. The 3A bracket is likely the most wide-open bracket in the state. No. 2 Eastside Catholic and No. 3 O’Dea, from the Metro, are both legitimate threats to win the championship, while 3A South Sound Conference champion and fourth-seed Yelm, No. 5 Marysville-Pilchuck from the WesCo and No. 6 Kennewick are all in the hunt.
WHICH TEAM FROM THE SOUTH SOUND COULD BE A CONTENDER?
Yelm (9-0), the tournament’s No. 4 seed, has the best shot of any local to win the whole thing. The 3A South Sound Conference champion Tornados are balanced offensively, with sophomore Brayden Platt (768 yards and 12 touchdowns on 99 carries) leading the charge in the rushing attack
Slot receiver Kyler Ronquillo (641 yards and four touchdowns on 52 receptions) is quick and shifty and has a penchant for making explosive plays downfield, in the screen game and even out of the backfield. Yelm has one of the state’s best linebacking corps with Ray Wright (96 tackles, seven sacks, one interception), Logan Platt (47 tackles, 11 sacks), William Carreto (41 tackles, four sacks) and Brayden Platt (46 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions).
The only unknown is how Yelm stacks up against some of the top teams in the state. The Tornados beat Lincoln handily in a non-league game and Lincoln advanced to the Week 10 playoffs, but was eliminated before the state tournament. The Tornados also beat Class 4A Mount Si, 41-20, but Mount Si also didn’t make the state tournament, losing in a Week 10 playoff game to Puyallup, 35-14. Yelm has beaten everyone in its path convincingly, but hasn’t yet faced opponents of this caliber.
DIFFERENCE MAKERS FROM SOUTH SOUND TEAMS
Kyler Ronquillo, Yelm, jr. — He’s a threat to turn any play into a touchdown for the Tornados, who get the ball into their most dynamic playmaker’s hands in a variety of ways. Has 641 yards and four touchdowns on 52 receptions.
Brayden Platt, Yelm, soph. — The 6-foot-1, 220-pound linebacker and running back has been the tone setter for Yelm this year and has been nearly unstoppable in the run game. Has 12 touchdowns and 768 yards on 99 carries.
Hall Schmidt, Peninsula, sr. — Right tackle and Boise State commit is a key fixture on an offensive line that will want to establish the run against Rainier Beach in the opening round.
Ray Wright, Yelm, jr. — Linebacker has been a force for the Tornados this year, racking up 96 total tackles, seven sacks and an interception. 3A SSC defensive MVP has 96 total tackles, seven tacks and one interception.
Josh Hinkel, Peninsula, sr. — Middle linebacker for Seahawks has been the ‘rock’ of Peninsula’s defense. First-team all-league selection on defense.
Joshua Collie, Spanaway Lake, soph. — Had a breakout game in a win over Lakes. Speedy back has rushed for 498 yards and seven touchdowns in four games on 57 carries, an average of 8.7 yards per carry.
Jasiah Wagoner, Spanaway Lake, jr. — Four-star recruit leads the team in receiving with 360 yards and four touchdowns. Defensively, has an interception.
David Wells, Lakes, jr. — ‘Big-play speedster’ leads the team in receiving with 861 yards and eight touchdowns on 34 receptions. Also has a team-leading three interceptions. “We put him on the best receiver every week,” says Lakes coach Dave Miller.
Leo Pulalasi, Lakes, jr. — He has played running back and receiver, even a bit of quarterback before Justin Brennan returned to action for the Lancers. Leads the team with 811 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns on 99 carries. He’s the team’s second-leading receiver with 352 yards and five touchdowns on 16 receptions.
FIRST-ROUND PREDICTIONS
No. 1 Bellevue vs. No. 16 Lakes: Bellevue has won every game it has played comfortably this season, earning the tournament’s top seed. Bellevue coach Michael Kneip spoke with genuine respect for Lakes’ program and longtime Lancers coach Dave Miller. Lakes should be able to put some points on the board with Justin Brennan slinging the ball to David Wells Jr. and a capable running game with Leo Pulalasi, but it’s tough to see Lakes being able to slow down Bellevue’s Wing-T, which has been firing on all cylinders all season long. TNT pick: Bellevue 42, Lakes 21
No. 2 Eastside Catholic vs. No. 15 Stanwood: Eastside Catholic boasts perhaps the top defense in the state, led by a physically imposing linebacking corps in 6-foot-3, 220-pounder Dishawn Misa and David Lene and defensive back Dallas Daley. Eastside Catholic’s only loss came to Colorado’s Valor Christian on Sept. 10. Stanwood presents some issues with its single-wing offense — just ask Lincoln — but the skill gap gives the Crusaders the edge. TNT pick: Eastside Catholic 38, Stanwood 14
No. 3 O’Dea vs. No. 14 Kelso: By rule, longtime Irish coach Monte Kohler doesn’t play freshmen. But he broke that rule for now-sophomore running back Jason Brown, who is one of the top recruits in the state in the 2024 class. He has 1,629 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns on 187 carries for O’Dea. Expect O’Dea’s typically physical ground game to put up plenty of points. TNT pick: O’Dea 42, Kelso 14
No. 4 Yelm vs. No. 13 Seattle Prep: If you were conducting a high school football state tournament betting pool in your office — if you’re actually doing this, consider seeking help — this would be a popular upset pick. Seattle Prep quarterback Braeden Smith is an electric athlete and aside from losses to O’Dea and Eastside Catholic, Seattle Prep has scored at least 28 points in every game. But we’re rolling with Yelm, which has the offensive balance to be upset-proof. The Tornados can win pretty, they can win ugly. Could a shootout be looming? TNT pick: Yelm 42, Seattle Prep 35
No. 5 Marysville-Pilchuck vs. No. 12 Garfield: The fifth-seeded Tomahawks, out of the WesCo, might have the most explosive running game in the state. The lowest scoring output of the season came in a loss to Arlington, when they scored 14 points. Otherwise, 49 points has been the lowest scoring output. Senior Dylan Carson shoulders the load; he has racked up an eye-popping 1,703 yards and 33 touchdowns on 134 carries, good for 12.7 yards per attempt. TNT pick: Marysville-Pilchuck 42, Garfield 21
No. 6 Kennewick vs. No. 11 Spanaway Lake: This one should be fun. Kennewick is led by two-way star senior Myles Mayovsky, who has rushed for over 200 yards in a game on three separate occasions this season. He’s also at the center of the Lions’ defense at linebacker. He’s joined by senior linebacker Bronson Childs, who was the Mid Columbia Conference defensive player of the year. The Lions boast a physical front seven. Spanaway Lake, meanwhile, is going into the postseason on a roll, after beating Lakes in Week 9 and blowing out Liberty in Week 10. Corner/receiver Jasiah Wagoner and running back Joshua Collie highlight a squad with legit team speed. We’re just not sure Spanaway Lake will match up up front. TNT pick: Kennewick 28, Spanaway Lake 27
No. 7 Arlington vs. No. 10 Mount Spokane: Arlington senior quarterback Trent Nobach has plenty of experience under his belt. He’s poised and effective for the Eagles, which have a signature win over four-seed Marysville-Pilchuck. He has passed for 2,152 yards and 30 touchdowns for the Eagles. Mount Spokane has the state’s top kicker in Ethan Moczulski, who can be a game-changer. TNT pick: Arlington 21, Mount Spokane 20
No. 8 Peninsula vs. No. 9 Rainier Beach: It’s tough to know what to make of Peninsula. The Seahawks only played one state tournament team this season, losing 51-13 to Bellevue in Week 1. Because of covid protocol, Peninsula was unable to play Yelm, the state tournament’s No. 4 seed. Rainier Beach, meanwhile, is battle-tested, losing narrowly to Eastside Catholic, 28-27. TNT pick: Rainier Beach 28, Peninsula 21
Correction: An earlier version of this article stated Marysville-Pilchuck’s lowest scoring output of the season was 28 points. It was actually 14, in a loss to Arlington.
This story was originally published November 11, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
