Week 1: 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 1, plus our pick for the state game of the week.
Decatur Gators vs. Enumclaw Hornets
7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 4 at Enumclaw Stadium (Pete’s Pool)
Like last year, this could wind up being the league championship game again, so we’re not entirely sure why it’s being played in Week 1. Regardless, it should be a fun one at Pete’s Pool after Decatur won last year’s meeting, 14-7. Enumclaw returns five starters on offense, including second-year starting QB Gavin Trachte. Keep an eye on sophomore RB Paxton Patterson, who is poised for a breakout season. Decatur, which went to the state tournament for the first time in program history last season, returns six starters on offense and six on defense, but lost QB Spencer Holloway to graduation. We’ll give the slight edge to Enumclaw at home, but Decatur safety Jasonni Prum and LB Michael Havili might have something to say about that.
TNT pick: Enumclaw 14, Decatur 10
O’Dea Fighting Irish vs. Graham-Kapowsin Eagles
7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5 at Art Crate Field
Graham-Kapowsin gave O’Dea everything it could handle on the road last season in a 35-28 loss. That ended up being one of the only close calls O’Dea had, as Monte Kohler’s squad went on to win the 3A state championship, blowing out Bellevue in the title game at Husky Stadium, 38-15. Graham-Kapowsin returns sophomore QB AJ Tuivaiave and junior WR Kase Betz. G-K’s offensive line will have its hands full — O’Dea has one of the state’s elite defensive lines, highlighted by UCLA commit David Schwerzel and Michigan State commit Fameitau Siale. Expect Graham-Kapowsin to attempt to neutralize O’Dea’s line with a pass-heavy approach. We could see this one going either way; a couple turnovers could be the difference. We’ll roll with the home team in an early-season upset.
TNT pick: Graham-Kapowsin 28, O’Dea 27
Tumwater T-Birds vs. Puyallup Vikings
7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5 at Sparks Stadium
After Tumwater ran over Puyallup in last year’s Week 1 opener, 56-6, new Vikings head coach DJ Mims put the final score on the Sparks Stadium scoreboard throughout summer practices to ignite a fire within. Finally — a shot at redemption. Puyallup reloaded a new-look roster with impact transfers, returned several of its existing standouts and should enter Friday’s rematch better prepared for Tumwater’s Wing-T scheme, which gave the Vikings fits last fall. QB Luke Parker has plenty of big-bodied wideouts at his disposal, and Lakes LB transfer Michael Pulalasi lurks over the middle for a Puyallup defense that’ll need to stop Tumwater’s deceptive run game. Expect T-Birds RBs Peyton Davis and Tyler Briscoe to factor in, but we think Puyallup does enough to avenge an ugly opener one year ago.
TNT pick: Puyallup 27, Tumwater 21
Franklin Pierce Cardinals vs. Lincoln Abes
7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5 at Lincoln Bowl
It’s The Sione Kaho Show at Lincoln, where the four-star Abes QB makes his junior debut at Lincoln Bowl opposite one of Tacoma’s top defenses last fall. Franklin Pierce allowed just 38 total points in seven 2A SPSL wins last season, but it’ll need to suppress Kaho’s arm and RB Jadeon Scranton’s tough running to have a shot at a Friday-night upset. One of Lincoln’s keys for a Week 1 win? Stop Cardinals RB Bryson Allen, who ran wild for 21 touchdowns in Franklin Pierce’s Power-T offense as a junior and eyes a 2,000-yard campaign this time around. We’ll take Lincoln in this high-profile, non-league opener between state contenders.
TNT pick: Lincoln 35, Franklin Pierce 24
Life Christian Eagles vs. Orting Cardinals
7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5 at Cardinal Stadium
After a heartbreaking, one-point shootout loss to Seton Catholic, 42-41 in last year’s Class 1A quarterfinals, Life Christian Academy returns standout QB Jabez Boyd with its eyes focused on the ultimate prize. The road back to potential glory begins with an intriguing matchup in Orting when the Cardinals host the Eagles in a Week 1 matchup between state contenders. Will Boyd pick up right where he left off after accounting for 45 touchdowns in 2024 against HC Cody Baskett’s defense, or does Orting RB Carson McCall control the clock for the home Cardinals? We’ll take Life Christian in a close one.
TNT pick: Life Christian Academy 24, Orting 21
STATE GAME OF THE WEEK
Sumner Spartans vs. Lake Stevens Vikings
7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5 at Lake Stevens High School
The rematch is on. Sumner’s 31-28 overtime win over Lake Stevens in Week 1 last season solidified a belief the Spartans could win the whole thing (which Sumner ultimately did, beating Camas in the 4A state championship game at Husky Stadium). Sumner returns practically everyone from last year’s team, including QB Nate Donovan, WR Braylon Pope, OL Kameron Raboteau, LB Dillon Titialii, LB Austin Glivar, DB Israel Nabors and DL Shaun Griffith. And Keith Ross’ team added Davis (Yakima) transfer RB Lance McGee, an Oregon State commit. The Spartans have the pieces to repeat.
TNT pick: Sumner 35, Lake Stevens 24
This story was originally published September 3, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
