High school football season preview: 3A North Puget Sound League
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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.
3A NORTH PUGET SOUND LEAGUE
Who’s the favorite?
A menacing group of Auburn Riverside linebackers await opposing run games — perhaps the best positional unit on a Ravens team poised for a giant leap.
Just ask Jonathan Epperson, the junior dual-threat already with five Division I offers. “I don’t mean to gloat,” he said last week, “but we’ve got some dawgs at linebacker.”
The Ravens are built for the postseason, starting with their linebacker core, of which Epperson is the undoubted leader. If tailbacks avoid him, beware of Thyrou Umi-Tuato’o, Kyree Wright, and Lucas Lemalu. Auburn Riverside (4-6 overall, 4-2 3A NPSL in 2022) earned a third-place finish in last season’s 3A NPSL — behind Auburn and Auburn Mountainview — but graduations to the latter program’s all-league names hand the Ravens this season’s deepest roster of the three. The Ravens lost their two league games in 2022 to the Trojans and Lions by a combined nine points.
“Our two words of the year are consistency and discipline,” coach Greg Herd said. “I think there were times we got beat last year because of discipline. Guys jumping offsides. Guys not staying home. Guys looking to make plays that weren’t there. … That’s our approach each and every day.”
There’s little time off for Umi-Tuato’o and Wright, who form Auburn Riverside’s two-headed rushing attack on offense. Epperson lines up at receiver for junior quarterback Andrew Wold, praised by teammates for accuracy and decision-making.
“Trust me. His frame might throw you off a little bit, but when he needs to put the ball where it needs to be, (Andrew’s) gonna put it there,” Epperson said.
Auburn Riverside kicks off the season Sept. 1 against Lincoln, a nonleague contest between postseason contenders. Matchups with Auburn Mountainview (Oct. 20) and Auburn (Oct. 27) could determine a league champion.
“We’re going to workouts, making sure that we’re bigger, faster, and stronger,” Epperson said. “We’ve really come together as a team, as well.
“Last year, sometimes, we might’ve been a little shaky as far as being a whole unit. But this year, we’ve definitely brought that together.”
Any other contenders?
Reigning champion Auburn climbed the 3A NPSL mountaintop in 2022, but graduated league-MVP quarterback Amari Goodfellow and defensive lineman of the year Kaiden O’Neal, along with 15 others. Top wideout Luvens Valcin returns for a senior season — he’ll certainly help the winner of Auburn’s quarterback competition between senior DJ Bielza and sophomore Baylen Erdmann — but Valcin is one of just two returning offensive starters at skill positions.
Coach Aaron Chantler’s “process over product” mantra took what was a 2-8 program in 2019 to the state tournament in 2022. Auburn shouldn’t take such a dramatic step back; they remain in the 3A NPSL conversation.
“You can’t be Amari. You can’t be Kaiden. You’ve got to be the best version of you,” Chantler told his team. “So take the lessons you learned from them and add your spin on it, and move forward.
“Take the lessons they taught you, and add a layer. That’s how you build legacies.”
Auburn Mountainview quarterback Elijah Baird could lift the Lions into title contention, the returning starter and a second-team 3A NPSL honoree in 2022. His combination of arm talent and improvisation in the pocket could pay dividends, paired with a receiving duo of Mande Wanlemvo and Isaiah Wallis-Caw. The 6-foot-4 Wanlemvo was a second-team wideout in 2022. The Lions graduated defensive back of the year Ryder Alfrey (also a receiving target for Baird) and all-purpose player of the year Elijah Stafford-McNutt, but return first-team lineman Benjamin Stasyuk.
“(Elijah’s) one of the best athletes not just at the school and the city, but the entire league,” Lions coach Kent Rodseth said. “He’s an 11.4-second kid in the 100 meters. He’s a high-jumper. He dunks the basketball. He’s strong. He’s a 265-pound power cleaner.
“We’re just asking him to be more of a leader, and just be ‘you.’”
Save the date
▪ Sept. 1 — Lincoln at Auburn Riverside, 7 p.m. at Auburn Memorial Stadium
▪ Sept. 14 — Thomas Jefferson at Auburn Riverside, 6 p.m. at Auburn Memorial Stadium
▪ Sept. 15 — Auburn Mountainview at Auburn, 7 p.m. at Auburn Memorial Stadium
▪ Oct. 20 — Auburn Mountainview at Auburn Riverside, 7 p.m. at Auburn Memorial Stadium
▪ Oct. 27 — Auburn Riverside at Auburn, 7:30 p.m. at Auburn Memorial Stadium
Did you know?
▪ Epperson’s five Division I offers include a trio of Pac-12 schools: Oregon, Oregon State, and Arizona. Fellow Ravens linebacker Thyrou Umi-Tuato’o earned an Ivy League offer from Dartmouth.
▪ Paris Saunders has caught the eye of scouts as Thomas Jefferson’s newest slot receiver, the Raiders’ starting quarterback in parts of 2021-22. The transition paves a clear path for new signal-caller Mabin Guillen — and Saunders becomes his top target.
10 players to watch
▪ QB Elijah Baird, Auburn Mountainview, jr.
▪ WR/LB Sekou Bangoura, Todd Beamer, sr.
▪ WR/LB Jonathan Epperson, Auburn Riverside, jr.
▪ QB/WR Paris Saunders, Thomas Jefferson, jr.
▪ OL/DL Benjamin Stasyuk, Auburn Mountainview, sr.
▪ LB Fale Titialii, Auburn, sr.
▪ RB/LB Thyrou Umi-Tuato’o, Auburn Riverside, sr.
▪ WR Luvens Valcin, Auburn, sr.
▪ WR/DB Mande Wanlemvo, Auburn Mountainview, sr.
▪ RB/LB Kyree Wright, Auburn Riverside, jr.
Predicted order of finish
Auburn Riverside, Auburn Mountainview, Auburn, Kentlake, Thomas Jefferson, Todd Beamer, Kent Meridian
This story was originally published August 23, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
