Week 1: What we learned from high school football games in the South Sound
Week 1 of the high school football season is in the books. TNT high school sports reporter Jon Manley discusses what stood out from this week’s action.
BIGGEST TAKEAWAY FROM WEEK 1
I’ve always enjoyed the preseason. In the summer, I try to unplug a bit. Like a lot of you, my wife and our 3-year-old boy travel, vacation and head outdoors in the summer months, trying to soak in the long days before the big dark sets in. I spend a little time trying to improve my woefully inadequate golf game (hey, I finally broke 90 a couple weeks ago).
Eventually, I start to get antsy, so I always welcome the return to fall routine, even if the prospect of shorter days, getting stuck behind school buses in traffic and whatever latest pumpkin-flavored nonsense is foisted on us doesn’t spark joy.
It’s fun visiting different schools around the South Sound during our preseason practice tour. Everyone is full of hope and optimism before games begin. We preview leagues, offer standings predictions and make picks for some of the compelling games in Week 1.
But the truth is, we’re never completely sure what to expect in Week 1, even if we think things should go a certain way. Last year is always last year, and these are new teams with new players, new schemes and sometimes new coaches. It takes some time for things to gel and fall into place. My biggest takeaway after watching the Week 1 action shake out: There’s a lot of unknown this year.
Last year, it felt like we had a pretty clear idea of how things were going to shake out, barring a surprise here and there. This year, with all the graduation turnover, new faces and young teams in the South Sound, there are going to be some surprises. Some new programs are going to emerge, some fresh storylines will be written, some upset bids are going to come to fruition. I’m here for it. It’s going to be a fun year.
WHICH TEAMS IMPRESSED MOST?
I have to start with Sumner, which looked every part of a Class 4A state title contender, knocking off back-to-back state champion Lake Stevens at Sunset Chev Stadium on Friday night.
Austin Ferencz kicked the game-winning field goal in overtime to send the team and home crowd into a frenzy.
I walked away particularly impressed with Sumner’s defense. Few teams have been able to slow down quarterback Kolton Matson and the Lake Stevens offense in recent years, and Sumner was up to the challenge. This is a deep, experienced group that flies to the football, gets to the quarterback, good at linebacker and on the back end. I’m not sure there’s a weakness there.
I think there’s more meat on the bone with the offense, too. There were some good throws from transfer QB Nate Donovan, particularly targeting Sumner’s talented group of receivers down the field. It was a bit inconsistent, and there were a couple times when Donovan and his receivers weren’t on the same page with routes. If the passing game is a little cleaner, this team could be even better as the season wears on.
Another mention, also from the 4A SPSL: Curtis going to Mount Si and winning in a 35-14 blowout. Receivers Parker Mady (96 yards, two TDs) and Xavier Ahrens (148 yards, two TDs) showed why they’re two of the area’s top players in a quality road win.
And Tumwater... we’ll get to them in a second.
WHICH WEEK 1 RESULT WAS THE MOST SURPRISING?
I’m not entirely sure what happened in Tumwater on Friday night when 4A Puyallup visited. I expected a close game. Puyallup has a lot of talent, and this felt like a year the Vikings would take a step forward in the 4A SPSL.
It’s early, of course, and that still could happen, but Friday night was a nightmare start. The Vikings were clobbered by Tumwater from start to finish — run past, run over, run around, run through. Tumwater won the game 56-6 and led 49-6 at half after leading 28-0 in the first quarter. Puyallup’s defense, clearly, was unprepared for Tumwater’s Wing-T.
Credit to Tumwater. Willie Garrow and his staff have things continuing to roll, as they always have with “T-Bird Winning Football,” dating back to the Sid Otton years. There’s something to be said for a consistent winning culture. The kids who grow up in Tumwater’s feeding program — all they know is winning. That’s what they do at every level, it’s what they expect. There has to be something contagious about being part of the Tumwater program.
Running back Peyton Davis ran for 181 yards and three touchdowns. Tumwater finished the game with 514 total yards of offense. I still wouldn’t bet against Anacortes to repeat in 2A this year, but Tumwater has a great shot of getting another crack at the Seahawks this year.
Puyallup, meanwhile, has some soul searching to do.
WHICH TEAM SHOULD BE ON EVERY OPPONENT’S RADAR MOVING FORWARD?
I’ll take a pair of schools from the 3A and 4A North Puget Sound leagues. Decatur had a strong defensive effort in a 14-7 win over Enumclaw, who we picked to win the 3A NPSL this year. Even without star running back Nehemiah Washington (arm), Decatur’s defense stole the show against a good Enumclaw program. After reaching the postseason last year, Decatur is poised to make another run.
In 4A, Kennedy Catholic delivered a comfortable 22-6 road win over Bothell, of the 4A KingCo. Bothell is a perennial contender and state tournament team, and the Lancers handled them comfortably in Week 1. There’s a lot of experience and some high-level line recruits in Burien this fall under Pat Jones, and Kennedy Catholic has the pieces to make a deep postseason run this year.
WHICH INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE STOOD OUT MOST IN WEEK 1?
Give me Tumwater running back Peyton Davis, who rushed for 181 yards and three touchdowns against 4A Puyallup. Also, it might have been in a loss, but I loved what I saw from Mount Tahoma receiver Elijah Durr against Yelm. He caught four passes for 153 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The first one was particularly impressive, when Durr out-leaped a Yelm corner in single coverage, came down with the ball and took it to the house for a 69-yard score. He’s going to be a problem for opposing corners all season. One more: Spanaway Lake’s D’Aryhian Clemons, a UW commit, did a little bit of everything in a high-scoring win over Stanwood: three receptions for 45 yards and two TDs, two runs for 29 yards and three kickoff returns for 181 total yards, one of which he returned for a 91-yard touchdown.
This story was originally published September 9, 2024 at 12:20 PM.
