Vote now for The News Tribune’s high school football game of the week for Week 1
Vote now for The News Tribune’s high school football game of the week for Week 1.
Read team previews and score predictions for five games across the South Sound in Week 1, plus our pick for the state game of the week.
Miss any of our preseason coverage? We visited 32 schools around the South Sound during our preseason practice tour, offering insight on what to expect in the 2023 season, player interviews, photos and more. Gain access to the practice tour and all our league previews by becoming a TNT digital subscriber. Your subscription makes our high school sports coverage possible.
4A SPSL
Olympia Bears vs. Curtis Vikings
7 p.m. Thursday, Viking Stadium, University Place
It’s straight into league play in the 10-team 4A SPSL. Curtis is full of hope this year under fourth-year coach Darren McKay, who has spent the past few seasons rebuilding the program. The Vikings return two of the league’s most dynamic players in senior QB Rocco Koch and junior WR/DB Xavier Ahrens. Koch is a ruthless runner, one of the most difficult players in the league to bring down in the open field, and has improved as a passer over his career, too. He’ll feed the ball often to the 6-foot-4 Ahrens, who’s a threat to take it to the house anytime he touches the football. In 2022, 11 of Ahrens’ 39 catches went for touchdowns. Defensively, he returned three of his four interceptions for touchdowns.
Olympia will feature a new face at quarterback in senior Drew Carlson. Carlson was expected to be one of the league’s top wide receivers this fall, but an injury to Olympia’s presumptive starter in spring camp forced Bears coach Nick Mullen to move Carlson to quarterback. A multi-sport athlete and part of Olympia’s 4A state runner-up basketball team last winter, Carslon has the athleticism to make things happen for the Bears. Senior RB Cale Allen (six TDs in 2022) leads Olympia’s rushing attack.
TNT pick: Curtis, 35-21
4A SPSL
Puyallup Vikings vs. Emerald Ridge Jaguars
7 p.m. Friday, Sparks Stadium, Puyallup
Emerald Ridge led the annual matchup of school district rivals, 26-8, at halftime last season, and appeared headed toward a Week 1 win until the game’s closing moments. But, Puyallup rallied with three touchdowns in the second half — including the game-winner late in the fourth quarter — while holding the Jaguars’ offense scoreless to post a 29-28 comeback. The win was the sixth consecutive for the Vikings in the series, which they now lead, 19-3, all time. Will Emerald Ridge end Puyallup’s stretch of victories in this 4A SPSL rivalry contest this week, or will the Vikings extend their streak?
The Jaguars bring back much of the group that reached the state playoffs for the first time in program history in 2022, and advanced to the 4A semifinals, and have high expectations for another postseason run this fall. Senior QB Jake Schakel (253-of-347 passing, 3,287 yards, 37 TDs in 2022), an Eastern Washington commit and four-year starter, and both of his top receiving targets in seniors Tony Harste (80 catches, 1,166 yards, 13 TDs), an Idaho commit, and Gio Kafentzis (66 catches, 970 yards, 11 TDs) all return to the Jaguars’ offense. Junior QB Kaden Rolfsness (1,139 passing yards, 351 rushing yards, 12 total TDs) enters his second season running Puyallup’s offense, and is one of six returning starters for the Vikings. Puyallup also returns six starters on defense from the team that reached the 4A district round in 2022.
TNT pick: Emerald Ridge, 30-24
Nonleague
Lincoln Abes vs. Auburn Riverside Ravens
7 p.m. Friday, Auburn Memorial Stadium, Auburn
The Abes scored on each of their first three drives in this contest last season, and held off a fourth quarter comeback to post a 28-21 season-opening win at Lincoln Bowl in Tacoma. The victory was the first of 11 consecutive for the Abes, who eventually reached the 3A state quarterfinals. The Ravens advanced to the 3A district round in 2022. How will this season’s Week 1 matchup between two-time defending 3A PCL champion Lincoln and 3A NPSL favorite Auburn Riverside unfold?
Lincoln graduated 3A PCL MVP, TNT All-Area player of the year and all-state QB Gabarri Johnson, who is now at Missouri, and several more all-league contributors from last year’s postseason run. But, the Abes bring back six starters on both offense and defense, and add freshman QB Sione Kaho, who is set to make his first career start this week. The Ravens also graduated all-league performers — including 3A NPSL offensive lineman of the year and TNT All-Area selection Nate Pritchard, now at WSU — but bring back several playmakers, including four-star recruit Jonathan Epperson, who led the program in tackles last fall as a sophomore.
TNT pick: Lincoln, 24-20
Nonleague
North Kitsap Vikings vs. Mount Tahoma Thunderbirds
7 p.m. Friday, Mount Tahoma Stadium, Tacoma
There’s a lot of hype around Mount Tahoma’s squad this year. The T-Birds coaching staff and players believe this year’s team has the pieces to win the 3A PCL, led by 6-foot-5, 315-pound senior left tackle Marquise Thorpe-Taylor, a UCLA commit. Dynamic senior WR Jah Jah Abdullah returns and Mount Tahoma welcomes a pair of transfers from Tacoma Public Schools peers in former Silas QB Tre Walker and former Lincoln WR DJ Ervin. Add senior RB Brison Bailey back into the mix — he missed most of 2022 with an injury — and Mount Tahoma believes it has what it takes to get on top this fall.
Is the hype justified? We’ll find out quickly in Week 1 when the T-Birds square off against 2A state power North Kitsap, which secured a runner-up finish in the state bracket in 2022, falling to two-time champion Lynden in the 2A title game. Senior WR/DB Logan Sloman, the reigning Olympic League MVP, is a playmaking machine. He caught 71 passes for 1,008 yards and 14 TDs a season ago. The Vikings return five other Olympic League first-team players, including defensive linemen EJ Vailolo and Jesus Mares. Senior QB Cole Edwards (1,850 passing yards, 22 TDs) also returns.
TNT pick: North Kitsap, 30-27
Nonleague
Peninsula Seahawks vs. Enumclaw Hornets
7 p.m. Thursday, Pete’s Pool, Enumclaw
Enumclaw’s road win over Peninsula at Roy Anderson Field last fall showed us the 2A Hornets were for real. In fact, that was the first of 12 straight wins for Enumclaw, which didn’t lose until the 2A state semifinals, to eventual champion Lynden. Enumclaw graduated a pair of TNT All-Area selections in OL Zeke Luchi and RB Emmit Otero, last year’s 2A SPSL MVP, but coach Mark Gunderson feels the Hornets are reloading, not rebuilding. Enumclaw returns six starters on offense and seven on defense, and several players who played significant snaps during last year’s postseason run. Senior QB Gunnar Trachte enters his second season running the Hornets’ offense, while Enumclaw also brings back four 2A SPSL first-teamers from last season, including seniors Ryan Fehr and Karson Holt and juniors Seamus Twohey and Fernando Reyes.
Longtime Peninsula coach Ross Filkins said he’s never seen the injury bug bite the Seahawks as badly as it did last season. The Seahawks were without 15 starters in last year’s 3A state tournament. Filkins believes this 2023 team could wind up being up there with some of his best teams over the years, when it’s all said and done. 6-foot-3, 220-pound TE/DE Levin Semler is a two-way impact player, along with 6-foot-5, 235-pound TE/DL Cole Muilenburg. Peninsula’s players are touting the nonleague contest with Enumclaw as a revenge game. Whichever way it goes, one thing is certain — it’s going to be a physical contest at Pete’s Pool.
TNT pick: Enumclaw, 28-27
STATE GAME OF THE WEEK
GARFIELD BULLDOGS VS. LAKE STEVENS VIKINGS
7 p.m. Friday, Lake Stevens High School, Lake Stevens
Garfield won this matchup, 26-16, in Week 1 last year, handing the Vikings their only in-state loss of the season, and eventually reached the 3A district round. Lake Stevens went on to eventually finish the season on a 10-game winning streak — following their only other loss to Oregon 6A champion West Linn on the road in Week 4 — returning to the 4A state championship game for a second consecutive season and winning the program’s first state title with a 24-22 win over Kennedy Catholic in the final. TNT state player of the year Jayden Limar, who rushed for 2,018 yards and 36 TDs his senior season with the Vikings, is now at Oregon, but the 4A Wesco champions are gearing up for another postseason run in 2023. QB Kolton Matson returns for his third season with the Vikings after starting in back-to-back state championship appearances, while three-star junior RB Jayshon Limar, who has eight FBS offers, is set to lead the Lake Stevens backfield.
The Bulldogs are looking to return to the 3A state bracket this fall after a 7-0 loss to Spanaway Lake in the district playoffs in 2022, and have talented playmakers on offense to key a postseason run. Three-star QB EJ Caminong, a Cal commit, is the state’s top quarterback recruit. Four-star WR/DB Rahshawn Clark, a Cal commit, was a TNT All-Area selection last season at Federal Way, and three-star WR/DB Reggie Witherspoon III is a state champion sprinter.
TNT pick: Lake Stevens, 35-28
