They dominated everyone in their path. Now, star-studded Graham-Kapowsin seniors will go separate ways
The moment felt bittersweet inside the Graham-Kapowsin High School gym on Wednesday morning, where several players from the Eagles’ star-studded, dominant team gathered to sign their National Letters of Intent on the NCAA’s second National Signing Day. Several had already signed during the NCAA’s early signing period, but were recognized on Wednesday.
Quarterback Joshua Wood signed with Fresno State, tight end/defensive end Andrew Savaiianaea with Florida, twin brothers and linemen Curtis and Hunter Hill and receiver Julian Mason with Idaho State. And three-star offensive lineman Vega Ioane was the man of the hour, pulling out a hat and announcing his commitment to Penn State, choosing the Nittany Lions over UW and Minnesota. Graham-Kapowsin also has multiple players who play at the Division III level.
It’s a group that accomplished so much together, posting back-to-back undefeated seasons and winning the 4A state championship this fall, dominating Lake Stevens in the title, 44-7. Then came a win in a nationally-televised GEICO Bowl Series game in Las Vegas against nationally-ranked Collins Hill, the Georgia 7A champion, which featured the nation’s top high school football recruit.
Those memories will last a lifetime and the success led to well-deserved scholarship offers for many of Graham-Kapowsin’s seniors. But it wasn’t lost on longtime G-K coach Eric Kurle — who won his first state championship with this year’s group — that Wednesday was a final sendoff of sorts. The players, who had done something remarkable together, will go their separate ways.
That, of course, is the reality of life and its seasons. Those moments of triumph will eventually be remembered through newspaper articles, photos and iPhone videos, when the players gather together again in the years to come to reminisce about this special team.
“It was a great group of kids coming in as ninth graders,” Kurle said. “You don’t get kids like that. We stayed healthy and now they’re getting to play D-I football because of what they did academically and on the field.”
Does Kurle foresee another group like this ever coming through Graham-Kapowsin again?
“Oh, no. I doubt that,” he said. “It just all came together with kids who are great athletes coming in, coachable and willing to keep getting better. Every one of those kids got better. I enjoyed that part of that. From lifting, running, learning the game. It’s a pretty special group that pushes themselves and pushes one another.”
IOANE PICKS PENN STATE
The one-time UW commit reopened his recruitment after Jimmy Lake was fired, though the Huskies were still in contention to land the 6-foot-4, 320-pound lineman, considered a three-star recruit by 247sports.com. Ioane visited Penn State last weekend and was wowed during his visit, he said.
“When I got down there, just the all-around atmosphere, I felt comfortable with the coaching staff, players, campus and everything,” he said. “Penn State was one of the first teams that got me into football in eighth grade.”
Ioane said the pressure of having to go through the recruiting process another time because of the coaching change at UW got to him at times.
“It was beyond stressful,” he said. “A lot of phone calls, day in and day out, a lot of coaches trying to recruit me and everything like that. Some coaches promising me this, promising me that. I was just getting pulled back and forth.”
Ultimately, the allure of playing in front of 100,000-plus was too good to turn down, though Ioane said it was a difficult decision, given that UW retained offensive line coach Scott Huff, who had an existing relationship with Ioane.
“It wasn’t nowhere near easy for the decision to be made,” Ioane said. “Scott Huff, he’s my guy. I love that guy. But I just felt like this place is where I wanted it to be my home.”
FLORIDA SWOOPS LATE ONTO SAVAIINAEA
Just how loaded was this year’s Graham-Kapowsin team? Andrew Savaiinaea, who signed with the Florida Gators on Wednesday, wasn’t even one of the first couple players usually mentioned when people talked about the Eagles this year.
Savaiinaea, a 6-foot-3, 258-pounder, is considered a three-star recruit by 247sports and played tight end and defensive end for G-K last fall. He looks the part, moves well for his size, is athletic and has soft hands. Florida swooped in with an offer after G-K’s GEICO Bowl Series game in Las Vegas.
Safeties coach Patrick Toney came across Savaiinaea’s film and was surprised more offers hadn’t rolled in and that Savaiinaea remained uncommitted.
“He just asked me where my recruitment was at,” Savaiinaea said. “We were talking back and forth for a while. I sent some more film, did some drill work. Him and the whole coaching staff said they loved it.”
He took an official visit in late January, committing shortly thereafter. His high school career was an unusual one; he spent his freshman year at Graham-Kapowsin before transferring to Eastside Catholic for his sophomore year, moving to Oregon his junior year before returning to Graham-Kapowsin for his senior year. He was a piece that helped put Graham-Kapowsin over the edge.
“It’s definitely benefited my career a lot,” he said. “In the best way possible. There’s nothing better than playing with the guys I played middle school ball with. I’m just glad I came back.”
About everyone going their separate ways — the sweetness comes from seeing everyone achieve their dream of playing college football, even though the chapter has closed on this season of life.
“It’s crazy,” Savaiinaea said. “I’m proud of all of them. It’s been a dream of ours since we were little. It’s just cool to see.”
