Week 7: High school football predictions, games to watch in South Sound
Voting is now closed for The News Tribune’s high school football game of the week poll.
The voters have chosen Fife vs. Washington on Thursday night at Franklin Pierce Stadium as TNT’s Game of the Week. We’ll be there covering the 2A SPSL matchup, so keep an eye out for coverage Thursday.
Read about the top five games in the South Sound in Week 7 below, plus our prediction for the state game of the week.
4A SPSL
PUYALLUP VIKINGS (5-1) VS. BETHEL BISON (4-2)
7 p.m. Friday, Art Crate Field, Spanaway
Another week, another key matchup in the 4A SPSL as the league continues to sort out which six teams in the 10-team league will move on to the postseason. Puyallup is one of three teams in the league with a 5-1 record entering Week 7, along with Emerald Ridge and Sumner. The Vikings bounced back with wins over rival Rogers and Olympia following a 30-point loss to Sumner last month. Bethel is one of two 4A SPSL teams sitting at 4-2 in league play, along with defending league and state champion Graham-Kapowsin. The Bison lost to Emerald Ridge last week, and face three of the league’s top teams in the final stretch of the regular season in the Vikings, Sumner and Graham-Kapowsin. Bethel last beat Puyallup in 2015, the program’s last season in the 4A SPSL South before playing in 3A for several years. Puyallup won last season’s meeting — the first time the two teams have played since — 46-18.
TNT pick: Puyallup, 24-14
3A PCL
SPANAWAY LAKE SENTINELS (5-1) VS. LAKES LANCERS (5-0)
7 p.m. Saturday, Harry E. Lang Stadium, Lakewood
Lakes comes into the game undefeated, winning comfortably in all five games to date. Ki’Marree Washington (677 rushing yards, 10 TDs) is having a big season at running back, while versatile BYU commit Leo Pulalasi (367 rushing yards, 11 TDs; 252 receiving yards, five TDs) is a difficult matchup for any defense. Oregon State commit David Wells (385 receiving yards, 5 TDs) leads the Lancers in receiving. Spanaway Lake is coming off a rout of Silas last week, and hasn’t lost since being shut out by Gig Harbor in Week 1, when the Sentinels were without starting quarterback Dempsy James. Sophomore D’Aryhian Clemons (739 rushing yards, seven TDs) has been on a tear and James has 12 total touchdowns. Spanaway Lake could see the return of four-star Oklahoma commit Jasiah Wagoner this week.
TNT pick: Lakes, 28-27
3A SSC
TIMBERLINE BLAZERS (5-1) VS. YELM TORNADOS (6-0)
7 p.m. Thursday, Yelm High School, Yelm
Will Yelm be tested during the regular season? We’ll find out on Thursday when the undefeated Tornados play host to the Blazers, after beating up on the bottom half of the 3A SSC. Yelm has outscored its four league opponents, 260-7, pitching shutouts in three of the games, including a 71-0 beatdown of Capital last week. Junior Brayden Platt is up to 17 rushing touchdowns and is averaging 14.9 yards per carry. Timberline, a program that prides itself on toughness, will be excited for the challenge. Since losing to Kelso, the Blazers have ripped off five straight wins, including an overtime road win over Gig Harbor. Timberline is on its third-string quarterback in Cedric Ragland, who has played well for the Blazers.
TNT pick: Yelm, 42-21
2A SPSL
FIFE TROJANS (5-1) VS. WASHINGTON PATRIOTS (3-3)
7 p.m. Thursday, Franklin Pierce Stadium, Tacoma
Fife has gotten back to looking like Fife this year. The Trojans have had no issue scoring, averaging 35 points per game. Senior Ben Fualaau, junior Zach Roberston and junior Gavin Schneider pace the Trojans’ dizzying rushing attack, while dual-threat senior quarterback Dylan Goldstrom has been effective both on the ground and through the air. Washington, meanwhile, has bounced back after a sluggish start to the season. The Patriots have won three straight over Clover Park, White River and Orting, and quarterback Luke Elliott is playing well. Junior running back Unterrio Latin-Henley has missed a couple games with a rib injury and is expected back this week.
TNT pick: Fife, 28-21
Nonleague
KENNEDY CATHOLIC LANCERS (5-1) VS. AUBURN RIVERSIDE RAVENS (4-2)
6 p.m. Thursday, Auburn Memorial Stadium, Auburn
The reigning 4A NPSL champions and reigning 3A NPSL champions — both undefeated in league play so far this season — meet in a nonleague contest before returning to league play next week for the final stretch of the regular season. Kennedy Catholic brings its high-flying offense — which tallied seven passing touchdowns in last week’s win over Kentridge — to the matchup, and has won five straight games since a season-opening loss to 3A powerhouse Eastside Catholic. The Lancers have outscored their five opponents since, 233-41. Auburn Riverside is on a four-game winning streak following losses to reigning 3A PCL champion Lincoln and North Creek to open the season. The Ravens have outscored their past four opponents, 158-24. The Lancers won the most recent meeting between the two programs, 51-17, in 2018.
TNT pick: Kennedy Catholic, 35-21
STATE GAME OF THE WEEK
CAMAS PAPERMAKERS (3-3) VS. SKYVIEW STORM (5-1)
7 p.m. Friday, Kiggins Bowl, Vancouver
Two 4A Greater St. Helens League powers go head-to-head this week in the league opener for both programs that could be key in deciding this season’s champion. Camas (4A state champion in 2016 and 2019) has controlled the 4A GSHL for much of the past decade, while Union (4A state champion in 2018) has also won multiple league titles during that stretch. Could this be the season the Storm win the league outright for the first time since they won three undefeated 4A GSHL titles from 2009-11? They would have to upend Camas to get there. The last time Skyview beat Camas was the last time the program won an outright league title in 2011. The Papermakers have won 11 consecutive games in the series. The Storm haven’t lost a game against a Washington opponent this season, though. Following a three-point loss to Oregon 6A power Jesuit in Portland in Week 1, Skyview has won five consecutive games over Columbia River, Bothell, Kamiak, Heritage and Kentwood. Camas, meanwhile, lost three games to open the season against opponents expected to make postseason runs in Yelm, Glacier Peak and Lincoln of Tacoma. The Papermakers have routed three teams since in Kelso, Kamiak and Evergreen of Vancouver.
TNT pick: Skyview, 28-27
This story was originally published October 11, 2022 at 12:00 PM.
