High school football season preview: 4A North Puget Sound League
High school football is back in the South Sound. Practices are underway as programs across the state prepare for the beginning of the 2025 season.
The News Tribune will be visiting schools in the area and previewing local leagues as the first week of games approaches.
Follow along with us throughout the two-week preseason for previews on the 4A NPSL, 4A SPSL, 3A NPSL, 3A PSL, 2A SPSL, 2A EvCo and more.
4A NORTH PUGET SOUND LEAGUE
THE FAVORITE
With a 34-game win streak in the 4A NPSL spanning six undefeated seasons, we’ll keep Kennedy Catholic atop our projections until another program steals the crown. The Lancers return the state’s top 2026 recruit in DL Derek Colman-Brusa, a devastating pass rusher and run stuffer who verbally committed to his hometown Washington Huskies in May over the likes of Stanford, Ohio State and Oregon.
“Derek alone is enough to make them the best defense (in the league),” one opposing coach said.
Kennedy Catholic graduated standout RB/LB Indiana Jones and QB Devon Forehand but returns QB Dante Saladino, the 4A NPSL’s reigning Baseball Player of the Year who missed the 2024 football season with an arm injury. Saladino was a first-team all-NPSL tight end (and first-team punter) for the Lancers in 2023 and now gets his shot at signal-caller, a 6-foot-3 senior with 4.5-second 40-yard-dash speed. Look for slot WR Jordan Noel and bruising RB Nikko Lecksiwilai (5-10, 225) to shine in head coach Pat Jones’ Wing-T/Air Raid offensive scheme.
“To be able to have a big kid run the Wing-T... When (Nikko) runs the ball, it’s tough on a defense,” Jones said. “And then you have a 6-3 quarterback that has a cannon for an arm that can step back and throw when he wants to. ... (Graduated RB Indiana Jones) made guys miss, and Indy was really shifty. I said to Nikko, where I want you to be like Indy is, Indy never fumbled. He just didn’t. We never turned the ball over. But I don’t mind it if Nikko doesn’t make people miss. They might want to miss.”
ANY OTHER CONTENDERS?
It’s become the consensus among NPSL coaches: Stadium RB Darius Sum can turn games upside down with one breakaway run at a time. The Tigers bellcow averaged nearly 10 yards per carry last fall, averaging 170 rushing yards per game with 20 total touchdowns for Tacoma’s only 4A team. We expect another big season for the TNT All-Area pick behind QB Kooper Tasler. Watch for TE Diego Cabrera and a trio of returning Stadium linebackers among a group of 25 seniors: Hao-Tien Moore, Cruz Nolan and Raider Pula.
“They stuck together,” head coach Patrick Johnson said Wednesday. “Just the consistency of messaging. … Wins and losses are great, but I think that we’re developing pretty good young men, and it’s starting to translate on the field.”
In Auburn, star wideout Lucas Whitehall-Gilkes returns for his senior season after setting single-season NPSL records in receptions (101) and receiving yards (1,527) with 12 touchdowns despite routine double-coverage last fall. That might not be the case in 2025: Auburn welcomes back WR Christian Titialii, a dependable second option for QB Baylen Erdmann with an offer from Portland State after missing all of last season due to injury. Head coach Aaron Chantler’s spread offense should keep the points coming (32.9 PPG in 2024).
In Maple Valley, Tahoma QB Brady Bonnell flashed dual-threat ability as a freshman last fall and figures to guide the Bears into the postseason mix for a sixth-straight season.
20 PLAYERS TO WATCH
QB Brady Bonnell, Tahoma, soph.
TE Diego Cabrera, Stadium, sr.
OL/DL Derek Colman-Brusa, Kennedy Catholic, sr.
QB Baylen Erdmann, Auburn, sr.
OL Ethan Heidel, Kentwood, sr.
WR Rylan Keane, Mount Rainier, sr.
OL Junior Leapai, Auburn, jr.
RB/LB Nikko Lecksiwilai, Kennedy Catholic, jr.
LB Hao-Tien Moore, Stadium, sr.
LB Ranae Naitoko, Mount Rainier, sr.
WR/CB Jordan Noel, Kennedy Catholic, jr.
DE/LB Cruz Nolan, Stadium, sr.
LB Nathan Obasanjo, Kentridge, jr.
QB Dante Saladino, Kennedy Catholic, sr.
RB Darius Sum, Stadium, sr.
QB Kooper Tasler, Stadium, sr.
WR/DB Christian Titialii, Auburn, sr.
DT Chris Vaomu, Auburn Riverside, sr.
LB Adonai Ve’e, Kentwood, jr.
WR Lucas Whitehall-Gilkes, Auburn, sr.
SAVE THE DATE
Sept. 12: Kennedy Catholic at Sumner, 7 p.m.
Sept. 20: Tahoma at Kennedy Catholic, noon.
Oct. 17: Kennedy Catholic at Stadium, 7 p.m.
Oct. 30: Auburn Riverside at Auburn, 7 p.m.
Oct. 30: Stadium at Tahoma, 6 p.m.
PROJECTED LEAGUE STANDINGS
Kennedy Catholic, Tahoma, Stadium, Auburn, Kentwood, Auburn Riverside, Mount Rainier, Kentridge
This story was originally published August 27, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
