Top performers, upsets in the high school football state semifinals
The high school football state semifinals in Washington delivered big individual performances, convincing wins and a few more upsets.
Here’s a bracket-by-bracket glance at some of the highlights from the round, and a look ahead to the championship games.
CLASS 4A
SEMIFINALS SCORES
No. 2 Lake Stevens 42, No. 6 Graham-Kapowsin 28
No. 4 Kennedy Catholic 42, No. 8 Emerald Ridge 28
UPSET ALERT
No upsets here. Both of the higher-seeded 4A programs advanced to the championship game.
TOP PERFORMERS
QB Devon Forehand, Kennedy Catholic, soph.
23-of-28 passing, 340 yards, 5 TDs
WR/DB Tony Harste, Emerald Ridge, jr.
8 catches, 117 yards, TD
WR/DB Mason Hayes, Kennedy Catholic, sr.
203 all-purpose yards; 8 catches, 156 yards, 2 TDs; 6 tackles; 2-pt conversion pass
RB/LB Jayden Limar, Lake Stevens, sr.
21 carries, 145 yards, 5 TDs; 22-yard passing TD
WR/DB Jabez Woods, Graham-Kapowsin, jr.
183 all-purpose yards; 8 catches, 93 yards; 3 kickoff returns, 90 yards; 2-pt conversion catch
DID YOU KNOW?
▪ There will be a new champion in 4A this season. Lake Stevens, last year’s runner-up in the 4A bracket, bested defending champion Graham-Kapowsin on Saturday evening in Lake Stevens to secure a second consecutive trip to the title game. The Eagles routed the Vikings, 44-7, in the title game last December as part of a perfect season.
▪ Both Lake Stevens and Kennedy Catholic enter this weekend’s championship game looking to win the first state title in program history. This will be Lake Stevens’ fifth trip to the title game (the Vikings also played in the 4A final last season and in 2018, and the 3A final in 1994 and 1985) and the second appearance for Kennedy Catholic (the Lancers also played for the 3A title in 2006). This will be the second ever meeting between the Vikings and Lancers in the state playoffs, and first since the 3A quarterfinals in 1993. Kennedy Catholic won that meeting, 21-13.
▪ Lake Stevens four-star running back Jayden Limar has collected 40 total touchdowns this season (35 rushing, four receiving, one passing) — including 15 in the state playoffs the past three weeks. The Notre Dame commit rushed for three touchdowns and caught another in a first-round win over North Creek, rushed for four scores and caught one in a win over Gonzaga Prep in the quarterfinals and rushed for five more touchdowns and tossed his first career touchdown pass against Graham-Kapowsin in last weekend’s semifinals.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The 4A state championship game is set for Dec. 3.
No. 2 Lake Stevens (11-2) vs. No. 4 Kennedy Catholic (12-1)
5 p.m. Saturday, Mount Tahoma Stadium, Tacoma
CLASS 3A
SEMIFINALS SCORES
No. 2 Eastside Catholic 35, No. 3 O’Dea 28 (2OT)
No. 1 Yelm 28, No. 5 Bellevue 27
UPSET ALERT
No upsets here. Both of the higher-seeded 3A programs advanced to the championship game.
TOP PERFORMERS
RB/DB Jason Brown, O’Dea, jr.
30 carries, 105 yards, 2 TDs
RB/DB Ishaan Daniels, Bellevue, sr.
12 carries, 55 yards, TD
RB/LB Richie Fotualii-Aliifua, Eastside Catholic, sr.
36 carries, 178 yards, 5 TDs
RB/LB Brayden Platt, Yelm, jr.
33 carries, 163 yards, 3 TDs; 9 tackles, TFL
WR/DB Kyler Ronquillo, Yelm, sr.
10 carries, 79 yards; 1 catch, 15 yards; 8 tackles
DID YOU KNOW?
▪ There will be a new champion in 3A this season. Yelm, in its first trip to the semifinals in program history, edged defending 3A champion Bellevue on Saturday afternoon in Yelm to advance to its first championship game. Eastside Catholic topped 3A Metro League rival O’Dea in two overtimes to advance to the final for the seventh time. The Crusaders have won four titles (2019, 2018, 2015, 2014).
▪ Both Yelm and Eastside Catholic enter this weekend’s title game with undefeated records. The Tornados have outscored their opponents, 676-137, this season and the Crusaders, 466-141.
▪ This will be the first meeting between Yelm and Eastside Catholic in the state playoffs.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The 3A state championship game is set for Dec. 3.
No. 2 Eastside Catholic (12-0) vs. No. 1 Yelm (13-0)
Noon Saturday, Sparks Stadium, Puyallup
CLASS 2A
SEMIFINALS SCORES
No. 3 North Kitsap 29, No. 2 W.F. West 22
No. 1 Lynden 41, No. 4 Enumclaw 14
UPSET ALERT
It didn’t start the way North Kitsap would have hoped. Trailing 15-0, the Vikings’ vaunted defense looked out of sorts early on. Then the defense came to life and North Kitsap scored 29 unanswered points to secure the program’s first state championship appearance. Two red zone interceptions from Logan Sloman and Benen Lawler, and a goal-line stand helped hold W.F. West’s offense in check after a fast start. On offense, Sloman caught nine passes for 162 yards and a touchdown. Jaxon Gore had eight catches for 154 yards and a touchdown. Lawler rushed for 120 yards on 29 carries.
TOP PERFORMERS
WR/DB Cameron Amoroso, W.F. West, sr.
8 catches, 135 yards, TD
QB Cole Edwards, North Kitsap, jr.
21-of-33 passing, 323 yards, 2 TDs
RB/LB Lane Heeringa, Lynden, sr.
17 carries, 106 yards, 2 TDs
RB/DL Campbell Nolte, Lynden, sr.
14 carries, 181 yards, 2 TDs
WR/DB Logan Sloman, North Kitsap, jr.
9 catches, 162 yards, TD; 8 tackles, 2 INT, 3 passes defended; 2-pt conversion catch
DID YOU KNOW?
▪ W.F. West tested North Kitsap’s defense early in last week’s semifinals matchup, scoring 15 points in the opening quarter, but the Vikings allowed only seven more in the final three quarters to secure a championship appearance. North Kitsap has allowed only 70 points — 5.4 per game — through 13 weeks.
▪ Lynden, which topped Tumwater in last season’s title game, is one of two defending state champions still playing. Royal, the two-time defending champion in 1A, will also play in the title game this week.
▪ Lynden has won nine state titles in its history in 14 appearances in the final. This is the first trip to the championship game in North Kitsap’s history. This will be the second meeting between the two programs in the state bracket. The first was last season, when the Lions edged the Vikings, 15-10, in the semifinals.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The 2A state championship game is set for Dec. 3.
No. 3 North Kitsap (12-1) vs. No. 1 Lynden (12-0)
5 p.m. Saturday, Sparks Stadium, Puyallup
CLASS 1A
SEMIFINALS SCORES
No. 10 Mount Baker 14, No. 3 Nooksack Valley 13
No. 1 Royal 57, No. 12 Freeman 21
UPSET ALERT
Mount Baker trailed, 13-7, at the start of the fourth quarter, when the Mountaineers went on a 20-play, 80-yard touchdown drive, capped by a 1-yard run from Landon Smith. Less than 30 seconds remained on the clock, allowing no chance for a Nooksack Valley response. It was revenge for Mount Baker against its 1A Northwest Conference rival, which had defeated Mount Baker in the regular season.
TOP PERFORMERS
QB/LB Dylan Allred, Royal, sr.
17-of-25 passing, 250 yards, 4 TDs; 17 carries, 109 yards, TD; 13 tackles
WR/DB Edgar Delarosa, Royal, sr.
7 catches, 110 yards, 4 TDs; 2 tackles, TFL, sack
RB/LB Marcques George, Mount Baker, sr.
19 carries, 71 yards, TD
WR/DB Sage Gilbert, Freeman, jr.
8 catches, 161 yards, TD; 5 tackles
QB/LB Boen Phelps, Freeman, sr.
21-of-43 passing, 286 yards, TD; 15 carries, 83 yards, 2 TDs; 13 tackles, TFL; 1-of-1 PAT, 2-pt conversion run
DID YOU KNOW?
▪ Royal is heading to the state championship for the 14th time in its history, and looking to add to its 10 titles, which include winning five of the past six 1A brackets. Mount Baker is in the title game for the second time in its history. The program lost to Freeman in the 1A championship game in its first appearance in 2013.
▪ This will be the second meeting between Royal and Mount Baker in the state playoffs. The first was in the 2018 quarterfinals, when the Knights won, 55-6. That was a week before Royal, then the three-time defending 1A champion, dropped a stunning upset loss to Colville in the semifinals, ending a state-best 53-game winning streak. Royal is 44-1 since, with the Knights’ only loss in that span to Lynden Christian back in September.
▪ Royal, which topped Eatonville in last season’s title game, is one of two defending state champions still playing. Lynden, the defending champion in 2A, will also play in the title game this week.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The 1A state championship game is set for Dec. 3.
No. 10 Mount Baker (8-4) vs. No. 1 Royal (11-1)
Noon Saturday, Harry E. Lang Stadium, Lakewood
CLASS 2B
SEMIFINALS SCORES
No. 2 Okanogan 42, No. 3 Pe Ell-Willapa Valley 14
No. 1 Napavine 49, No. 4 Chewelah 6
UPSET ALERT
No upsets here. Both of the higher-seeded 2B programs advanced to the championship game.
TOP PERFORMERS
WR/DB Carson Boesel, Okanogan, sr.
8 catches, 158 yards, 2 TDs; 3 tackles, INT
QB/DB Ashton Demarest, Napavine, jr.
14-of-26 passing, 299 yards, 5 TDs; 10 carries, 55 yards, TD
WR/DB Karsen Denault, Napavine, soph.
5 catches, 210 yards, 2 TDs
QB/LB Kolten Fluke, Pe Ell-Willapa Valley, sr.
8-of-19 passing, 110 yards, TD; rushing TD; 18 tackles
RB/LB Johnny Swartsel, Okanogan, sr.
15 carries, 108 yards, 2 TDs; 5.5 tackles
DID YOU KNOW?
▪ Both Napavine and Okanogan enter the final week with undefeated records. Napavine has outscored its opponents, 677-61, this season, while Okanogan has outscored its opponents, 617-106. The two programs are the only two in 2B to eclipse 600 points this season.
▪ Napavine is in the championship game for the eighth time in program history, and looking to add to title wins in 2016, 2008 and 1976. Okanogan is set for its fifth appearance, and also has three titles in 2015, 2014 and 1999.
▪ This will be the fourth meeting between the two programs in the state playoffs. The most recent meeting was last season in the semifinals, when Napavine won, 42-10, on the way to a runner-up finish to Kalama. The other two meetings were in the 2B title game in 2014 and 2015. Okanogan won both meetings to secure back-to-back titles.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The 2B state championship game is set for Dec. 3.
No. 2 Okanogan (12-0) vs. No. 1 Napavine (12-0)
CLASS 1B
SEMIFINALS SCORES
No. 2 Neah Bay 82, No. 3 Liberty Christian 24
No. 5 Liberty Bell 70, No. 1 Odessa 24
UPSET ALERT
Liberty Bell quarterback Riley Lidey was electric, completing 17-of-29 passes for 379 yards and seven touchdowns to upend top-seeded Odessa. He also rushed 12 times for 113 yards and another score. At half, Liberty Bell led, 42-16. The win secured Liberty Bell’s first trip to the state championship game in program history, continuing an already historic run. Prior to this season, the program had never advanced past the quarterfinals — losing in that round to Odessa, 62-22, last season.
TOP PERFORMERS
QB/DB Julian Carrick, Neah Bay, sr.
20 carries, 218 yards, 5 TDs; 4 tackles, INT; 2 2-pt conversion runs
QB/DB Riley Lidey, Liberty Bell, sr.
17-of-29 passing, 379 yards, 7 TDs; 12 carries, 113 yards, TD; 3 2-pt conversion runs
RB/DB Remy Paz, Liberty Bell, fr.
4 receiving TDs, 2 rushing TDs
RB/DB Gage Starkel, Odessa, sr.
14 carries, 108 yards, TD; 11 tackles, 2 TFL; 2-pt conversion run
RB/DB Jodell Wimberly, Neah Bay, soph.
28 carries, 235 yards, 3 TDs; 2 INT
DID YOU KNOW?
▪ No. 2 will play No. 5 in the championship game after No. 5 Liberty Bell upended top-seeded Odessa in last week’s semifinals. The only other classification in which the championship game does not feature the No. 1 seed this season is 4A. Top-seeded Chiawana lost to No. 8 Emerald Ridge in the quarterfinals in that bracket.
▪ Neah Bay is headed to the championship game for the eighth time in its history, and has four title wins in 2016, 2014, 2013 and 2011. Liberty Bell is in the championship game for the first time in its history.
▪ This will be the first meeting between Neah Bay and Liberty Bell in the state playoffs.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The 1B state championship game is set for Dec. 3.
No. 2 Neah Bay (10-0) vs. No. 5 Liberty Bell (10-2)
Noon Saturday, Mount Tahoma Stadium, Tacoma
This story was originally published November 29, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
