Top performers, upsets in the high school football state quarterfinals
The high school football state quarterfinals in Washington delivered big individual performances, convincing wins and a few upsets.
Here’s a bracket-by-bracket glance at some of the highlights from the round, and a look ahead to the semifinals.
CLASS 4A
QUARTERFINALS SCORES
No. 6 Kamiakin 8, No. 14 Mount Si 6
No. 2 Lake Stevens 44, No. 10 Kennedy Catholic 21
No. 4 Eastlake 17, No. 5 Skyview 14
No. 1 Graham-Kapowsin 20, No. 8 Gonzaga Prep 14
UPSET ALERT
No upsets here. Each of the four higher-seeded 4A programs advanced to the semifinals.
TOP PERFORMERS
Based on available stats.
TE Keagan Howard, Lake Stevens, jr.
2 receiving TDs
QB Kolton Matson, Lake Stevens, jr.
16-of-19 passing, 290 yards, 4 TDs
QB Landon Renfroe, Eastlake, jr.
11-of-19 passing, 120 yards; 17 carries, 86 yards, TD
WR/DB Mika Roberson, Graham-Kapowsin, sr.
Receiving TD; INT
WR Jabez Woods, Graham-Kapowsin, sr.
10 catches, 169 yards, TD
DID YOU KNOW?
▪ Defending state champion Lake Stevens delivered another convincing performance in the quarterfinals, routing visiting Kennedy Catholic — the program the Vikings beat in the final in 2022 — Friday night. The Vikings led, 44-0, at halftime before the Lancers scored three fourth-quarter touchdowns with the clock was already running. Lake Stevens has now posted back-to-back 40-point performances in the bracket (shut out Woodinville, 41-0, in opening round) and has yet to allow a point in the first three quarters of state contests.
▪ Three of the four games in the 4A quarterfinals were one-score contests. Kamiakin and Mount Si were both held to season lows in points in an 8-6 contest. A first-quarter safety and second-quarter rushing touchdown from QB Trent Woodhouse was the difference in a second consecutive close win for Kamiakin. The program won a one-point game in the opening round, edging Emerald Ridge, 36-35, in overtime. Eastlake regrouped from an early two-touchdown deficit, scoring the game’s final 17 points in a three-point win over Skyview. Alex Dreher’s 23-yard field goal late in the fourth broke a 14-14 tie. And top-seeded Graham-Kapowsin had to rally from four first-half turnovers with three second-half touchdowns and several key defensive stops to keep the program’s undefeated season going with a win over visiting Gonzaga Prep. The 144 combined points scored in the four 4A games last week was the lowest combined total of the six classifications.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The 4A state semifinals are scheduled for Saturday at sites around the state.
No. 6 Kamiakin (10-2) vs. No. 2 Lake Stevens (11-1)
1 p.m. Saturday, Lake Stevens High School, Lake Stevens
No. 4 Eastlake (11-1) vs. No. 1 Graham-Kapowsin (12-0)
1 p.m. Saturday, Art Crate Field, Spanaway
CLASS 3A
QUARTERFINALS SCORES
No. 6 Bellevue 35, No. 3 Arlington 17
No. 2 O’Dea 45, No. 10 Garfield 13
No. 4 Eastside Catholic 17, No. 5 Kennewick 7
No. 1 Yelm 29, No. 9 Mount Tahoma 12
UPSET ALERT
Perennial 3A powerhouse Bellevue is on the way back to the state semifinals after upending No. 3 seed Arlington, 35-17, on the road Saturday afternoon. The No. 6 Wolverines piled up 375 rushing yards in the win, and Blake Teets, Bryce Smith, Max Jones and Carson Rubin each collected rushing touchdowns. QB Lucas Razore also tossed a touchdown to Colin Miller in the victory. The 3A KingCo champions held an Arlington team that was averaging 44 points per game to a season-low 17, ending the 3A Wesco champions’ undefeated season at 11-1.
TOP PERFORMERS
Based on available stats.
QB Antone Araujo, O’Dea, sr.
2 passing TDs, 2 rushing TDs
RB Jeremiah Burroughs, Eastside Catholic, jr.
22 carries, 172 yards, TD
RB Max Jones, Bellevue, soph.
16 carries, 112 yards, TD
RB/LB David Lene, Eastside Catholic, sr.
Rushing TD; 2 INT
RB/LB Brayden Platt, Yelm, sr.
15 carries, 114 yards, TD; 12 tackles, TFL, sack
DID YOU KNOW?
▪ Bracket look familiar? Each of last season’s 3A state semifinalists will return to the final four Saturday. Bellevue, Eastside Catholic, O’Dea and Yelm each advanced to the semifinals in 2022, with Eastside Catholic edging 3A Metro League rival O’Dea, 35-28, in overtime and Yelm edging Bellevue, 28-27. Yelm eventually won the state title the following week. This season, O’Dea will host Bellevue and Yelm will host Eastside Catholic in the final four. The 3A bracket is the only state bracket that features four returning semifinalists from last November.
▪ Ready for a title game rematch? Defending 3A champion Yelm hosts last season’s runner-up Eastside Catholic on Saturday in a replay of the 2022 championship game. The Tornados won the first title in program history last December at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup, when Kyler Ronquillo delivered perhaps the highlight of the season in the fourth quarter, ripping a sure interception away from a defender and running up the sideline to the end zone for the game-winning score in a 20-13 win. Yelm enters the rematch with Eastside Catholic with the state’s longest active winning streak at 26 games, while the Crusaders are on a six-game winning streak since a loss to O’Dea in September.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The 3A state semifinals are scheduled for Saturday at sites around the state.
No. 6 Bellevue (9-2) vs. No. 2 O’Dea (11-0)
2 p.m. Saturday, Memorial Stadium, Seattle
No. 4 Eastside Catholic (9-2) vs. No. 1 Yelm (12-0)
6 p.m. Saturday, Art Crate Field, Spanaway
CLASS 2A
QUARTERFINALS SCORES
No. 3 Enumclaw 41, No. 6 Highline 30
No. 2 Anacortes 42, No. 7 Orting 0
No. 4 North Kitsap 34, No. 5 Lynden 28 (OT)
No. 1 Tumwater 42, No. 8 Clarkston 6
UPSET ALERT
No upsets here. Each of the four higher-seeded 2A programs advanced to the semifinals.
TOP PERFORMERS
Based on available stats.
RB Brock Beaner, Anacortes, jr.
9 carries, 52 yards, 3 TDs; 3 catches, 45 yards
RB Peyton Davis, Tumwater, soph.
10 carries, 174 yards, 3 TDs
RB Tristan Donovan, Enumclaw, sr.
17 carries, 158 yards, two TDs
RB Carter Dungy, North Kitsap, jr.
26 carries, 96 yards, 2 TDs
QB Brant Heppner, Lynden, jr.
15-of-25 passing, 336 yards, 3 TDs; rushing TD
DID YOU KNOW?
▪ There will be a new champion in the 2A bracket this season, after North Kitsap defeated two-time defending champion Lynden in the quarterfinals Saturday evening in Poulsbo. RB Carter Dungy’s 3-yard rushing score in overtime lifted the Vikings to the win in a replay of last season’s 2A state title game. Lynden had bested North Kitsap in each of the two previous meetings between the program’s in the state playoffs — 31-24 in last season’s final, and 15-10 in the semifinals in 2021.
▪ Of the four programs in the 2A semifinals, three — Anacortes, Enumclaw and North Kitsap — are still looking for the first state titles in their program histories. Tumwater is the only team remaining in the bracket with a championship — the T-Birds have six, most recently in 2019.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The 2A state semifinals are scheduled for Saturday at sites around the state.
No. 3 Enumclaw (12-0) vs. No. 2 Anacortes (10-0)
3 p.m. Saturday, Anacortes High School, Anacortes
No. 4 North Kitsap (11-1) vs. No. 1 Tumwater (12-0)
5 p.m. Saturday, Tumwater District Stadium, Tumwater
CLASS 1A
QUARTERFINALS SCORES
No. 6 Nooksack Valley 47, No. 3 Lynden Christian 14
No. 2 Lakeside of Nine Mile Falls 24, No. 10 Freeman 20
No. 12 Seton Catholic 42, No. 4 Cashmere 35
No. 1 Royal 49, No. 9 Omak 0
UPSET ALERT
The two seeding upsets in the 1A bracket in the quarterfinals were the most in any of the six classifications in the round. No. 6 Nooksack Valley upended No. 3 Lynden Christian, 47-14, in the second meeting of the 1A Northwest Conference rivals this season. The Lyncs won the first meeting, 21-20, back in October, but the Pioneers are on a five-game winning streak since, including Friday night’s 33-point victory that sends them to the semifinals for the second consecutive season. Nooksack Valley led 16-7 at halftime, and 33-7 by the end of the third quarter, led by three total touchdowns from RB Colton Lentz. No. 12 Seton Catholic is in the semifinals for the first time in program history following a 42-35 comeback win over No. 4 Cashmere. The Cougars led by a touchdown at halftime, but trailed, 35-21, early in the fourth quarter. Seton Catholic responded with 21 unanswered points, on a pair of passing touchdowns, and the go-ahead scoring run from Joe Callerame to advance.
TOP PERFORMERS
Based on available stats.
QB/LB Lance Allred, Royal, jr.
10-of-15 passing, 150 yards, two TDs; eight carries, 48 yards, TD; five tackles, INT return TD
WR Joe Callerame, Seton Catholic, jr.
Passing TD, rushing TD, receiving TD
RB Jared Lee, Royal, sr.
Three rushing TDs
RB Colton Lentz, Nooksack Valley, jr.
2 rushing TDs; receiving TD
QB Calvin Mikkelsen, Lakeside of Nine Mile Falls, sr.
Passing TD; 2 rushing TDs
DID YOU KNOW?
▪ Three-time defending 1A state champion Royal still has yet to allow a point through eight quarters of state contests this fall. The Knights shut out Eatonville, 50-0, in the opening round and Omak, 49-0, in the quarterfinals. Royal has allowed 48 points this season (4.4 per game), which is the fewest allowed by a team in any of the six classifications in 2023.
▪ Both Lakeside of Nine Mile Falls and Seton Catholic will make their state semifinals debuts Saturday. Nooksack Valley is in the semifinals for a second consecutive season, and fourth time in program history. Royal hasn’t missed the semifinals since 2014, is making the program’s eighth consecutive appearance in the round and 21st overall. The Knights have won 11 state titles, including each of the past three in 1A.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The 1A state semifinals are scheduled for Saturday at sites around the state.
No. 6 Nooksack Valley (9-2) vs. No. 2 Lakeside of Nine Mile Falls (11-0)
1 p.m. Saturday, Union Stadium, Mead
No. 12 Seton Catholic (11-1) vs. No. 1 Royal (11-0)
4 p.m. Saturday, Royal High School, Royal
CLASS 2B
QUARTERFINALS SCORES
No. 3 Northwest Christian of Colbert 41, No. 6 Toledo 0
No. 2 Okanogan 38, No. 7 Goldendale 0
No. 4 Onalaska 60, No. 5 Kalama 40
No. 1 Napavine 43, No. 8 River View 14
UPSET ALERT
No upsets here. Each of the four higher-seeded 2B programs advanced to the semifinals.
TOP PERFORMERS
Based on available stats.
QB Ashton Demarest, Napavine, sr.
10-of-12 passing, 209 yards, 2 TDs; 2 rushing TDs
QB Kayden Mozingo, Onalaska, sr.
30 carries, 447 yards, 5 TDs
RB Rodrigo Rodriguez, Onalaska, jr.
20 carries, 154 yards, 3 TDs
DID YOU KNOW?
▪ The two shutouts in the 2B bracket in the quarterfinals — Northwest Christian of Colbert routed Toledo, 41-0, and Okanogan topped Goldendale, 38-0 — are the most in any of the six classifications in the round.
▪ Three of the four remaining 2B teams have previously won state titles — and all in the past decade. Defending champion Napavine has four total titles (most recently in 2022), Okanogan has three (most recently in 2015) and Onalaska has two (most recently in 2019).
WHAT’S NEXT?
The 2B state semifinals are scheduled for Saturday at sites around the state.
No. 3 Northwest Christian of Colbert (11-0) vs. No. 2 Okanogan (10-0)
4 p.m. Saturday, Apple Bowl, Wenatchee
No. 4 Onalaska (9-2) vs. No. 1 Napavine (10-1)
Noon Saturday, Tumwater District Stadium, Tumwater
CLASS 1B
QUARTERFINALS SCORES
No. 3 Mossyrock 46, No. 6 Almira-Coulee-Hartline 30
No. 2 Wilbur-Creston-Keller 98, No. 10 Naselle 40
No. 5 Neah Bay 52, No. 4 Liberty Christian 20
No. 1 Liberty Bell 76, No. 8 Wellpinit 14
UPSET ALERT
Jodell Wimberly, Tyler Swan, Mathias Greene and Adan Ellis combined for seven touchdowns to lead No. 5 seed Neah Bay past No. 4 seed Liberty Christian, 52-20, on Saturday afternoon in Richland. Wimberly rushed for a team-leading 158 yards and a pair of scores, Swan added 114 yards and two more rushing touchdowns, Greene passed for a touchdown and rushed for another, and Ellis added receiving and fumble recovery touchdowns in the win. Neah Bay, after a runner-up finish in the 1B bracket last year, returns to the semifinals for a second consecutive season on a nine-game winning streak. Liberty Christian ends the season at 9-1.
TOP PERFORMERS
Based on available stats.
RB/DB Kalub Dreger, Wilbur-Creston-Keller, sr.
18 carries, 401 yards, 6 TDs; 5 tackles
QB Easton Kolb, Mossyrock, jr.
4-of-9 passing, 105 yards, TD; 23 carries, 157 yards, 5 TDs
RB/LB Preston Michel, Wilbur-Creston-Keller, jr.
22 carries, 174 yards, 3 TDs; 15 tackles, sack, fumble recovery; kickoff return TD
QB/LB Lucien Paz, Liberty Bell, jr.
10-of-11 passing, 118 yards, 3 TDs; 9 carries, 96 yards, 2 TDs; 5 tackles, INT return TD
RB/DB Jodell Wimberly, Neah Bay, jr.
28 carries, 158 yards, 2 TDs; 4 tackles
DID YOU KNOW?
▪ Wilbur-Creston-Keller’s 98 points in the quarterfinals win over Naselle are the most in a single game in the 8-man bracket through two rounds. The Wildcats rushed for 735 yards and 12 TDs in the victory.
▪ Defending 1B state champion Liberty Bell and Neah Bay are set for a title game rematch in the semifinals Saturday. Liberty Bell won the first championship in program history with a 50-12 win over Neah Bay in the 2022 final at Mount Tahoma Stadium in Tacoma. Liberty Bell and Neah Bay also met in the season-opener for both teams September, with the Mountain Lions securing a 50-24 victory.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The 1B state semifinals are scheduled for Saturday at sites around the state.
No. 3 Mossyrock (10-1) vs. No. 2 Wilbur-Creston-Keller (11-0)
Noon Saturday, Lions Field, Moses Lake
No. 5 Neah Bay (9-2) vs. No. 1 Liberty Bell (8-0)
1 p.m. Saturday, Apple Bowl, Wenatchee
This story was originally published November 20, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
