Week 2: 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 2, plus our pick for the state game of the week.
Emerald Ridge Jaguars vs. Bethel Bison
7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11 at Art Crate Field
Emerald Ridge collected a 34-19 win over Kentwood last week and Puyallup transfer QB Brayden Paulino impressed, throwing for 306 yards and four touchdowns. Bethel, meanwhile, lost 35-14 on the road against Bellevue, one of the state’s top programs. Bethel’s offense had high expectations this season with third-year QB Evan Barnes leading the charge but wasn’t able to do much last week against the Wolverines. Can the Bison turn things around? With Emerald Ridge’s team speed and passing attack, we think there are some points to be scored on both sides in this one. We’ll roll with the home team.
TNT pick: Bethel 35, Emerald Ridge 31
Mount Tahoma T-Birds vs. Camas Papermakers
7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12 at Doc Harris Stadium
Head coach Keith Terry has Mount Tahoma believing. The T-Birds bring state title aspirations into 2025 and started the campaign strong with a 42-0 rout at Yelm last weekend -- but how far can they soar? The early tests continue when Terry takes Mount Tahoma to Camas for a marquee matchup with the Papermakers on Friday night. It’s as well-rounded of a group as we’ve seen in recent years with two-way UW commit Elijah Durr on the perimeter, dual-threat QB Mikkah Cordero, and a stable of running backs in Terry’s Spread Pistol scheme. Expect plenty of points if Mount Tahoma brings a win back to Tacoma. We think they can.
TNT pick: Mount Tahoma 28, Camas 27
Kennedy Catholic Lancers vs. Sumner Spartans
7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12 at Sunset Chev Stadium
We aren’t used to seeing these programs with losing records, but that changes when two of Class 4A’s top teams clash at Sunset Chevrolet Stadium on Friday night. The 0-1 records tell little of the story: Sumner visited 4A title contender Lake Stevens and lost on a last-second touchdown, while Kennedy Catholic lost to a consistently-strong Bothell program by one possession. An in-game matchup we’re excited for: Three-star Sumner RB Lance McGee lined up opposite game-wrecking Lancers edge rusher Derek Colman-Brusa, a UW commit and the state’s No. 1 prospect in 2026. We’ll take the Spartans to rebound from their Week 1 loss first, which has plenty of perimeter talent and dependable QB Nate Donavan to make things happen if the run game falters.
TNT pick: Sumner 28, Kennedy Catholic 14
Decatur Gators vs. Federal Way Eagles
7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12 at Federal Way Memorial Field
No rest for Decatur after a hard-fought loss on the road at Enumclaw in Week 1. Up next, district rival Federal Way, which looked impressive in a 52-0 shutout win over Auburn Mountainview last week. Eastern Washington commit and two-way star Zamarie Tellez scored a pair of touchdowns for the Eagles last week in the rout. Decatur sophomore QB Antoine Williams showed some flashes last week and has one of the league’s top receivers to throw to in Scottie Dinwiddie. There should be some fireworks in this one. Federal Way might be more rested.
TNT pick: Federal Way 36, Decatur 34
Lynden Lions vs. Franklin Pierce Cardinals
2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13 at Franklin Pierce High School
Franklin Pierce’s early non-league gauntlet continues with 2A-power Lynden in South Tacoma on Saturday afternoon. Trevor Hanson’s Cardinals knocked off 3A-Lincoln in a statement win at Lincoln Bowl last weekend, using a deceptive Power-T offense and RB Bryson Allen’s 285 rushing yards and five touchdowns to make one of the area’s biggest Week 1 statements. They’ll need another big game from the reigning 2A SPSL MVP to take down these Lions, a perennial 2A contender and state-tournament regular that returned the majority of its starters this fall. If Franklin Pierce wins, it’ll be on the ground, but we’ll give Lynden the edge in what could be a 2A state playoff preview.
TNT pick: Lynden 21, Franklin Pierce 14
STATE GAME OF THE WEEK
Lake Stevens Vikings vs. Bellevue Wolverines
7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12 at Bellevue High School
Lake Stevens is coming off a dramatic, last-second home win against reigning 4A state champion Sumner last week, in which Vikings’ QB Blake Moser found WR Seth Price in the corner of the end zone as time expired to win the game, 31-28. Bellevue, meanwhile, handled visiting Bethel comfortably, winning 35-14. After the showing Lake Stevens had against Sumner’s high-level defense last week, we’ll roll with Tom Tri’s squad.
TNT pick: Lake Stevens 31, Bellevue 24
This story was originally published September 10, 2025 at 2:20 PM.
