High school football season preview: 3A Pierce County League
High school football is back in the South Sound. Practices are underway as programs across the state prepare for the beginning of the 2022 season in September.
The News Tribune and The Olympian will be visiting schools in the area and previewing local leagues as the first week of games approaches.
Follow along with us throughout the two-week preseason for previews on the 4A NPSL, 4A SPSL, 3A NPSL, 3A PCL, 3A SSC, 2A SPSL, 2A EvCo and more.
3A PIERCE COUNTY LEAGUE
Who’s the favorite?
Reigning league champion Lincoln, led by senior quarterback and Missouri commit Gabarri Johnson, widely considered the best quarterback in the state this fall. Lincoln got back on top of the 3A PCL last fall after Spanaway Lake won the league during the COVID-shortened spring season. Johnson showed flashes of his ability as a sophomore during that spring season, but was still young. He came into his own in his junior year and solidified his status as one of the state’s top signal callers. He threw for 2,222 yards and 28 touchdowns to just two interceptions last fall, also rushing for 737 yards and 15 touchdowns. He was a first-team selection to The News Tribune’s All-Area team. Lincoln got revenge last fall, beating Spanaway Lake, 41-14 in September. The Abes wrapped up the league title with a 36-34 win over Lakes in late October, in which Johnson rushed 29 times for 164 yards and four touchdowns. He also passed for a touchdown in the win. Seniors Trey Meredith and TJ Tusi lead a nasty, experienced offensive line that should have no problems opening holes for junior running back Navarre Dixon, who was one of the state’s top wrestlers in the 182-pound weight class last winter. Lincoln will need to replace the production of defensive end and Miami commit Jayden Wayne, who transferred to IMG Academy in Florida for his senior season.
Any other contenders?
Lakes, which reached the 3A state tournament last fall as the No. 16 seed and gave eventual state champion Bellevue, the tournament’s top seed, a real scare in the opening round. The Lancers lost quarterback Justin Brennan to graduation, but freshman quarterback Legend Galeai should have a relatively soft landing, thanks to some high-end talent around him at the skill positions. Lakes returns a pair of TNT All-Area first-team selections in senior running back/receiver Leo Pulalasi, a BYU commit, and receiver David Wells, an Oregon State commit. Pulalasi was the 3A PCL offensive player of the year last fall, rushing for 931 yards and 13 touchdowns and catching 21 passes for 380 yards and five touchdowns. Wells was an impact player as a defensive back, receiver and kick returner. He caught 40 passes for 920 yards and 10 touchdowns and defensively had four interceptions, 36 tackles and 14 pass breakups.
Spanaway Lake, which won the league during the COVID-shortened 2021 spring season, is also a contender. The Sentinels had a weird 2021 season plagued by COVID cancellations and were only able to play seven games, but Spanaway Lake still beat Lakes in October and was competitive in a 26-21 playoff loss to Kennewick. Spanaway Lake returns shutdown corner Jasiah Wagoner, who recently committed to Oklahoma. He’s joined in the secondary by Eastern Washington commit Zion Jones. The Sentinels have some experience coming back on the line, as well, and return senior quarterback Dempsy James, who passed for 1,100 yards and 12 touchdowns last season and rushed for 200 yards and seven touchdowns. He’ll miss at least the first game of the season due to an undisclosed violation of team rules, but should be available later in the season, when Spanaway Lake’s schedule heats up. The Sentinels will have to find a replacement for breakout sophomore Joshua Collie, who figured to be one of the area’s top running backs as a junior this fall. He moved back to Florida in the offseason.
Save the date
Friday, Sept. 2 — Lakes vs. Kentwood, 7 p.m. at French Field (Kent)
Saturday, Sept. 17 — Camas vs. Lincoln, 4 p.m. at Lincoln Bowl (Tacoma)
Saturday, Oct. 15 — Spanaway Lake vs. Lakes, 7 p.m. at Harry E. Lang Stadium (Lakewood)
Friday, Oct. 21 — Lakes vs. Lincoln, 7 p.m. at Lincoln Bowl (Tacoma)
Friday, Oct. 28 — Lincoln vs. Spanaway Lake, 7 p.m. at Art Crate Field (Spanaway)
Did you know?
There will be fresh faces at three Tacoma public schools this fall. Cameron Rogers is the new coach at Silas, replacing Amad Robinson, who was let go after the 2021 season. Rogers, 38, graduated from Wilson (now Silas) in 2002 and coached as an assistant under longtime Rams football coach Don Clegg from 2007-15. He also teaches English at the high school. “The big thing for me was sense of community,” Rogers told TNT in May. “My kids are growing up, becoming even more involved in the community. I thought it was a perfect opportunity to dig my roots in a little bit more, be even more involved. As head track coach, I’ve already had that opportunity.” At Stadium, Pat Johnson replaces Josh Bellinger, who stepped down after coaching the Tigers for three seasons. Johnson coached at Foss from 2013-15 and coached the defensive line most recently at Trinity University in Texas. At Mount Tahoma, Keith Terry takes over for Leon Hatch. Terry played at Mount Tahoma in the mid-2000s and has had assistant coaching stints at Decatur and Auburn Riverside.
10 players to watch
RB Navarre Dixon, Lincoln, jr.
TE Thomas Drenkel, Bonney Lake, sr.
QB Gabarri Johnson, Lincoln, sr.
DB Zion Jones, Spanaway Lake, sr.
ATH Connor Meade, Silas, sr.
OL Trey Meredith, Lincoln, sr.
RB/WR Leo Pulalasi, Lakes, sr.
OL Marquise Thorpe-Taylor, Mount Tahoma, jr.
DB Jasiah Wagoner, Spanaway Lake, sr.
WR David Wells, Lakes, sr.
Predicted order of finish
Lincoln, Spanaway Lake, Lakes, Mount Tahoma, Bonney Lake, Silas, Stadium
This story was originally published August 25, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
