Preseason power rankings: Which South Sound football teams make the top 10 list?
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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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The high school football season begins this week in the South Sound and across Washington state. The News Tribune’s high school sports team is ranking the top teams in the South Sound again this fall.
Teams from every classification are considered for the Top 10 list, which will be updated throughout the season. We’ll consider a variety of factors when adjusting rankings throughout the season, not just wins and losses. Did a team lose because their star quarterback was hurt and didn’t play? Maybe they won’t slide. Is a team lower in the standings than others teams in the league because of a more difficult nonleague schedule? We’ll consider that, too.
Here’s the preseason Top 10.
THE TOP 10
1. Yelm (14-0 last season, 3A SSC and 3A state champion) — Everyone will be coming for the Tornados after Yelm won the program’s first state championship last fall. Yelm will need to replace the production of versatile WR/DB Kyler Ronquillo, but returns a loaded roster, led by four-star RB/LB Brayden Platt, the No. 1 recruit in the state in the 2024 class.
2. Graham-Kapowsin (10-3, advanced to 4A state semifinals) — Eagles have made back-to-back trips to the 4A semifinals — and won the program’s first title in 2021 — and are gearing up for another run with their new-look, high-flying offense. Second-year QB Daveon Superales has four Division I recruits to target in the passing game.
3. Emerald Ridge (10-3, advanced to 4A state semifinals) — Jaguars are looking to build on last season’s program-best finish, and bring back much of the offense that averaged 335 yards and four TDs per game, including fourth-year QB Jake Schakel, an Eastern Washington commit, and his top two receivers.
4. Sumner (10-2, 4A SPSL champion, advanced to 4A state quarterfinals) — Reigning 4A SPSL champions — who won the league title last fall for the first time since 2016 — ready to defend with last year’s MVP Matthew Spurbeck and Steele Isaacs returning to the backfield, and a veteran offensive line that includes four-year starter and Oregon State commit Dylan Sikorski at left tackle.
5. Kennedy Catholic (12-2, 4A NPSL champion, advanced to 4A state championship game) — Lancers return six starters on both offense and defense, and several all-league performers from the group that advanced to the 4A state title game last season. Four-time defending league champions, who haven’t lost a league contest in five years, looking to add another 4A NPSL title in 2023 running both the Air Raid and Wing-T.
6. Curtis (6-4, advanced to 4A district round) — Vikings were a team on the rise last year, but fell short of the 4A state playoffs with a loss to Federal Way in the district round. Can this year’s team go further? A lot is on the shoulders of dual-threat QB Rocco Koch and WR/DB Xavier Ahrens.
7. Enumclaw (12-1, 2A SPSL champion, advanced to 2A state semifinals) — Enumclaw coach Mark Gunderson feels the Hornets are reloading, not rebuilding, despite the losses of RB Emmit Otero, last year’s 2A SPSL MVP, and OL Zeke Luchi . QB Gunnar Trachte will target WR Karson Holt in the passing game. Plenty of depth in this program, which is likely headed up to 3A next year.
8. Puyallup (6-4, advanced to 4A district round) — Puyallup opened the 2022 season with three consecutive wins — including back-to-back victories over Emerald Ridge and Graham-Kapowsin the first two weeks — but just missed the state bracket with a three-point loss on the road at Skyview in the district round. Second-year QB Kaden Rolfsness and the Vikings will look to set the tone early again this fall.
9. Lincoln (11-1, 3A PCL champion, advanced to 3A state quarterfinals) — Two-time defending 3A PCL champion Abes graduated league MVP, TNT All-Area player of the year and all-state QB Gabarri Johnson, now at Missouri, but are ready to contend again with all-league talent back on both offense and defense. Freshman QB Sione Kaho set to run Lincon’s Air Raid in first season.
10. Lakes (6-3, advanced to 3A district round) — Biggest question is how Lancers will replace the production of the trio of seniors — including all-state RB/LB Leo Pulalasi, now at WSU — that accounted for 3,400-plus all-purpose yards and 46 TDs in 2022. Second-year QB Legend Galeai looks confident and comfortable with a year starting under his belt.
THE NEXT FIVE
Peninsula, Timberline, Tumwater, Auburn Riverside, Bethel
This story was originally published August 31, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
