State football championship preview: Storylines and predictions for South Sound teams
For Tumwater, playing in the state championship game is old hat. Six times, the T-Birds have lifted the championship trophy, winning titles in 1987, 1989, 1990, 1993, 2010 and 2019. Four more times, Tumwater has appeared in the state championship game, finishing second.
Eatonville has a proud winning tradition, too, winning 1A state championships in 1985, 1990 and 1992.
Graham-Kapowsin is the new kid on the block out of the three South Sound teams playing in state championship games this weekend. The high school opened in 2006, and while the Eagles have been successful since the school’s inception, this year marks the first time the program will play in the state championship game.
No. 1 Graham-Kapowsin vs. No. 3 Lake Stevens (4A)
Saturday, 4 p.m. at Mount Tahoma High School
These have been two of the state’s premier 4A programs in the past decade. The Eagles and Vikings have met three times in the past six seasons in the state tournament, with Lake Stevens winning in 2015 and 2018 and Graham-Kapowsin winning in 2017.
“It’s two good programs,” said Graham-Kapowsin coach Eric Kurle. “You run into each other when you’re good programs. We get matched up with them more often than not.”
Lake Stevens (11-0 overall) is coming off a 45-28 win over second-seeded Eastlake in the state semifinal round. Quarterback Grayson Murren completed 34-of-44 passes for 341 yards and two touchdowns, finding Eastern Washington commit Drew Carter (166 yards and two touchdowns on 13 receptions) often. Brothers Jayden Limar, a junior, and Jayshon, a freshman, pace the running game for the Vikings.
Lake Stevens likes to get the ball to its athletes in space and on the edge, and against Graham-Kapowsin’s powerful line, that’s going to have to continue to be the strategy to attack the Eagles.
“(Lake Stevens coach) Tom (Tri) is really good at getting his athletes the ball in different ways,” Kurle said. “Their speed on the perimeter is the biggest thing. We have to be able to tackle on the perimeter, not give up big plays. They’re a big screen pass, fly-sweep team.”
Kurle, who said he has ‘all the respect in the world’ for Tri and the Lake Stevens program, feels this is the deepest and most talented team he’s had at Graham-Kapowsin.
Graham-Kapowsin will come into the game as the favorite, after thumping Kamiakin in last week’s semifinal, 42-0. There just don’t seem to be any holes on this Eagles roster, highlighted by the offensive and defensive lines, which Kurle said are the best he’s ever had. Left tackle Vega Ioane, a UW commit, has been a dominant two-way player for the Eagles. Twin brothers Curtis and Hunter Hill are relentless defensive tackles. Quarterback Joshua Wood, an Eastern Washington commit, is in full control of the offense, often looking to his No. 1 target Julian Mason, an Idaho State commit. Zack Lee and Jalen Davenport pace the running game behind that bruising offensive line.
“The talent is the No. 1 thing,” Kurle said, when asked what separates this group from other good teams the Eagles have fielded in the past. “If we need to throw every time, we can. If we need to run the whole game, we can. We can adapt to any situation in a game. … Talent-wise, we’re very talented in all areas.”
There’s also some doubt as to whether Lake Stevens quarterback Grayson Murren will be able to play in the championship game, after suffering an injury late in the semifinal game. If he’s unable to go, it’ll be freshman Kolton Matson, who has some starting experience, filling in for Murren when he missed time with a leg injury. Still, unless he’s a truly transcendent talent, that’s a tough ask for a freshman quarterback against the state’s best defensive line.
Even if Lake Stevens puts up some points, no one has figured out yet how to slow down the Graham-Kapowsin offense, a pro-style attack that can counter a variety of defensive looks. The Eagles can pound the rock in I-formation or spread opponents out and let Wood throw all game.
“We can adapt to our personnel and our talent,” Kurle said. “It always gets back to who’s going to win the battle up front.”
TNT pick: Graham-Kapowsin 42, Lake Stevens 21
No. 1 Tumwater vs. No. 2 Lynden (2A)
Tumwater and Lynden are plenty familiar with each other. The programs have squared off six times during the past decade-plus in the state tournament, including twice in the championship game (back-to-back Lynden wins in 2012 and 2013). Tumwater has won just two of those meetings (2017 and 2010), while Lynden has won the other four matchups (2006, 2012, 2013, and 2018). So why do these two teams keep running into each other in state?
“I think No. 1, we’re both grassroots programs,” said Tumwater coach Bill Beattie. “It starts with good community-based schools, youth programs, middle schools. Those are keys that continually will produce successful programs. … Both these teams have that in place.”
This will be Beattie’s third time as Tumwater’s coach facing Lynden. In many ways, Lynden is a mirror image of Tumwater, though the offensive schemes look a bit different. Both are heavily reliant on the run game, though.
“Every time, it’s the same sequence: tough defense, run the ball hard and throw the ball when they need to,” Beattie said. “It’s the same challenge every time you play them. You have to bring your A-game.”
Lynden snuck past North Kitsap in the semifinal round, winning 15-10 over the Vikings. Tumwater, meanwhile, posted a dominant defensive effort against an explosive Squalicum team, winning 14-3 in last week’s semifinal game, holding WSU commits Leyton Smithson and Djouvensky Schlenbaker well below their season rushing averages.
“Our defensive coaches did a fantastic job,” Beattie said. “Even more impressively, getting that gameplan in the kids’ heads, and the kids understood what to do. (Against Lynden), is there a chance they can break one off? Yeah, they’re a good football team. It’s how you respond to that little bit of adversity.”
Lynden is led by quarterback Kaedan Hermanutz (1,271 yards, 19 touchdowns; 520 rushing yards, seven touchdowns). His No. 1 target has been Kaleo Jandoc (585 yards, 10 touchdowns). Running back Lane Heerlinga (1,009 yards, eight touchdowns) leads the rushing attack.
Tumwater, meanwhile, has two running backs who have found plenty of success on the ground in the Wing-T this year. Payton Hoyt (1,113 yards, 26 touchdowns) and Carlos Matheney (1,050 yards, 15 touchdowns) lead the rushing attack. A pair of Division-I tight ends in Boise State commit Austin Terry and UW commit Ryan Otton are both strong in run blocking and able to make plays in the pass game.
TNT pick: Tumwater 21, Lynden 14
No. 1 Royal vs. No. 2 Eatonville (1A)
Saturday, noon at Harry Lang Stadium
Royal has been the class of the 1A classification for some time now. The Knights have won nine state championships, and eight of them (2000, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019) have been under current Royal head coach Wiley Allred, who’s in his 23rd season at Royal.
Eatonville coach Gavin Kralik, in his fifth year coaching the Cruisers, knows Royal has been the gold standard in 1A.
“(I have) the highest amount of respect,” Kralik said. “Good culture, well-coached. Coach Allred is probably one of the top four coaches in the state’s history. … So those kids are super well disciplined and they care a lot about each other.”
This year’s Royal group is led by quarterback Derek Bergeson (1,961 yards, 39 touchdowns) leads the Knights, whose top target has been Lule Bergeson (866 yards and 18 touchdowns). Running back Avery Ellis (1,0560 yards and 21 touchdowns) paces the Knights’ running game.
Royal beat King’s in the semifinal, 35-14, while Eatonville beat Lynden Christian 38-6 on the top of the bracket.
“They’re very well disciplined, play great defense, fly to the football,” Kralik said of Royal. “Outstanding on special teams, as well. They really don’t have a weakness you can point it. We’re going to have to play a really clean game to give ourselves a shot.”
One area where Kralik feels like Eatonville will have the advantage is overall team depth. The Cruisers have more bodies to fill positions, and if Eatonville can keep it within a score or lead at half, Eatonville should feel good about its chances in the second half.
“I think depth combined with having been in a lot more tight ball games the past couple years is an advantage,” Kralik said.
And Eatonville presents something Royal probably hasn’t seen this season: A varied, creative, up-tempo offense that is balanced between the run and pass.
A win would secure Eatonville’s first state championship since 1992. There are all sorts of family and community ties going back to that 1992 team, highlighted by receiver Jakob Lucht (his dad, Bobby, was the ‘92 team’s quarterback and is currently the team’s quarterbacks coach). There’s a strong sense of community in Eatonville, and maybe even a sense of destiny with this year’s team. It would also secure Kralik’s first state championship in his head coaching career, but he’s not thinking much about himself.
“It’d be great for our community,” Kralik said. “It’s been 29 years. It’s not about me individually. It’d mean a lot to the kids, families, the student body.”
In sports, the favorites usually win. Eatonville knows it’s the underdog against the established 1A power. But sometimes, the stars align. There’s something about this Eatonville team that makes it hard to bet against. Buckle up, we’re in for a show.
TNT pick: Eatonville 38, Royal 35
