Week 13: Previews, predictions for high school state football semifinals in South Sound
Read team previews and score predictions for Washington state tournament semifinal games involving South Sound teams.
LOCAL GAMES
CLASS 4A
No. 3 Chiawana Riverhawks (11-1) vs. No. 2 Sumner Spartans (11-1)
4 p.m. Saturday, Sunset Chev Stadium, Sumner
Sumner is one win away from a trip to Husky Stadium for the 4A championship game, but they’ll need to navigate a red-hot Chiawana team to get there. The Riverhawks are winners of 11 straight, average over 46 points per game and, like Sumner, have yet to lose to an in-state opponent (that changes Saturday at Sunset Chev Stadium). Expect a physical playoff game won on the ground. Spartans RB Steele Isaacs should be in for another bellcow role; the Sumner senior logged 26+ carries in both state contests and 13 rushing touchdowns in his last five games. QB Nate Donovan has developed rapport with WR Braylon Pope and pass-catching TE Carter Cocke, but how will Isaacs fare opposite Chiawana LB and Eastern Washington commit Cooper MacPherson? And look out for Riverhawks RB/S Braxton Feldmann, the 4A Mid-Columbia Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year whose biggest play in last weekend’s quarterfinals came on defense — a 95-yard interception return for a touchdown that helped knock off two-time defending state champion Lake Stevens. Chiawana boasts impressive, decisive wins over 4A contenders: Puyallup (56-14), Richland (42-13), Kamiakin (44-0) and Lake Stevens (48-21). They just haven’t seen a defense like Sumner’s, likely the X factor in an exciting matchup we think could go either way.
TNT pick: No. 2 Sumner 28, No. 3 Chiawana 27
CLASS 2A
No. 5 Archbishop Murphy Wildcats (10-1) vs. No. 1 Tumwater T-Birds (12-0)
2 p.m. Saturday, Tumwater District Stadium
Just how much is Tumwater rolling right now? The T-Birds had the running clock rule in effect before halftime against No. 9 Sehome last week in the 2A quarterfinals, leading 51-0 at half before ultimately winning 70-7. Up front, this will be the best team Tumwater has seen this season. Archbishop Murphy is the only team to have beaten reigning state champion Anacortes in the past two seasons and is coming off a 10-9 win over conference opponent Lynden in last week’s quarterfinals. Archbishop Murphy also runs the Wing-T. This could wind up being the first tight game Tumwater has played in this season — maybe — but we think the difference will be Tumwater’s defense. Defensive linemen Malijah Tucker and Mekhi Richardson and linebackers Beckett Wall and Cash Short are part of a formidable T-Birds defense. Give us ‘T-Bird Winning Football’ returning to the state championship game.
TNT pick: No. 1 Tumwater 28, No. 5 Archbishop Murphy 14
SEMIFINALS SCHEDULE
CLASS 4A
No. 3 Chiawana vs. No. 2 Sumner
4 p.m. Saturday at Sunset Chevrolet Stadium (Sumner)
No. 5 Gonzaga Prep vs. No. 1 Camas
1 p.m. Saturday at McKenzie Stadium (Vancouver)
CLASS 3A
No. 3 Eastside Catholic vs. No. 2 O’Dea
1 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium (Seattle)
No. 5 Roosevelt vs. No. 1 Bellevue
4 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium (Seattle)
CLASS 2A
No. 6 W.F. West vs. No. 2 Anacortes
3 p.m. Saturday at Oak Harbor High School
No. 5 Archbishop Murphy vs. No. 1 Tumwater
2 p.m. Saturday at Tumwater District Stadium
CLASS 1A
No. 6 Montesano vs. No. 2 Seton Catholic
4 p.m. Saturday at McKenzie Stadium (Vancouver)
No. 4 Cashmere vs. No. 1 Royal
4 p.m. Saturday at Lions Field (Moses Lake)
CLASS 2B
No. 3 Napavine vs. No. 2 Asotin
4 p.m. Saturday at Fran Rish Stadium (Richland)
No. 5 Freeman vs. No. 1 Okanogan
4 p.m. Saturday at Apple Bowl (Wenatchee)
CLASS 1B
No. 3 Naselle vs. No. 2 Wilbur Creston Keller
1 p.m. Saturday at Lions Field (Moses Lake)
No. 4 Almira Coulee Hartline vs. No. 1 Liberty Christian
1 p.m. Saturday at Fran Rish Stadium (Richland)
This story was originally published November 27, 2024 at 12:01 PM.
