Week 8: What we learned from this week’s high school football games in the South Sound
Week 8 of the high school football season is in the books. TNT high school sports reporters Lauren Smith and Tyler Wicke discuss what stood out from this week’s action.
What’s your biggest takeaway from Week 8?
Smith: How many South Sound leagues will crown an undefeated champion next week? Kennedy Catholic is 5-0 in 4A NPSL play with one league game remaining following a 58-14 rout of Tahoma. Graham-Kapowsin is 8-0 following Saturday’s 41-35 thriller against Emerald Ridge, and one win away from closing out the program’s second 9-0 run through the 4A SPSL in the past three seasons. The 3A NPSL and 3A SSC are both guaranteed undefeated league winners — Auburn and Auburn Riverside are both 5-0 in 3A NPSL contests and play each other next week, and defending 3A state champion Yelm and Gig Harbor are both 6-0 in 3A SSC play entering next week’s title game. Mount Tahoma is 5-0 in 3A PCL contests, and one win away from an undefeated league championship after a 54-0 shutout of Silas. Enumclaw is 7-0 in 2A SPSL games, and Tumwater 5-0 in 2A EvCo play, and both programs can secure undefeated league crowns with rivalry wins next week. Cascade Christian added a 62-0 shutout of Vashon Island to improve to 4-0 in 1A Nisqually contests, and will wrap up league play in Week 10.
Wicke: I’m truly impressed with the depth of talented programs in the 4A SPSL which, in a matter of weeks, deploys three title contenders into the state tournament. Saturday night’s shootout between Graham-Kapowsin and Emerald Ridge was the league’s latest classic — Eagles QB Daveon Superales totaled six touchdowns and led the charge in a 41-35 win to remain undefeated. But Jaguars QB Jake Schakel (four TDs) and Emerald Ridge (6-2) have stormed to a playoff spot and, even in two losses, remained within striking distance with contending programs. And did I mention Curtis? Vikings QB Rocco Koch joins Superales and Schakel as three of the South Sound’s best signal-callers, and what a treat it’s been to watch them battle each other in the 4A SPSL.
Which team impressed you most in Week 8?
Smith: Mount Tahoma continued an impressive run through league play with a 54-0 shutout of Silas, securing at least a share of the 3A PCL title with one regular season game to play — the program’s first league championship since 1982. Elsewhere in the 3A PCL, Bonney Lake routed Stadium, 44-20, in a pivotal league contest Thursday night, and paired with Lincoln’s overtime win over Lakes on Friday, the Panthers clinched their first trip to the Week 10 district round since 2016. Orting added a convincing 44-14 win over Steilacoom in 2A SPSL play to remain in second place in the league standings. The Cardinals’ only loss this season is to undefeated defending league champion Enumclaw.
Wicke: Still unblemished in league play, Mount Tahoma (5-3, 5-0) blanked Silas in a 3A PCL meeting Friday night, 54-0 — a monumental victory and shutout performance that clinched the T-Birds’ first league title since 1982. A win over Lakes on Friday would secure Mount Tahoma’s perfect season over 3A PCL rivals. Meanwhile, Orting (7-1) just made another statement in the 2A SPSL, storming to a 44-14 win over Steilacoom on Friday to guarantee a second-place finish and postseason allocation. Orting’s lone loss was to undefeated league-champion Enumclaw on Sept. 22, 37-7 — but the Cardinals have outscored opponents 275-75 in their seven wins.
Which of the remaining undefeated teams had the best performance in Week 8?
Smith: Has to be Graham-Kapowsin. The 4A SPSL has four legitimate state contenders, including the Eagles, and they have wins over each of the other three. They beat Sumner (38-31 in overtime) and Curtis (42-35) in back-to-back games in Weeks 5 and 6, then added a 41-35 victory over Emerald Ridge on Saturday to clinch at least a share of the league title. All three of those wins were on the road. QB Daveon Superales runs an electric offense that averages 400-plus yards and five-plus touchdowns per game. The Eagles’ defense has made strides, too, including keeping Emerald Ridge out of the end zone on three consecutive attempts from the 10-yard line in the final 15 seconds Saturday to close out the narrow victory.
Wicke: Yelm’s the reigning 3A champion for a reason — but they just dismantled Peninsula, a perennial state participant, by 50 points. The Seahawks mustered 29 total offensive yards before the Tornados pulled their defense starters; Yelm RB Brayden Platt rushed for three first-half touchdowns and the Tornados led by 35 at halftime. 2A-Enumclaw (8-0) blanked Clover Park, 63-0, to secure another SPSL title. The Hornets have allowed 40 points all season.
Which individual performance stood out most in Week 8?
Smith: Graham-Kapowsin’s Jabez Woods now has five consecutive games with 100-plus receiving yards after catching 10 passes for a game-high 171 yards and two touchdowns of 62 and 24 yards in the Eagles’ win over Emerald Ridge.
Wicke: Graham-Kapowsin QB Daveon Superales and Emerald Ridge QB Jake Schakel provided Saturday-night fireworks, combining for 10 total touchdowns. Superales threw four and rushed for two; Schakel threw four. But how Superales kept the Eagles undefeated shouldn’t be overlooked — he threw for 256 yards and ran for 138 as a dual-threat that opposing defenses haven’t kept below 27 points in a game all season.
Which matchup are you looking forward to most in Week 9?
Smith: The league championship matchups in the 3A NPSL and 3A SSC. Both games feature two programs with undefeated records in league play. Defending 3A NPSL champion Auburn and Auburn Riverside are both 5-0 in league contests and are set to meet in the title game Friday. Defending 3A SSC and 3A state champion Yelm has an active 26-game league winning streak dating back to 2019, and has scored 50-plus points against each 3A SSC opponent the past six weeks. Gig Harbor is also 6-0 in league contests entering Friday’s championship game.
Wicke: The South Sound hosts a pair of 3A league championships, each between undefeated programs. Gig Harbor (6-0) visits Yelm (6-0) on Friday night for the 3A SSC title in a regular-season finale. Yelm should be considered the favorite — but Gig Harbor’s season features marquee wins over Timberline and rival-Peninsula in the annual Fish Bowl. Also in 3A: Auburn Riverside (5-0) meets Auburn (5-0) for a crosstown rivalry that crowns the 3A NPSL champion.
