Top performers, upsets in the WIAA high school football state championships in 2023
The 2023 high school football season in Washington concluded with six championship games hosted Friday and Saturday at Husky Stadium in Seattle.
Here’s a bracket-by-bracket glance at some of the highlights from the title games in each classification.
CLASS 4A
CHAMPIONSHIP SCORE
No. 2 Lake Stevens 31, No. 1 Graham-Kapowsin 6
GAME SUMMARY
In the latest entry in this postseason rivalry series, Lake Stevens scored 28 unanswered points from the second quarter on to win the program’s second consecutive 4A state title in a convincing performance. The Vikings took the game’s first lead on a 27-yard field goal from Lucas Mooring midway through the first, and after the Eagles answered with a 2-yard keeper from Daveon Superales in the final minute of the quarter to take their only lead at 6-3, it was all Lake Stevens. The first of quarterback Kolton Matson’s four touchdown passes, a 26-yard screen to Jesse Lewis, gave the Vikings a 10-6 lead they never lost with 10:11 to go in the second quarter. They scored again with 19 seconds left in the half, when Paul Varela beat the Eagles’ secondary down the middle and hauled in a 45-yard toss from Matson to extend the lead to 11 at the break. Matson added two more scoring passes to Lewis (61 yards) and David Brown (3 yards) in the third to pace the Vikings to their eventual 25-point victory.
TOP PERFORMERS
WR/DB David Brown, Lake Stevens, sr.
3 catches, 27 yards, TD; 4 tackles, INT, 2 pass break-ups
WR Malachi Durant, Graham-Kapowsin, sr.
11 catches, 104 yards; 50 return yards
WR/DB Jesse Lewis, Lake Stevens, sr.
4 catches, 102 yards, 2 TDs; 7 tackles, 2 pass break-ups
QB Kolton Matson, Lake Stevens, jr.
13-of-15 passing, 321 yards, 4 TDs; 5 carries, 35 yards
QB Daveon Superales, Graham-Kapowsin, sr.
31-of-48 passing, 306 yards; 15 carries, 75 yards, TD
DID YOU KNOW?
▪ This was the sixth time these two perennial state powers have met in the 4A state playoffs, and second time in the final. Graham-Kapowsin routed Lake Stevens in the 2021 championship game, 44-7, as part of a historic 15-0 season that included the program’s first state title and a win against a nationally-ranked opponent in the GEICO State Champions Bowl Series. Lake Stevens’ 31-6 victory over the Eagles in Saturday night’s title game completes a perfect run through in-state opponents for the Vikings this season. The Vikings add their second state crown in three consecutive title game appearances after winning the program’s first title last December against Kennedy Catholic (24-22). Lake Stevens now leads the state series against Graham-Kapowsin, 4-2, including wins in the 2015 quarterfinals, 2018 quarterfinals, 2022 semifinals and now this title game. The Eagles have wins over the Vikings in the 2017 first round and 2021 championship game.
▪ Lake Stevens routed every opponent in the state bracket this season on the way to a second consecutive title. The Vikings shut out No. 15 Woodinville, 41-0, in the first round. They put up 44 points against last season’s state runner-up, No. 10 Kennedy Catholic, in the first half in the quarterfinals, and ran away with a 44-21 win. They scored 41 in the first half against No. 6 Kamiakin in the semifinals on the way to an eventual 48-7 victory. They then added the 25-point win over the top-seeded and previously undefeated Eagles in the final. Lake Stevens was also the highest-scoring 4A program in the state this season, posting 637 total points and averaging 45.5 per contest.
CLASS 3A
CHAMPIONSHIP SCORE
No. 6 Bellevue 14, No. 1 Yelm 0
GAME SUMMARY
Bellevue’s Wing-T piled up 339 yards of offense — all on the ground — and rushed for two touchdowns, and the Wolverines’ defense kept top-seeded and defending state champion Yelm off the scoreboard in a 14-0 shutout Friday night. Max Jones scored what turned out to be the game-winning touchdown on a 1-yard run with 3:30 to play in the second quarter, and Carson Rubin added a 1-yard scoring run midway through the third. Yelm was held to a season-low 206 yards of offense in the loss, and had three turnovers. Yelm star running back and linebacker Brayden Platt, a four-star recruit and Oregon commit who was the Tornados’ leading rusher this season and a top performer on defense this season, was disqualified from the game with 5:50 to play in the first quarter, changing the course of the contest early on. The Wolverines secured the 12th title in program history (the program’s 2012 and 2013 title were vacated) with the win, and second in the past three seasons, after also winning the 3A trophy in 2021.
TOP PERFORMERS
WR/DB Marius Aalona, Yelm, sr.
6 catches, 66 yards; 1.5 tackles, INT, pass break-up; 105 all-purpose yards
RB/LB Max Jones, Bellevue, soph.
13 carries, 71 yards, TD
RB/DB Ryken Moon, Bellevue, sr.
5 carries, 48 yards; 5 tackles, TFL, 0.5 sacks
RB/LB Carson Rubin, Bellevue, sr.
26 carries, 155 yards, TD
DID YOU KNOW?
▪ The 3A final was the only championship game that didn’t feature both the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds. Bellevue was the No. 6 seed in the 3A bracket, and upended higher-seeded No. 3 seed Arlington (35-17) in the quarterfinals, No. 2 O’Dea (21-17) in the semifinals and No. 1 Yelm (14-0) in the championship game to secure the program’s 12th overall title.
▪ The state’s longest active winning streak came to an end with Yelm’s loss to Belleuve in Friday night’s title game. The Tornados won an undefeated state championship last December, completing a perfect 14-0 record, and entered this season’s title game at 13-0. Royal, which won a fourth consecutive 1A state title earlier Friday, now holds the state’s longest active winning streak at 22 games.
CLASS 2A
CHAMPIONSHIP SCORE
No. 2 Anacortes 60, No. 1 Tumwater 30
GAME SUMMARY
The Anacortes Seahawks convincingly announced their arrival as a top program in the state in their first trip to a title game with a 30-point victory over perennial state powerhouse Tumwater. The T-Birds scored the first points on the game-opening drive, but Anacortes then scored five touchdowns before Tumwater reached the end zone again. The Seahawks took the game’s decisive lead with 7:15 to go in the first quarter, and Brock Beaner’s 7-yard blocked punt return touchdown with 9:14 to play in the half extended Anacortes’ lead to double digits for good. The Seahawks took a 34-6 lead into the break, and Tumwater never cut it closer than 16 points in the second half.
TOP PERFORMERS
WR/DB Brady Beaner, Anacortes, jr.
9 carries, 82 yards, TD; 4 catches, 24 yards, TD; 9 tackles, 2 TFL, blocked punt; 73 return yards
RB/LB Brock Beaner, Anacortes, jr.
21 carries, 135 yards, 3 TDs; 3 catches, 37 yards; 5 tackles, 2 TFL; punt return TD
WR/LB Rylin Lang, Anacortes, jr.
3 carries, 13 yards; 5 catches, 143 yards, 2 TDs; 5.5 tackles, TFL
QB Rex Larson, Anacortes, sr.
26-of-34 passing, 346 yards, 4 TDs
RB/LB Cash Short, Tumwater, jr.
3 carries, 33 yards, 2 TDs; 10 tackles, 2 TFL, sack
DID YOU KNOW?
▪ Anacortes broke a pair of 2A championship game scoring records in Saturday’s win, including most points scored in the title game at 60 (previously Meridian, with a 57-14 win over East Valley of Yakima in 1999) and most points scored in a quarter at 27 (previously 22 by two teams).
▪ This was the first title game appearance and first win for Anacortes, and the 12th championship game appearance for the T-Birds, who are now 6-6 in those contests.
CLASS 1A
CHAMPIONSHIP SCORE
No. 1 Royal 49, No. 2 Lakeside of Nine Mile Falls 7
GAME SUMMARY
The Knights rolled to a fourth consecutive 1A state championship, piling up 442 yards of offense and seven touchdowns in Friday’s win over Lakeside. Royal led 28-0 by halftime, and scored the game’s first five touchdowns before Lakeside got on the board late in the third. Quarterback Lance Allred totaled 351 yards of offense, collected six total touchdowns in the contest — passing for three and rushing for three more — and had a pair of interceptions on defense.
TOP PERFORMERS
WR/DB Caden Allred, Royal, sr.
31-yard TD catch; 3 tackles, INT
QB/DB Lance Allred, Royal, jr.
12-of-16 passing, 182 yards, 3 TDs; 23 carries, 169 yards, 3 TDs; 5.5 tackles, 0.5 TFL, 2 INT, 80 INT return yards
RB/LB Jared Lee, Royal, sr.
8 carries, 48 yards, TD; 2.5 tackles. 0.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks
QB/LB Calvin Mikkelsen, Royal, sr.
13-of-32 passing, 135 yards, TD; 6 tackles, caused fumble
RB/DB Hiro Patterson, Lakeside, sr.
153 all-purpose yards; 6 carries, 34 yards; 6 catches, 33 yards, TD; 9 tackles
DID YOU KNOW?
▪ This was the 12th state title in program history for Royal in 15 championship game appearances. The Knights have now won four consecutive 1A state titles, and seven of the past eight dating back to 2015.
▪ Royal led 1A in scoring this season with 597 points, and led the state in scoring average against, allowing only 55 points in 13 contests. Lakeside’s one touchdown in the championship game — a 5-yard pass from Calvin Mikkelson to Hiro Patterson late in the third — was the only scoring play Royal allowed through four state playoff games. The Knights shut out No. 16 Eatonville (50-0) in the first round, No. 9 Omak (49-0) in the quarterfinals and No. 12 Seton Catholic (42-0) in the semifinals.
CLASS 2B
CHAMPIONSHIP SCORE
No. 2 Okanogan 28, No. 1 Napavine 24
GAME SUMMARY
The Bulldogs piled up 267 of their 312 yards of total offense on the ground, and quarterback Carter Kuchenbuch rushed for four scores to lead Okanogan past defending 2B state champion Napavine on Saturday afternoon in a rematch of last season’s title game. Okanogan led much of the way, including taking a 14-6 lead into halftime, but the Tigers responded with a pair of third quarter touchdowns to take an 18-14 lead into the final quarter. Kuchenbuch responded with two scoring runs to push the Bulldogs’ lead back to double digits at 28-18 with 4:51 to go. Napavine later scored on a 28-yard pass from Ashton Demarest to Karsen Denault to cut the lead to four with 1:03 left, but the Bulldogs recovered the ensuing onside kick and ran out the clock.
TOP PERFORMERS
QB/DB Ashton Demarest, Napavine, sr.
12-of-20 passing, 141 yards, 2 TDs; 15 carries, 29 yards, TD; 7.5 tackles, TFL
RB/DB David Huffstetler, Okanogan, jr.
30 carries, 191 yards; TFL, sack
WR/DB Cayle Kelly, Napavine, jr.
4 carries, 18 yards, TD; 6 catches, 57 yards; 3 tackles; 94 all-purpose yards
QB/DL Carter Kuchenbuch, Okanogan, jr.
3-of-5 passing, 45 yards; 15 carries, 67 yards, 4 TDs; 5.5 tackles
DID YOU KNOW?
▪ Saturday was the fifth time Okanogan and Napavine have met in the state playoffs, and fourth time in a championship game. The Bulldogs have now won three of those title game meetings, including Saturday’s win and in back-to-back seasons in 2014 and 2015.
▪ All three of Saturday’s games were seeding upsets, beginning with the 2B contest, in which No. 2 Okanogan ended No. 1 Napavine’s run at a second consecutive title. No. 2 Anacortes later routed No. 1 Tumwater in the 2A game, and No. 2 Lake Stevens repeated as 4A state champion with a win over No. 1 Graham-Kapowsin.
CLASS 1B
CHAMPIONSHIP SCORE
No. 1 Liberty Bell 68, No. 2 Wilbur-Creston-Keller 22
GAME SUMMARY
Wilbur-Creston-Keller scored the first touchdown of the six state championship contests at Husky Stadium on a 12-yard pass from Preston Michel to Kallen Maioho early in the first quarter, but Liberty Bell took the lead shortly after that, and rolled to a second consecutive 1B state title. The Mountain Lions piled up 410 yards of offense and nine touchdowns in the win, led by quarterback Lucien Paz, who totaled 314 yards of offense, passed for four touchdowns and rushed for three more. Remi Paz added two rushing touchdowns and a receiving touchdown, and caused and recovered a fumble and had an interception on defense, and Bodie Thomson hauled in three touchdown catches for Liberty Bell in the win.
TOP PERFORMERS
QB/DB Kallen Maioho, Wilbur-Creston-Keller, jr.
4-of-15 passing, 50 yards; 14 carries, 72 yards, TD; 2 catches, 21 yards, 2 TDs; 2.5 tackles, TFL
RB/LB Preston Michel, Wilbur-Creston-Keller, jr.
2-of-4 passing, 21 yards, 2 TDs; 18 carries, 77 yards; 2 catches, 36 yards
QB/LB Lucien Paz, Liberty Bell, jr.
8-of-9 passing, 187 yards, 4 TDs; 5 carries, 127 yards, 3 TDs; 5.5 tackles. 1.5 TFL
RB/LB Remi Paz, Liberty Bell, soph.
9 carries, 97 yards, 2 TDs; 3 catches, 75 yards, TD; 9 tackles, 2.5 TFL, caused fumble, recovery, INT, pass break-up
WR/DB Bodie Thomson, Liberty Bell, jr.
3 catches, 83 yards, 3 TDs
DID YOU KNOW?
▪ Liberty Bell now has two 1B state titles in two championship game appearances after winning the program’s first last December. The Mountain Lions completed an undefeated 10-0 season this fall with Friday’s win, and have an active 17-game winning streak dating back to October of last year.
▪ Liberty Bell and Wilbur-Creston-Keller’s combined 90 points Friday afternoon pushed the 8-man bracket over the 1,000-point total for the tournament. In 11 games played in the 1B state playoffs the past month, teams combined for 1,018 total points, with each game averaging 92.5.
