Week 6: High school football games to watch in the South Sound, predictions
Read team previews and score predictions for five games across the South Sound in Week 6, plus our pick for the state game of the week.
Bethel Bison (3-2) vs. Graham-Kapowsin Eagles (3-2)
7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10 at Art Crate Field
That’s the Graham-Kapowsin we were expecting to see this season; the Eagles showed out in an offensive explosion last week, beating Yelm 57-36 on the road. Freshman quarterback AJ Tuivaiave threw seven touchdown passes and looks well on his way to an illustrious high school career. Bethel defeated Spanaway Lake 34-27 and will look for an upset over its school district rival this week as the road team at Art Crate Field. Bethel features the state’s top recruit in linebacker Zaydrius Rainey-Sale. We’re expecting a physical rivalry game with players who are familiar with each other, but it’s going to be a tough matchup for Bethel’s secondary against Kase Betz, Khris Norris and the rest of the Eagles’ pass catchers.
TNT pick: Graham-Kapowsin 35, Bethel 14
Steilacoom Sentinels (4-1) vs. Franklin Pierce Cardinals (5-0)
7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11 at Franklin Pierce High School
For the most part this reason, Steilacoom has been able to put some points on the board with experienced quarterback Drew Macdonald, even as injuries to receivers have limited his options in the passing game. But the Sentinels have struggled to get stops on defense against the league’s better teams and it won’t get any easier this week against undefeated Franklin Pierce, which is running the ball at will in its deception-driven Power T offense. Running backs Bryson Allen and Junior Teregeyo have combined for 1,074 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground.
TNT pick: Franklin Pierce 42, Steilacoom 21
Olympia Bears (5-0) at Spanaway Lake Sentinels (2-3)
7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11 at Art Crate Field
How about those undefeated Bears? Olympia rolled through their non-conference slate before toppling Bethel and Spanaway Lake convincingly to open league-play, powered by trusted QB Cameron Downing and top WR Harper Hejtmanek. We’ve seen plenty of the senior battery to date: Downing’s 1,283 pass yards rank third in the South Sound, and no area receiver has more than Hejtmanek’s 690 yards and nine touchdown catches through five games. The big question: How will the Olympia offense fare opposite Spanaway Lake’s three-star DB and UW commit D’Aryhian Clemons? Hejtmanek is likely to draw the Division-I cornerback’s shadow early and often. With a win, Olympia would enter regular-season-ending matchups with Graham-Kapowsin and Yelm unblemished. We think Nick Mullen’s Bears make it happen.
TNT pick: Olympia 34, Spanaway Lake 20
Mount Tahoma T-Birds (1-4) at Bellarmine Prep Lions (5-0)
7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11 at Bellarmine Preparatory School
Mount Tahoma’s last two losses? The T-Birds blew a three-possession lead in the fourth quarter at Central Kitsap, 21-20, and lost a double-overtime thriller to Tacoma-rival Lincoln, 38-32, in a back-and-forth clash that could have gone either way. It’s tough to imagine consecutive losses more excruciating, but we think Keith Terry’s T-Birds can bounce back. It won’t be easy this weekend when Mount Tahoma visits Bellarmine Prep and dual-threat QB Birk Johnston, already with six touchdown passes and six rushing touchdowns through five games for the undefeated Lions. Look for the T-Birds to establish the run with RB Felix Diaz (414 yards, 3 TD) and open up the passing game with Division-I perimeter recruit Elijah Durr.
TNT pick: Mount Tahoma 20, Bellarmine Prep 17
Curtis Vikings (4-1) at Emerald Ridge Jaguars (3-2)
7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11 at Sparks Stadium
It’s a tough ask for any defense to suppress both Parker Mady (570 yards, 8 TD) and Xavier Ahrens (410 yards, 4 TD) – the Curtis WR duo among the South Sound’s best in early-season receiving totals. They’ll look to cause problems for an Emerald Ridge secondary that’s held each of Graham-Kapowsin, Puyallup, and Rogers under 21 points in recent weeks. Aside from Lakes’ fourth-quarter comeback in University Place on Sept. 20, Curtis has rolled through the others by three possessions or more and could firmly position itself as a playoff contender with another win. We think Mady and Ahrens are in for another strong showing.
TNT pick: Curtis 34, Emerald Ridge 27
STATE GAME OF THE WEEK
Camas Papermakers (5-0) vs. Monroe Bearcats (5-0)
7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11 at Monroe High School
Both teams come into this one unscathed. For Camas, it’s another test for a team with state championship aspirations this season. Since a narrow 12-6 win over Roosevelt in Week 1, Camas’ offense has come alive, averaging 34 points per game over the next four games. QB Jake Davidson (88-of-132, 1,313 yards, 20 TDs, INT) has been one of the state’s best quarterbacks midway through the season. This will be a different level of competition for Monroe, which will look to establish the run behind Aaron Clifton (381 yards, 9 TDs).
TNT pick: Camas 31, Monroe 14
OTHER GAMES TO WATCH
Lakes Lancers (5-0) at Peninsula Seahawks (2-3)
7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11 at Roy Anderson Field
White River Hornets (4-1) at Federal Way Eagles (3-2)
7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11 at Federal Way Memorial Field
Kennedy Catholic Lancers (5-0) at Auburn Riverside Ravens (4-1)
7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11 at Auburn Memorial Stadium
Tahoma Bears (2-3) at Auburn Trojans (3-2)
1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12 at Auburn Memorial Stadium
This story was originally published October 9, 2024 at 11:57 AM.
