Week 9 football power rankings: Bethel cracks Top 10 for first time this season
The high school football season is underway 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 Top 10 ahead of Week 9.
THE TOP 10
1. Graham-Kapowsin (8-0) — Graham-Kapowsin can complete undefeated run through 4A SPSL with a win over school district rival Bethel in this weekend’s regular season finale. QB Daveon Superales (2,686 total yards, 34 total TDs) and Eagles’ electric offense continue to impress.
2. Yelm (8-0) — Tornados entered the “tough” stretch of schedule in the 3A SSC the past two weeks, playing Timberline and Peninsula. The results? A 44-point win over the Blazers and a 50-point win over the Seahawks. RB Brayden Platt (123 yards, 3 TDs last week) is heating up as Yelm looks to repeat as 3A state champions.
3. Curtis (7-1) — Vikings have rallied from only loss so far this fall — to 4A SPSL leader Graham-Kapowsin in Week 6 — with 30-plus point victories over Rogers and South Kitsap the past two weeks. QB Rocco Koch (2,924 total yards, 43 total TDs) and Curtis close out regular season against Puyallup this week.
4. Emerald Ridge (6-2) — Following a loss to league-leading Graham-Kapowsin last week, Emerald Ridge will look to wrap up the regular season with a win over crosstown rival Rogers. QB Jake Schakel (2,226 passing yards, 30 TDs) and WR Tony Harste (942 receiving yards, 11 TDs) lead the Jaguars’ offense.
5. Kennedy Catholic (7-1) — Lancers have won their past seven, led by QB Devon Forehand (1,810 passing yards, 25 TDs) and RB Indiana Jones (1,100-plus all-purpose yards, 20 total TDs), and can close out a fifth consecutive undefeated 4A NPSL championship with a win over Mount Rainier.
6. Sumner (5-3) — Spartans have double-digit wins over Rogers, Olympia and Bethel the past three weeks, led by QB Tristen Rebar (1,523 passing yards, 18 TDs) and RB Steele Isaacs (920 rushing yards, 11 TDs). Sumner ends the 4A SPSL schedule with a trip to South Kitsap this week.
7. Enumclaw (8-0) — In eight games: 339 points scored, 40 points allowed. The Hornets are steamrolling through the 2A SPSL and won’t be tested until the 2A state tournament. Might be worth asking new UW athletic director Troy Dannen if Mark Gunderson’s crew can bring the hog trailer to Husky Stadium.
8. Tumwater (8-0) — T-Birds have blown out every opponent in the 2A EvCo and will now play 4A NPSL’s Tahoma after rival Black Hills forfeited this week’s game. The Wing-T is humming along: four Tumwater running backs have over 200 rushing yards on the season.
9. Mount Tahoma (5-3) — Program won its first league title since 1982 after routing Silas last week. RB Brison Bailey passed 1,000 yards in the process. QB Tre’ Walker has blossomed into one of the area’s best dual-threat quarterbacks this season.
10. Bethel (4-4) — Win over Puyallup in Week 7 was key for Bison, who beat most of the teams they needed to this season, also collecting wins over South Kitsap, Rogers and Olympia. RB Roy Lockley III is averaging over 100 yards rushing per game, running behind a physical Bethel offensive line.
THE NEXT FIVE
Puyallup (4-4), Lincoln (5-3), Gig Harbor (7-1), Decatur (7-1), Auburn Riverside (5-3)
