Week 3: What we learned from high school football games in the South Sound
Week 3 of the high school football season is in the books. TNT high school sports reporters Jon Manley and Tyler Wicke discuss what stood out from this week’s action.
BIGGEST TAKEAWAY FROM WEEK 3
Manley: My mind is jumping to later in the season. After watching Lakes shut down Curtis’ offense in a 14-10 win Friday night, I think it’s too bad there won’t be a league championship game in the newly-formed 3A Puget Sound League this year. We picked Lakes to win its division in the preseason and Friday night’s performance solidified that belief for me, so assuming Lakes does get through its division unscathed, we’re being robbed of a fun matchup in Week 9 against the winner of the other division, whoever that ends up being. We’re still riding with Lincoln despite back-to-back tough losses, but Mount Tahoma, Gig Harbor and Bellarmine could factor in. I understand the reasoning behind not having a crossover championship game. For seeding purposes, coaches want to protect division winners in this RPI era and having a playoff-level game before Week 10 might mean less rest for the starters heading into the postseason. Still, the 4A SPSL is holding a crossover championship game in Week 9, and I wish we’d see one in the 3A PSL, too.
Wicke: After watching Fife and Orting go down to the wire on Friday night, it’s clear we’re in for a competitive battle for the 2A SPSL title this season. Orting’s defense preserved a 20-19 win in the final moments at Fife High School, perhaps their top rival challenger, to control its destiny the rest of the way. Dynamic RB Carson McCall hauled in four receptions for 66 yards and a touchdown, adding nine carries for 71 rushing yards, and QB Zach Gemar flashed an accurate arm on the run. But Orting’s road to the title doesn’t get easier just yet. The Cardinals host Franklin Pierce (3-0) on Thursday night in what sets up to be another physical contest won on the ground. A trip to Steilacoom (3-0) looms a week later. It’s a gauntlet that could pave an ultra-smooth path for Orting — or throw the standings back into turmoil.
WHICH TEAMS IMPRESSED MOST?
Manley: In my mind, right now, there are two South Sound teams that have a legitimate shot to win a state championship this fall: Sumner in 4A and Tumwater in 2A. Both of those teams impressed again in Week 3. On the road in Oregon, Sumner was leading 6A favorite West Linn at half before eventually losing a close one. That’s a noteworthy result, despite the loss. Don’t forget that West Linn beat Lake Stevens 49-30 last season, the only loss on the season for the eventual Washington Class 4A state champions. Tumwater impressed again with another win over a 4A opponent, this time over No. 7 Eastlake on the road. In my view, there are three teams in contention this year in 2A: reigning champion Anacortes, Tumwater and Lynden. We’re a long way from the postseason, but it’s going to be a blast watching those teams square off in the state tournament.
Two other quick mentions: Lakes’ defense was awesome in its 14-10 win over Curtis on Friday. It gave Curtis nothing in the run game, forced turnovers, repeatedly pressured both of Curtis’ young quarterbacks and gave up next to nothing to Montana State commits Xavier Ahrens and Parker Mady on the back end. If the offense can catch up to the defense, Lakes has the talent to make a postseason run. One more: Federal Way hammered Spanaway Lake on Saturday, 53-10. I think Marcus Yzaguirre’s group was eager to get the bad taste of last week’s collapse against rival Decatur out of its mouth. Federal Way is averaging 42.7 points through three games.
Wicke: Making our weekly picks for the TNT’s Games of the Week last Wednesday, my attempts to warn Jon of a complete Lakes defense failed, and we picked Curtis to fend off the Lancers in a close one in University Place. Perhaps Lakes heard the noise. Dave Miller’s Lancers allowed just 11 rushing yards and intercepted three passes to upset the Vikings on Friday night, 14-10, in the last of three non-league contests where Lakes opponents scored 23 total points. Rivals in a new-look 3A Puget Sound League could face similar struggles this fall. Other teams that impressed me: Yelm dropped 52 points in a shootout win over Kamiakin, 52-48, and Mount Tahoma went on the road to beat 4A-Mount Si, 21-17.
WHICH WEEK 3 RESULT WAS THE MOST SURPRISING?
Manley: Graham-Kapowsin needing to grit out a win against neighbor Emerald Ridge was the biggest surprise to me, especially after Graham-Kapowsin had chances to beat ranked teams O’Dea and Skyview in the first two weeks, losing the two games by a combined 11 points. We expected this to be a rebuilding year for Graham-Kapowsin, but we felt this would still be a state tournament team. There’s plenty of talent on Jeff Logan’s squad but also a lot of inexperience. Maybe the weight of being G-K and being 0-2 heading into last week’s game affected some of the players. G-K gets a tune-up against Bonney Lake before a Week 5 road showdown against Yelm.
Wicke: Graham-Kapowsin can exhale. Trailing in the fourth quarter at Emerald Ridge, the Eagles rallied for a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to survive a scare at Sparks Stadium — capped by Blake Pearson’s five-yard score with 14 seconds left. Another near-surprise: Sumner walked into the locker room with a 20-6 halftime lead over Oregon’s 6A-powerhouse West Linn, a program that handed reigning 4A champion Lake Stevens its only loss last season. It could’ve been the shock of the week, but West Linn stormed back in Oregon, 34-27. Another surprise: I mentioned Yelm’s big win over Kamiakin earlier, but I certainly didn’t expect 100 total points.
WHICH TEAM SHOULD BE ON EVERY OPPONENT’S RADAR MOVING FORWARD?
Manley: Look, it hasn’t been the toughest schedule in the state, but Bellarmine Prep is 3-0 with wins over Rogers, Auburn and Kelso. Wins against Silas and Central Kitsap seem likely in the next two weeks, before the home stretch against Mount Tahoma, Lincoln and Gig Harbor. QB Birk Johnston has played well, and we’ll see if Bellarmine can make some noise as new members of the 3A PSL.
Wicke: Lakes enters league play as the presumptive favorite of the 3A PSL Nisqually, certainly on the radar of the likes of Peninsula, Capital and Timberline in the coming months. More immediately, Friday night’s rivalry between Orting and Franklin Pierce lifts the winner into first place — and places a massive target on their back within a competitive 2A SPSL.
WHICH INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE STOOD OUT MOST IN WEEK 3?
Manley: I felt like Yelm might have a dropoff at quarterback after Damian Aalona graduated, but that hasn’t been the case whatsoever. Dual-threat Parker Myers was sensational in a shootout win over Kamiakin on Friday night, completing 17-of-20 passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns and adding 96 yards and three more scores on 18 carries. Six touchdowns and an 85 percent completion percentage? Yeah, that’ll work. One more name: Steilacoom quarterback Drew Macdonald passed for 240 yards and five touchdowns in an overtime win over Washington. Props to Macdonald and the Sentinels’ offense for not giving up when at one point they were trailing 28-6. Macdonald completed the game-winning touchdown pass to Xander Shaw in overtime.
Wicke: How about Kentwood RB Antoine Lee erupting for 231 scrimmage yards and all five Conquerors touchdowns in a 36-20 win over Auburn Riverside to open league play? Lee was impossible to bring down last Thursday, carrying defenders over goal lines and juking linebackers in the open field during an impressive 65-yard run in the third quarter. In total, Lee handled 27 carries for 208 yards and three rushing scores, adding six receptions for 63 yards and two scores through the air. Rogers deserves another shoutout for winning consecutive games after snapping a 21-game losing streak that spanned three seasons. Rams QB Rashard Boone torched Silas for seven total touchdowns, completing 19-of-23 passes for 352 yards and five passing touchdowns with five carries for 70 yards and two scores on the ground in a 76-27 win.
This story was originally published September 23, 2024 at 1:05 PM.
