High school football season preview: 4A North Puget Sound League

By Doug Drowley

Updated August 31, 2023 10:13 AM

High school football is back

The News Tribune is visiting schools in the area and previewing local leagues as the first week of games approaches.

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High school football is back in the South Sound. Practices are underway as programs across the state prepare for the beginning of the 2023 season.

The News Tribune 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.

4A NORTH PUGET SOUND LEAGUE

Kennedy Catholic quarterback Devon Forehand scrambles away from Skyline defenders during the first quarter of a Class 4A state quarterfinal game on Friday, Nov. 18, 2022, at Highline Memorial Stadium in Burien, Wash. Pete Caster Pete Caster / The News Tribune

Who’s the favorite?

Kennedy Catholic hasn’t lost a league contest since the 2018 season and will look to secure a fifth consecutive league title this fall. The Lancers will try to keep their league winning streak going under new coach Pat Jones after the departure of Sheldon Cross, who returned to the the collegiate ranks as the offensive coordinator for Cal Poly. Cross didn’t leave the cupboard bare despite the departure of several Division I talents. Things will begin and end offensively this fall with junior quarterback Devon Forehand. As a freshman two seasons ago, Forehand stepped into the quarterback role early in the season, and the Lancers never missed a beat. Kennedy made the most of its first trip back to the 4A state bracket since 2019 a year ago, advancing to the state title game before succumbing to Lake Stevens, 24-22. As they did a year ago with a nonleague opener against 3A power Eastside Catholic, the Lancers will challenge themselves in Week 1 again in 2023 with a trip to Aurora, Colo., and a game against Regis Jesuit at EchoPark Stadium.

Federal Way players celebrate after beating Curtis, 37-17, in a Week 10 4A playoff game on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, at Federal Way Memorial Field in Federal Way, Wash. Federal Way’s win earned them a berth in the State 4A playoffs and ended Curtis’ season. Pete Caster Pete Caster / The News Tribune

Any other contenders?

Federal Way will be much less experienced than the Eagles were the past few seasons with just four returning starters on offense and four on defense. The Eagles lost six players to either Division I, I-A or II college programs and four-star recruit Rahshawn Clark transferred to Garfield for his senior season. But, Federal Way has talent remaining in its defensive backfield in sophomore Zamarie Tellez (three interceptions as a freshman), junior Pana Tupatala and Xavier Garms-Hicks, so don’t count the Eagles out. … Kentwood junior running back Antoine Lee led the league with 1,480 yards rushing as a sophomore and set the school’s single-game record, running for 331 yards in one game. He’s set to break the school record this season for most rushing yards in a career. Can that rushing attack lead the Conquerors to the top is the question. … Tahoma completes a triumvirate of three teams that could make a run at Kennedy’s title streak, or at least make it interesting for second place with a returning 4A NPSL first-team receiver in Idaho commit Kage Repenn and senior running back Bryant Spangler, who may be ready to break out.

Kennedy Catholic receiver Mason Moriarty races down the field past Kentwood defenders for a touchdown in the third quarter of a 4A NPSL game on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022, at French Field in Kent, Wash. The long touchdown ended up being negated because of a block-in-the-back penalty. Pete Caster Pete Caster / The News Tribune

Save the date

▪ Friday, Sept. 1 — Kentwood at Lakes, 7 p.m. at Harry E. Lang Stadium

▪ Friday, Sept. 1 — Federal Way at Eastlake, 7 p.m. at Eastlake High School

▪ Saturday, Sept. 16 — Kentwood at Kennedy Catholic, 1 p.m. at Highline Memorial Stadium

▪ Friday, Oct. 6 — Federal Way at Tahoma, 7 p.m. at Maxwell Stadium

▪ Saturday, Oct. 21 — Tahoma at Kennedy Catholic, 1 p.m. at Highline Memorial Stadium

Kennedy Catholic High School quarterback Sam Huard drops back to pass as coach Sheldon Cross looks on during practice on Tuesday, March 23, 2021 at Kennedy Catholic High School in Burien, Wash. Lauren Smith lsmith@thenewstribune.com

Did you know?

▪ Former Kennedy Catholic coach Sheldon Cross will have a familiar face to help ease him into his second stint in the collegiate coaching ranks as former Kennedy and UW quarterback Sam Huard followed his former high school coach, transferring to Cal Poly. It’s the second time Cross has coached with new Cal Poly head man Paul Wulff. Cross was a grad assistant coach during Wulff’s time at WSU. Meanwhile, new Lancers coach Jones is no stranger to success, being a former assistant at Bellevue and having spent the past four seasons coaching with Cross at Kennedy.

▪ Five of the seven coaches in the 4A NPSL are in either their first or second year leading their teams, though technically it is Levi Suiaunoa’s fifth season as a head coach for Decatur. Suiaunoa was the coach from 2014-17 before Matt Vaeena too over in 2018 for the last four seasons. Nick Cairns begins his first season as the head man at Kentridge and Jones takes over at Kennedy, while Zach Myers (Tahoma) and Matt Roth (Kentwood) are each in Year 2.