Top performers, upsets in the first round of the high school football state playoffs
The first round of the high school football state playoffs in Washington delivered big individual performances, convincing wins and a handful of upsets.
Here’s a bracket-by-bracket glance at some of the highlights from the first round, and a look ahead to the quarterfinals.
CLASS 4A
FIRST ROUND SCORES
No. 6 Kamiakin 36, No. 11 Emerald Ridge 35 (OT)
No. 14 Mount Si 31, No. 3 Camas 14
No. 10 Kennedy Catholic 37, No. 7 Curtis 34
No. 2 Lake Stevens 41, No. 15 Woodinville 0
No. 5 Skyview 42, No. 12 Skyline 7
No. 4 Eastlake 21, No. 13 Sumner 18
No. 8 Gonzaga Prep 24, No. 9 Chiawana 14
No. 1 Graham-Kapowsin 56, No. 16 Richland 35
UPSET ALERT
▪ Mount Si posted the biggest seeding upset in any classification in the first round Saturday night in Camas, upending the 4A GSHL champion Papermakers, 31-14, to return to the 4A state quarterfinals for the first time since 2019. Camas was on a nine-game winning streak entering the contest — the Papermakers’ only loss prior to Saturday was an 8-7 season-opening defeat against defending 3A state champion Yelm — but Mount Si scored four touchdowns in the first half while shutting Camas out, and took a 28-0 lead into the break. The Wildcats led, 31-0, in the third quarter before the Papermakers scored a pair of second-half passing touchdowns. QB Nate Donavan had a pair of passing touchdowns for Mount Si in the win, while Ryan Wilson added a fumble recovery touchdown, and Jesiah Willis a rushing score.
▪ 4A NPSL champion Kennedy Catholic, last season’s 4A state runner-up, is set to return to the quarterfinals following Friday night’s 37-34 upset of Curtis on the road in University Place. The Lancers piled up 235 yards and four touchdowns on the ground — while averaging 6.5 yards per carry — pushed the lead as high as 10 points on a touchdown pass in the fourth, and eventually rank out the clock on the Vikings’ season. RB Indiana Jones rushed for 94 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries, while WR Mason Moriarty rushed for 94 yards and a score on six carries. Dante Saladino and Landen Kahai had key fourth-quarter interceptions for the Lancers.
TOP PERFORMERS
(Based on available stats)
WR Malachi Durant, Graham-Kapowsin, sr.
Seven catches, 200 yards, three TDs
QB Jake Kennedy, Skyview, sr.
14-of-21 passing, 217 yards, four TDs; eight carries, 78 yards
RB Jayshon Limar, Lake Stevens, jr.
15 carries, 219 yards, two TDs
QB Daveon Superales, Graham-Kapowsin, sr.
29-of-35 passing, 467 yards, six TDs; nine carries, 64 yards, TD
WR Camden Schmidt, Kamiakin, sr.
23 carries, 189 yards, three TDs
DID YOU KNOW?
▪ Graham-Kapowsin and Richland combined for 91 points in Saturday afternoon’s contest in Spanaway, led by a pair of high-flying offenses. The Eagles piled up 612 yards of offense, led by QB Daveon Superales (29-of-35 passing, 467 yards, six TDs; nine carries, 64 yards, TD) and Division I-bound receivers Malachi Durant (seven catches, 200 yards, three TDs) and Jabez Woods (11 catches, 189 yards, TD). Richland totaled 487 yards of offense, led by QB Josh Woodard (30-of-50 passing, 466 yards, four TDs) and receivers Brody Bocek (eight catches, 180 yards, three TDs) and Rayce Reeves (six catches, 119 yards, TD).
▪ Defending 4A state champion Lake Stevens and last season’s runner-up Kennedy Catholic both won their first-round games, setting up a rematch of last year’s title game in the quarterfinals. The Vikings won the first championship in school history last December, edging the Lancers, 24-22, in the final. Reigning TNT state player of the year Jayden Limar, now at Oregon, rushed for 185 yards and a touchdown in the win over Kennedy Catholic, while current Vikings QB Kolton Matson passed for 182 yards and a pair of scores in last season’s title game victory.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The 4A state quarterfinals are scheduled for Friday and Saturday at sites around the state.
No. 6 Kamiakin (9-2) vs. No. 14 Mount Si (8-3)
3 p.m. Saturday, Mount Si High School, Snoqualmie
No. 10 Kennedy Catholic (10-1) vs. No. 2 Lake Stevens (10-1)
7 p.m. Friday, Lake Stevens High School, Lake Stevens
No. 5 Skyview (10-1) vs. No. 4 Eastlake (10-1)
4 p.m. Saturday, Eastlake High School, Sammamish
No. 8 Gonzaga Prep (10-1) vs. No. 1 Graham-Kapowsin (11-0)
3 p.m. Saturday, Art Crate Field, Spanaway
CLASS 3A
FIRST ROUND SCORES
No. 6 Bellevue 49, No. 7 Monroe 11
No. 3 Arlington 35, No. 14 Ridgeline 13
No. 10 Garfield 28, No. 7 Mount Spokane 21
No. 2 O’Dea 48, No. 15 Auburn Riverside 0
No. 5 Kennewick 27, No. 12 Mountain View 12
No. 4 Eastside Catholic 40, No. 13 Lincoln of Tacoma 0
No. 9 Mount Tahoma 21, No. 8 Ferndale 7
No. 1 Yelm 38, No. 13 Marysville-Pilchuck 13
UPSET ALERT
▪ Garfield led by as many as three touchdowns at multiple points during Saturday afternoon’s contest in Mead, and held off a late comeback bid by the Wildcats to reach the 3A state quarterfinals for the first time since 2017. The Bulldogs led, 14-0, at halftime following a pair of touchdown passes from EJ Caminong, and the Cal-bound QB added a rushing score in the third to extend the lead to 21-0. Garfield led 28-21 in the fourth following a fumble recovery return, but the Wildcats answered with a pair of rushing scores to cut the lead to six points before the Bulldogs’ defense eventually closed out the win.
▪ Mount Tahoma’s historic season continues. The T-Birds won an undefeated 3A PCL title — the program’s first league championship since 1982 — in October. They advanced to the state playoffs for the first time since 1984 with a district round rout of West Seattle to open November. Now, the Tacoma program is on the way to the state quarterfinals for the first time since winning back-to-back 4A state championships in 1979 and 1980 following Friday night’s 21-7 first-round road win over Ferndale. Mount Tahoma led 14-0 at halftime, pushed the lead as high as 21-0 in the third quarter, and held the Golden Eagles, who entered the game averaging 31.3 points, to a season-low seven. T-Birds QB Tre’ Walker completed 11-of-15 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown in the win, and led Mount Tahoma in rushing with 10 carries for 88 yards and another score. RB Brison Bailey added 15 carries for 84 yards and a touchdown, and WR Deonjae Ervin had four catches for 71 yards and a score.
TOP PERFORMERS
(Based on available stats)
RB Jason Brown Jr., O’Dea, sr.
12 carries, 239 yards, five TDs
QB EJ Caminong, Garfield, sr.
Two passing TDs, rushing TD
QB Leyton Martin, Arlington, jr.
13-of-21 passing, 191 yards, three TDs; two rushing TDs
RB/LB Brayden Platt, Yelm, sr.
14 carries, 136 yards, TD; 10 tackles, TFL
QB Tre’ Walker, Mount Tahoma, sr.
11-of-15 passing, 181 yards, TD; 10 carries, 88 yards, TD
DID YOU KNOW?
▪ Yelm, which won an undefeated 3A state championship last season, will enter the state quarterfinals on a 25-game winning streak — the longest active streak by a team in any classification in the state. The Tornados haven’t lost a contest since the 2021 state quarterfinals.
▪ Nine of the state’s top 10 recruits in the senior class, per 247Sports Composite rankings, play for programs in the 3A classification — and eight play for teams that have advanced to the quarterfinals, including O’Dea’s Isendre Ahfua, Jason Brown Jr. and Kyan McDonald, Yelm’s Brayden Platt, Bellevue’s Hogan Hansen, Mount Tahoma’s Marquise Thorpe-Taylor and Garfield’s Rahshawn Clark and EJ Caminong.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The 3A state quarterfinals are scheduled for Friday and Saturday at sites around the state.
No. 6 Bellevue (8-2) vs. No. 3 Arlington (11-0)
1 p.m. Saturday, Arlington High School, Arlington
No. 10 Garfield (7-3) vs. No. 2 O’Dea (10-0)
2 p.m. Saturday, Memorial Stadium, Seattle
No. 5 Kennewick (10-1) vs. No. 4 Eastside Catholic (8-2)
5 p.m. Saturday, Memorial Stadium, Seattle
No. 9 Mount Tahoma (8-3) vs. No. 1 Yelm (11-0)
7 p.m. Friday, Yelm High School, Yelm
CLASS 2A
FIRST ROUND SCORES
No. 6 Highline 34, No. 11 W.F. West 6
No. 3 Enumclaw 49, No. 14 Othello 12
No. 7 Orting 33, No. 10 Washougal 10
No. 2 Anacortes 53, No. 15 Rogers of Spokane 12
No. 5 Lynden 41, No. 12 Bremerton 7
No. 4 North Kitsap 49, No. 13 Ephrata 0
No. 8 Clarkston 44, No. 6 Woodland 6
No. 1 Tumwater 70, No. 16 Port Angeles 12
UPSET ALERT
No upsets here. Each of the eight higher-seeded 2A programs advanced to the quarterfinals.
TOP PERFORMERS
(Based on available stats)
RB Kooper Clark, Tumwater, sr.
Six carries, 149 yards, three TDs
QB Brant Heppner, Lynden jr.
8-of-10 passing, 130 yards, two TDs; seven carries, 27 yards, three TDs
QB Rex Larson, Anacortes, sr.
12-of-13 passing, 257 yards, three TDs
WR/DB Marquawn McCraney, Highline, sr.
Receiving TD; 84-yard INT return TD
QB Gunnar Trachte, Enumclaw, sr.
Four passing TDs
DID YOU KNOW?
▪ Tumwater’s season-high 70 points in Friday night’s rout of Port Angeles were the most scored by any team in an 11-man classification in the first round. Tumwater also leads all 11-man programs in total scoring this season, with 602 points through 11 games.
▪ Two-time defending 2A state champion Lynden and last season’s runner-up North Kitsap both posted convincing victories in the first round to set up a rematch of last season’s title game in the quarterfinals. The Lions — who currently have a nine-game winning streak in state tournament contests — topped the Vikings in the 2022 final, 31-24, led by three rushing touchdowns from QB Brant Heppner.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The 2A state quarterfinals are scheduled for Friday and Saturday at sites around the state.
No. 6 Highline (10-1) vs. No. 3 Enumclaw (11-0)
7 p.m. Friday, Pete’s Pool, Enumclaw
No. 7 Orting (10-1) vs. No. 2 Anacortes (10-0)
7 p.m. Friday, Anacortes High School, Anacortes
No. 5 Lynden (8-2) vs. No. 4 North Kitsap (10-1)
3 p.m. Saturday, North Kitsap High School, Poulsbo
No. 8 Clarkston (8-2) vs. No. 1 Tumwater (11-0)
1 p.m. Saturday, Tumwater District Stadium, Tumwater
CLASS 1A
FIRST ROUND SCORES
No. 6 Nooksack Valley 59, No. 11 Cascade Christian 7
No. 3 Lynden Christian 41, No. 14 Connell 20
No. 10 Freeman 28, No. 7 Montesano 21
No. 2 Lakeside of Nine Mile Falls 41, No. 15 Life Christian 14
No. 12 Seton Catholic 56, No. 5 King’s 48
No. 4 Cashmere 49 vs. No. 13 Toppenish 14
No. 9 Omak 21, No. 8 La Center 7
No. 1 Royal 50, No. 16 Eatonville 0
UPSET ALERT
The 1A classification featured the most first-round seeding upsets in any of the six classifications, with three in eight games, and each of the upsets ended the season for previously undefeated league champions. Freeman ended 1A Evergreen champion Montesano’s season with a 28-21 win, and will return to the state quarterfinals for a second consecutive season. Seton Catholic upended 1A Emerald Sound winner King’s, 56-48, to make it two consecutive trips to the quarterfinals. And Omak bested 1A Trico champion La Center, 21-7, to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2019. There were six undefeated teams in 1A entering the state playoffs, and now only three remain in three-time defending state champion Royal, Lakeside of Nine Mile Falls and Cashmere.
TOP PERFORMERS
(Based on available stats)
QB/LB Lance Allred, Royal, jr.
19-of-21 passing, 328 yards, four TDs; 10 carries, 52 yards, TD; 10 tackles, TFL
QB Kolten Gesser, Seton Catholic, soph.
13-of-17 passing, 284 yards, five TDs
QB Rylan Hatmaker, Cashmere, soph.
13-of-18 passing, 200 yards, four TDs
RB Colton Lentz, Nooksack Valley, jr.
Eight carries, 108 yards, four TDs
QB Jeremiah Wright, Lynden Christian, sr.
16-of-22 passing, 179 yards, four TDs; eight carries, 64 yards, two TDs
DID YOU KNOW?
▪ Seton Catholic and King’s combined for 104 points in Saturday night’s first-round matchup — the most combined points in a single game in the first round in any of the five 11-man classifications.
▪ Three-time defending 1A state champion Royal shut out Eatonville, 50-0, in the opening round Friday to extend the program’s winning streak in state tournament contests to 13 games. The contest against Eatonville was a rematch of the 1A state title game in 2021, which Royal also won by shutout, 41-0.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The 1A state quarterfinals are scheduled for Friday and Saturday at sites around the state.
No. 6 Nooksack Valley (8-2) vs. No. 3 Lynden Christian (8-2)
7 p.m. Friday, Civic Stadium, Bellingham
No. 10 Freeman (8-3) vs. No. 2 Lakeside of Nine Mile Falls (10-0)
7 p.m. Friday, Union Stadium, Mead
No. 12 Seton Catholic (10-1) vs. No. 4 Cashmere (11-0)
4 p.m. Saturday, Apple Bowl, Wenatchee
No. 9 Omak (7-4) vs. No. 1 Royal (10-0)
6 p.m. Friday, Royal High School, Royal
CLASS 2B
FIRST ROUND SCORES
No. 6 Toledo 21, No. 11 Tri-Cities Prep 12
No. 7 Goldendale 67, No. 10 Brewster 22
No. 5 Kalama 32, No. 12 Friday Harbor 14
No. 8 River View 47, No. 9 Asotin 20
UPSET ALERT
No upsets here. Each of the four higher-seeded 2B programs advanced to the quarterfinals.
TOP PERFORMERS
(Based on available stats)
QB Aiden Brown, Kalama, jr.
18-of-35 passing, 302 yards, two TDs
RB Ethen Carver, Toledo, sr.
32 carries, 249 yards, two TDs
RB Matthew Gray, Goldendale, jr.
23 carries, 345 yards, two TDs; three catches, 39 yards; nine tackles, TFL
RB Drew Schlangen, Kalama, jr.
14 carries, 95 yards, three TDs; two catches, 10 yards, TD
QB Braxton Seaver, Goldendale, jr.
11-of-14 passing, 187 yards, four TDs; 10 carries, 53 yards, TD; four tackles
DID YOU KNOW?
▪ Each of the top four seeds in the 2B bracket had first-round byes. Top-seeded Napavine, the defending 2B state champion, No. 2 Okanogan, No. 3 Northwest Christian of Colbert and No. 4 Onalaska begin their state tournament runs in the quarterfinals.
▪ The 2B Central League has four programs in the quarterfinals in No. 1 Napavine, No. 4 Onalaska, No. 5 Kalama and No. 6 Toledo — the most from a single league in any classification.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The 2B state quarterfinals are scheduled for Friday and Saturday at sites around the state.
No. 6 Toledo (9-2) vs. No. 3 Northwest Christian of Colbert (10-0)
1 p.m. Saturday, Freeman High School, Rockford
No. 7 Goldendale (10-1) vs. No. 2 Okanogan (9-0)
1 p.m. Saturday, Apple Bowl, Wenatchee
No. 5 Kalama (8-3) vs. No. 4 Onalaska (8-2)
7 p.m. Friday, Tenino High School, Tenino
No. 8 River View (10-1) vs. No. 1 Napavine (9-1)
5 p.m. Saturday, Tenino High School, Tenino
CLASS 1B
FIRST ROUND SCORES
No. 6 Almira-Coulee-Hartline 42, No. 11 Concrete 26
No. 10 Naselle 78, No. 7 Pomeroy 58
No. 5 Neah Bay 86, No. 12 Winlock 6
No. 8 Wellpinit 36, No. 9 Darrington 34
UPSET ALERT
Naselle will make it five consecutive trips to the 1B state quarterfinals following Saturday’s upset of Pomeroy, and will enter the week on a five-game winning streak. The Comets’ only loss this season is to No. 3 seed Mossyrock midway through October.
TOP PERFORMERS
(Based on available stats)
QB Caden Correia, Almira-Coulee-Hartline, soph.
5-of-12 passing, 90 yards; 18 carries, 82 yards, 2 TDs
QB Jacob Lindstrom, Naselle, jr.
6 total TDs
RB Carter Pitts, Almira-Coulee-Hartline, jr.
37 carries, 220 yards, 4 TDs; 3 catches, 28 yards
RB Tyler Swan, Neah Bay, soph.
5 carries, 107 yards, 3 TDs
RB Jodell Wimberly, Neah Bay, jr.
13 carries, 289 yards, 8 TDs
DID YOU KNOW?
▪ Each of the top four seeds in the 1B bracket had first-round byes. Top-seeded Liberty Bell, the defending 1B state champion, No. 2 Wilbur-Creston-Keller, No. 3 Mossyrock and No. 4 Liberty Christian begin their state tournament runs in the quarterfinals.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The 1B state quarterfinals are scheduled for Friday and Saturday at sites around the state.
No. 6 Almira-Coulee-Hartline (9-2) vs. No. 3 Mossyrock (9-1)
2:30 p.m. Saturday, Tenino High School, Tenino
No. 10 Naselle (10-1) vs. No. 2 Wilbur-Creston-Keller (10-0)
12:30 p.m. Saturday, Lions Field, Moses Lake
No. 5 Neah Bay (8-2) vs. No. 4 Liberty Christian (9-0)
1 p.m. Saturday, Fran Rish Stadium, Richland
No. 8 Wellpinit (8-2) vs. No. 1 Liberty Bell (7-0)
7 p.m. Saturday, Apple Bowl, Wenatchee
