Perennial 4A football power Graham-Kapowsin gearing up for another title run in 2023
Graham-Kapowsin High School, the perennial Class 4A South Puget Sound League power, which enters 2023 on a stretch of eight consecutive seasons advancing to the state playoffs, is back on the football field.
And the Eagles are gearing up to make another run this fall.
“It’s a mentality,” senior Daveon Superales, who is entering his second season as Graham-Kapowsin’s starting quarterback, said as the Eagles opened practices for the season Wednesday, Aug. 16, on a warm summer evening.
“We’re all just ready. We’re all hungry to make it to that state championship (game) and that UW stadium on Dec. 2.”
For 12 programs across the six classifications, that’s where the season will end — on the first weekend of December at Husky Stadium in Seattle.
Graham-Kapowsin is expected to be a postseason contender again, and will look to compete for another state title after winning the program’s first two seasons ago.
The Eagles posted an undefeated season in 2021, when this year’s group of seniors were sophomores, and lifted the 4A state trophy in Tacoma following a 44-7 victory over Lake Stevens in the state final.
They ended their 2022 run one win short of a chance to repeat, ending the season in the state semifinals, this time on the road at Lake Stevens, 42-28. The Vikings went on to win their first state championship the following week.
This fall, Graham-Kapowsin is motivated to reach the season’s final weekend again.
“That last game last year, that is fueling us so much,” said senior Jabez Woods, who was a 4A SPSL first-team selection and TNT All-Area and all-state pick last fall.
“ … We had high expectations last year. We obviously came up short, but the work that we’re putting in right now, hopefully is going to pay off — because we are working hard.”
The Eagles graduated several all-league contributors from last season’s semifinals team, but bring back four starters on both offense and defense, and have plenty of talent at the skill positions.
“We’re real excited with where we’re at,” Eagles coach Jeff Logan said. “We feel extremely confident. Our kids feel extremely confident. They’ve put in a ton of time and effort.”
Superales returns to lead Graham-Kapowsin’s offense after pacing the program in both passing (2,367 yards, 21 TDs) and rushing (362 yards, four TDs) last fall as a junior on the way to 4A SPSL second-team honors.
Woods, a three-star recruit with multiple Division I offers, is also back after leading the Eagles with 1,367 all-purpose yards and 12 total touchdowns in 2022. Woods hauled in 70 catches for 946 yards and 10 scores as Superales’ top target last season.
Junior Khris Norris, who added another 629 receiving yards and four touchdowns for the Eagles last season as a sophomore, also returns to the offense.
The Eagles bring back three-star tight end Noah Flores, who has collected nine Division I offers, after he missed much of his sophomore season due to injury.
They also added another playmaker in three-star recruit Malachi Durant, who led Puyallup in receiving last season on the way to 4A SPSL second-team honors. The Oregon State commit tallied 58 catches for 789 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior.
Through the years, Graham-Kapowsin has consistently been a top rushing program, but with so many playmakers in the passing game, the Eagles are set up for a high-flying approach on offense.
“We’ve always been committed to doing what we feel like is going to suit our kids best,” Logan said. “ … We’re going to look a little different. We’re going to throw the ball a lot.”
“It’s going to be electrifying,” Superales said.
Several key players also return for the Eagles on defense this season, including senior defensive end Levi Turner, who collected 78 tackles, eight tackles for loss and a team-leading 5 1/2 sacks last season.
Graham-Kapowsin opens the season on the road against Rogers on Aug. 31, beginning a stretch of nine consecutive 4A SPSL contests.
The Eagles posted a 10-3 record last season, including a second-place finish in league play at 7-2, and went on a seven-game winning streak before ending the season in the semifinals. They’ll look to build on that performance this fall.
“For our team to be this good preseason, it’s going to be scary to see how we progress as we’re moving forward through the year,” Superales said. “So, I’m really excited to see how this team is going to perform on Thursday night lights and Friday night lights.”
This story was originally published August 21, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
