Week 11: High school football games to watch in the South Sound, predictions
Read about the top five games in the South Sound in Week 11 below, plus our predictions for every local state first round round matchup.
4A STATE FIRST ROUND
No. 10 Kennedy Catholic Lancers (9-1) vs. No. 7 Curtis Vikings (8-2)
7 p.m. Friday, Viking Stadium, University Place
Two of the top-scoring programs in 4A — which both average 40-plus points per game — are set to meet in the first round. The five-time defending 4A NPSL champion Lancers enter the contest on a nine-game winning streak, including a 28-20 win over North Creek in the district round last week. RB Indiana Jones averages 147.6 all-purpose yards per game and has scored 25 total touchdowns. Curtis impressed in 4A SPSL play during the regular season, and routed Tahoma, 45-3, in the district round to return to the state bracket for the first time since 2018. Vikings QB Rocco Koch collected six more touchdowns last week, and has tallied 3,500-plus total yards and 51 total touchdowns through 10 games. Kennedy Catholic can return to the quarterfinals for the second consecutive year with a win — the Lancers advanced to the 4A title game last fall — while Curtis is looking to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2010.
TNT pick: Curtis, 42-35
4A STATE FIRST ROUND
No. 11 Emerald Ridge Jaguars (8-2) vs. No. 6 Kamiakin Braves (8-2)
6 p.m. Friday, Lampson Stadium, Kennewick
Kamiakin finished in a three-way tie in the 4A/3A Mid-Columbia Conference, beating Chiawana in a Week 1 overtime contest but losing to Kennewick in Week 4. Camden Schmidt leads a run-heavy offense, which features four players with over 400 rushing yards on the season. Emerald Ridge’s offense is humming lately — the Jaguars scored 50 points in last week’s win over Bothell. QB Jake Schakel (2,649 yards, 37 TDs) leads a pass-happy offense that’s among the state’s best. Emerald Ridge has won east of the mountains recently. Last year, the Jaguars stunned top-seeded Chiawana on the road in the quarterfinals, winning 40-37.
TNT pick: Emerald Ridge, 35-28
4A STATE FIRST ROUND
No. 13 Sumner Spartans (7-3) vs. No. 4 Eastlake Wolves (9-1)
6 p.m. Saturday, Eastlake High School, Sammamish
Sumner placed fourth in the 4A SPSL this fall, but each of the program’s three losses during the regular season were to 4A state contenders in top-seeded Graham-Kapowsin, No. 7 seed Curtis and No. 11 seed Emerald Ridge, and all three were close contests. The Spartans are on a five-game winning streak since an overtime loss to the Eagles, and have won each of those games by at least four touchdowns, including a 48-6 rout of Battle Ground in the district round. Sumner’s offense averages 421.2 yards and 5.3 touchdowns per game, and returned last year’s 4A SPSL MVP Matthew Spurbeck (knee) from injury last week. Eastlake won an undefeated 4A KingCo title in October, and the Wolves are on a four-game winning streak since their only loss to defending 4A state champion Lake Stevens (35-27) in Week 6. Eastlake routed 4A NPSL opponent Kentwood, 56-7, in the district round last week. The Spartans are in the state playoffs for the ninth time since 2012, and have made back-to-back appearances in the 4A quarterfinals, while Eastlake has reached the state bracket each of the past five seasons, and last played in the quarterfinals in 2021.
TNT pick: Sumner, 30-28
3A STATE FIRST ROUND
No. 9 Mount Tahoma T-Birds (7-3) vs. No. 8 Ferndale Golden Eagles (8-2)
7 p.m. Friday, Ferndale High School, Ferndale
Under coach Keith Terry, Mount Tahoma is in the state tournament for the first time in 39 years after winning its Week 10 game against West Seattle in blowout fashion. Mount Tahoma posted an undefeated run through the 3A PCL this season. Running back Brison Bailey (1,081 yards, 15 TDs) is the focal point of Mount Tahoma’s balanced offense. Ferndale is coming into the state tournament with just as much momentum after routing Timberline last week. The Eagles’ two losses this season were to Arlington — the 3A state tournament’s No. 3 seed — and a one-point loss to Marysville-Getchell.
TNT pick: Ferndale, 31-28
2A STATE FIRST ROUND
No. 10 Washougal Panthers (8-2) vs. No. 7 Orting Cardinals (9-1)
7 p.m. Friday, Cardinal Stadium, Orting
Washougal enters the week on a five-game winning streak, including a 35-21 win over Aberdeen in the district round last week. QB Holden Bea, an Idaho commit, leads the Panthers in both passing (2,406 yards, 30 TDs) and rushing (788 yards, 15 TDs), while WR Sam Evers (55 catches, 1,045 yards, 14 TDs) has already eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards this fall. Orting’s consistent rushing attack — which has piled up 2,400-plus yards and 35 touchdowns through 10 games — has the Cardinals on a six-game winning streak entering the state playoffs, including a 44-0 shutout of Olympic in the district round, during which they rushed for 300-plus yards and four touchdowns. RB Carson McCall (1,012 total yards, 11 total TDs) leads Orting in rushing and receiving. The Panthers are in the state bracket for the second consecutive season, and are looking for their first trip to the quarterfinals since 2019. Orting is also back in the bracket for the second consecutive year, and last reached the quarterfinals in 2005.
TNT pick: Orting, 28-24
TNT picks for the rest of the state first round games featuring South South programs. Find statewide pairings for the first round in all six classifications here.
4A STATE FIRST ROUND
No. 16 Richland Bombers (7-4) vs. No. 1 Graham-Kapowsin Eagles (10-0)
1 p.m. Saturday, Art Crate Field, Spanaway
TNT pick: Graham-Kapowsin, 42-14
3A STATE FIRST ROUND
No. 16 Marysville-Pilchuck Tomahawks (7-3) vs. No. 1 Yelm Tornados (10-0)
1 p.m. Saturday, Yelm High School, Yelm
TNT pick: Yelm, 49-14
No. 13 Lincoln Abes (7-3) vs. No. 4 Eastside Catholic Crusaders (7-2)
1 p.m. Saturday, Eastside Catholic High School, Sammamish
TNT pick: Eastside Catholic, 35-21
No. 15 Auburn Riverside Ravens (7-3) vs. No. 2 O’Dea Fighting Irish (9-0)
5 p.m. Friday, Memorial Stadium, Seattle
TNT pick: O’Dea, 38-14
2A STATE FIRST ROUND
No. 16 Port Angeles Roughriders (7-3) vs. No. 1 Tumwater T-Birds (10-0)
7 p.m. Friday, Tumwater District Stadium, Tumwater
TNT pick: Tumwater, 49-14
No. 14 Othello Huskies (7-2) vs. No. 3 Enumclaw Hornets (10-0)
1 p.m. Saturday, Pete’s Pool, Enumclaw
TNT pick: Enumclaw, 35-21
1A STATE FIRST ROUND
No. 11 Cascade Christian Cougars (8-2) vs. No. 6 Nooksack Valley Pioneers (7-2)
5 p.m. Saturday, Civic Stadium, Bellingham
TNT pick: Nooksack Valley, 24-21
No. 15 Life Christian Eagles (7-2) vs. No. 2 Lakeside Eagles (9-0)
3 p.m. Friday, Union Stadium, Mead
TNT pick: Lakeside, 35-14
No. 16 Eatonville Cruisers (6-4) vs. No. 1 Royal Knights (9-0)
4 p.m. Friday, Royal High School, Royal
TNT pick: Royal, 42-7
