12/3/24

For the second consecutive year, the seeding committee did a phenomenal job in seeding the state football tournaments for every classification. Each classification’s #1 seed punched their ticket to their respective state championship games last week and only the 2Bs won’t have a #1 vs. #2 matchup. They will still have a #1 vs. #3 but the rest of the classifications see their top two seeds face off at Husky Stadium this weekend for the state championship.

This is the third time since the seeding committee took over in 2018 that all top seeds have reached the state championship game. In 2021, five of the #1 seeds won the state title. Last year was the second occurrence of all six #1 seeds reaching the championship game and only two of the top seeds won their respective state championships. Liberty Bell and Royal were the only two to get the job done last year and this season we are only guaranteed two new state champions with Liberty Bell unable to defend their title as they moved up to 2B and Lake Stevens fell in the quarterfinals guaranteeing a new 4A champion.

Now the thought process behind this is NOT who is the worst #1 seed. Things that are taken into consideration is the results of the season with an emphasis on how the team has played in the state tournament. Another big variable is the opponent each top seed is playing which is the biggest x-factor for this list. So in an attempt to not give out free bulletin board material, here are our rankings.

#1- Royal Knights (Least Vulnerable)

It should be no surprise to see the Royal Knights at the top of this list as least vulnerable. The prestigious program has won four consecutive 1A state titles and have done so in dominant fashion. Since the start of this current streak in 2019, Royal has a record of 70-1 with that lone loss coming to Lynden Christian in the 2022 regular season. In 18 state games since 2019, Royal has outscored their opponents a combined 843-144. There is no typo there…that is pure dominance.

This season, it has been more of the same for the Knights. Another perfect season without too much stress to deal with. A 49-21 win over Zillah back on September 27th was the closest game that Royal has played this season. That is still a 28-point win. Another thing that hasn’t changed is the last name of the quarterback. Lance Allred is just the latest in his family to lead the Knights on offense. Allred has accounted for 50 touchdowns with 39 through the air and 11 on the ground. Allred has a plethora of receivers at his disposal with Jackson Larsen, Shae Stevenson, and Ben Jenks all getting involved in the passing game. Santana Luna will eat away on the ground for the Knights as well with the high-octane offense.

Seton Catholic will be looking for a bit of revenge from last season’s 1A semifinals when the Cougars fell to the Knights 42-0 in their first semifinals appearance. This year’s Cougar squad is a little bit different. Seton Catholic enters the title tilt with a perfect 12-0 record, but they have been tested in the playoffs. They had to survive a thriller against Life Christian Academy 42-41 in the quarterfinals before pulling away late to knock off Montesano in the semifinals 35-14.

Jacob Williams will be the focal point on offense for Seton Catholic. The senior running back has ran for 1,748 yards and 22 touchdowns while also leading the Cougars on defense. Ryker Ruelas is another big name to look out for on offense as he broke the state record for touchdown receptions with 15. Quarterback Kolten Gesser can be the difference maker for the Cougars as the junior quarterback can stretch the field with his big arm. In their first state championship in program history, the defense will be the key for Seton Catholic. They must minimize the opportunities for Royal and shorten the game with Williams on the ground.

Why Royal is ranked as the least vulnerable is simply because they haven’t lost in the playoffs since 2018. I could put the same exact quote that I put in last year’s rankings. “To be the man, you have to beat the man.” Well “The Man” just went another full season without coming close to losing. While I do believe Royal is more vulnerable this season than last, the machine that is Royal football can’t be doubted.

#2- Okanogan Bulldogs

Next up is another defending champion in the Okanogan Bulldogs. Okanogan not only returns to the championship game for the third consecutive season, but they do so with most of last season’s championship team still intact. Unlike last season, the Bulldogs enter championship weekend as the #1 seed and the defending champs. This season, Okanogan did have to scrap for a couple of wins, including their 36-26 semifinal win over Freeman.

Among the key returners for Okanogan is senior quarterback Carter Kuchenbuch. The big 6’5″ 230-pound quarterback ran for four touchdowns in last season’s championship and the Boise State commit has carried that performance over to this season with 21 rushing touchdowns. One of the best stories to Okanogan last year was the emergence of David Huffstetler. He took over as the lead back during the season and put together a strong championship performance. This season, Huffstetler ran for 893 yards and 13 touchdowns. You can look at Wesley Allen’s 552 yards and nine touchdowns or Tanner Grooms 544 yards and 12 touchdowns to understand how the offense runs. It is the big boys up front that get the job done for the Bulldogs. These guys are big and strong up front and they aren’t going to shy away from a physical game in the trenches. In fact, that is exactly the brand of football that they want to play.

A familiar foe awaits Okanogan as they will meet the Napavine Tigers for the third consecutive time in the state championship game. Napavine took home the title back in 2022 thanks to a big punt return for a touchdown by Karsen Denault. Last season, Napavine had no answer for Kuchenbuch and the Okanogan run game. The Tigers were overlooked a little bit this season as some injuries and growing pains had them looking mortal all season. In the playoffs, Napavine has looked like the same old Napavine team behind a dominant win over rival Adna and a defensive slugfest win over Asotin.

As long as Josh Fay is leading the Tigers, they will be in the thick of the title talks. A lot of new names have stepped up for Napavine after losing a lot of talent after last season’s runner-up finish. Karsen Denault is back and healthy this season and he is as dangerous of a kick/punt returner as you’ll find in the state. His 869 yards and 14 touchdowns at receiver jump off the page as well. A new duo of Grady Wilson at QB and Caleb Von Pressentin at running back will tell the story of this team. Wilson threw for over 1,600 yards and 24 touchdowns while running for 998 yards and 13 touchdowns. Von Pressentin had a strong year as well with 554 yards and seven touchdowns as a physical runner.

This game will come down to the trenches. I know it is an easy cop out but that’s just how both of these teams play. Okanogan is too big and strong to get dominated up front by anyone. For Napavine to win the trilogy, they will have to hold their own on both the offensive and defensive line. The experience of Okanogan is why they are ranked at #2 on this list. They have not only played in championship games, they won at Husky Stadium just last year. This team won’t shy away from the bright lights and 16 consecutive wins have this team looking poised for a repeat on Saturday night.

#3- Tumwater Thunderbirds

60-30. Those numbers have been stuck in the minds of anyone associated with the Tumwater Thunderbirds for a year. Those numbers also have seemingly awoken an unstoppable monster that would make the likes of Godzilla and King Kong blush. After being dominated in last year’s state title game, the Tumwater Thunderbirds have put together one of the most impressive seasons by any team in recent memory. Once again coming in as the #1 seed, this Tumwater team is different than last season’s iteration and that is why they have been bumped up this list.

A perfect 13-0 record and only one close game in 2024 is just the tip of the iceberg when talking about Tumwater. Instead of trying to move away from the 60-30 defeat last December, Tumwater has let that score fuel what has been a dominant season, in which they have outscored their opponents 699-76. Normally we sit here and talk about three-headed monsters in the backfield but Tumwater has added a fourth. The group of Peyton Davis, Jaylin Nix, Cash Short, and Tyler Briscoe have combined for 2,202 yards and 41 touchdowns for the dominant T-Bird rushing attack. A dominant defense seems to be the biggest change for Tumwater as they have allowed just 25 points since the calendar turned to October. In the playoffs, Tumwater has routed Cedarcrest, Sehome, and Archbishop Murphy by a combined score of 156-7.

Anacortes still poses a huge challenge to Tumwater as the Seahawks have fonder memories from Husky Stadium one year ago. The Seahawks first football state championship completed a remarkable turnaround for a school that did not have a varsity team just a few years prior. While they did lose quarterback Rex Larson from last year’s championship team, a majority of that squad returns and despite dealing with some injuries in the first half of the season, the Seahawks seem to be clicking at the right time of the year.

Ryan Harrington as stepped in as the QB for Anacortes and his 2,006 yards and 24 touchdowns has really kept the Seahawks rolling after an emotional 2023. The brother tandem of Brock and Brady Beaner still makes this offense go as the duo has totaled 1,772 yards on the ground and 36 touchdowns while Brady has added 1,106 yards and 14 touchdowns passing as well. This defense is still scary with Eazy Quintino causing chaos in the backfield while Rylin Lang and Luca Moore make plays downfield on both sides of the ball.

These two teams actually share three common opponents, WF West, Sehome, and Archbishop Murphy. Anacortes beat WF West in the semifinals 35-13 while beating Sehome in week 2 35-7 and there one loss coming to Archbishop Murphy 34-28. Tumwater defeated WF West 52-0 while defeating Sehome in the quarterfinals 70-7 and shutting out Archbishop Murphy in the semifinals 42-0. Those common opponents are why Tumwater comes in on the top half of this list.

This feels like a prizefight like Ali-Frazier or Barrera-Morales. However being just the second meeting, maybe Tyson-Holyfield is a more apt comparison minus all the other controversy. With the way Tumwater has looked all season long, they look to be a prime Mike Tyson with just one last opponent standing in their way. Is that opponent more Michael Spinks or Larry Holmes? Or could that opponent be Buster Douglas or Evander Holyfield? Only time will tell but this will be a defining moment for one of these programs.

#4- Bellevue Wolverines

Now we get into the bottom three and the more vulnerable of the #1 seeds. First up is a familiar face in the 3A classification. After missing the championship game in 2022, the Bellevue Wolverines returned to the championship last year with an impressive championship win. Bellevue entered Husky Stadium as the #6 seed before they shutdown Yelm and took home the title by a score of 14-0. With how these teams matchup, a low-scoring affair could be how Friday night comes to an end.

Bellevue never seems to be a team that puts up massive 50-point blowouts. Despite that, the Wolverines rarely find themselves in trouble and this season was more of the same. There is never a doubt what the undefeated Wolverines will try to do on offense. This team will run the ball from their opening drive until no time remains on the clock. This year, Max Jones is the name you can expect to hear very often at Husky Stadium. The junior is just the latest superstar tailback and his 1,791 yards and 22 touchdowns led the way for Bellevue all season long. Ryken Moon also surpassed 1,000 yards with 1,254 yards and 13 touchdowns while Bryce Smith and Matthew Reed have also seen quite a bit of work on the ground this season. The linemen will set the tone in this one for Bellevue but nothing comes easy in the 3A classification.

For the O’Dea Fighting Irish, they will look to win their first state title since 2017. Head coach Monte Kohler also enters the title showdown just one win shy of Sid Otten’s state record of 394. It would be a scene from a movie if Coach Kohler can earn that historic win on the biggest stage in high school sports in Washington state. Another intriguing storyline is that these two teams met in the semifinals last year where Bellevue edged out O’Dea 21-17. The Fighting Irish defense outside of allowing 30 points to Roosevelt has dominated all season long but will get tested by a relentless rushing attack from Bellevue.

Uriah Stringfield will be the man to watch for O’Dea and the sophomore sensation exploded onto the scene in a sensational year. Stringfield ran the ball for 1,424 yards and 16 touchdowns in just his first season as the starter for O’Dea. While not a pass heavy team, O’Dea still has some nice weapons at receiver for quarterback Hutton Leverett. The brother of a former #1 overall pick and NBA Rookie of the Year, Giulio Banchero’s super-athleticism is on full display every time he touches the ball. Banchero had just 20 catches this season but totaled nine touchdowns. That is a ridiculous percentage. Add in 6’3 tight end Zander Turner, and O’Dea has all the pieces to go score for score if needed with anyone.

These two programs are two of the very best in the state of Washington. Whenever they meet, the teams play close and physical football where one play or bad break can decide the outcome of the game. Bellevue’s close wins over Stanwood and Roosevelt also show that the Wolverines can win those close games. O’Dea ran through Mercer Island and Mount Tahoma before a wild touchdown by Banchero with 27 seconds left got the Fighting Irish past Eastside Catholic for the second time in the semifinals. This will be a close game. I don’t think anyone doubts that. And with minimal room for error, any mistake could cost one of these teams. That is why Bellevue falls on the more vulnerable side of this list.

#5- Camas Papermakers

The first of two classifications guaranteed to have a new state champion is the biggest class in the state in 4A. After Lake Stevens won the title in 2022 and 2023, there will be a new champion in 2024. The #1 seed in this bracket is the Camas Papermakers. After being the #3 seed in last year’s bracket, Camas was stunned by Mount Si in the opening round 31-14. This year’s team has already washed away those bad memories but now will look to take home the school’s first title since 2019.

New head coach for the Camas Papermakers, Adam Mathieson made himself at home immediately with an undefeated record coming into the championship matchup. It wasn’t all dominance from Camas as they grinded out a couple of early wins over Roosevelt and Coeur d’Alene. After beating Skyview to win the GSHL 4A, Camas struggled in the round of 32 against Curtis, turning a 9-6 halftime lead to a 41-6 win in the end. After beating Arlington in the quarterfinals, the Papermakers overcame a 20-7 deficit against Gonzaga Prep, outscoring them 21-0 in the 4th to advance to the championship.

Quarterback Jake Davidson has been the star of the show all year long for Camas. The senior has thrown for 3,440 yards and a whopping 50 touchdowns on the year with plenty of weapons for him to spread the ball to. Chase McGee had the big touchdown catch in the semifinals to spark the comeback for Camas and that added to his season totals of 68 catches for 1,300 yards and 19 touchdowns. Nikko Speer is also a playmaker at tight end and on defense but Titan Brody could be poised for a big game. Brody had 911 yards and seven touchdowns while adding four more touchdown receptions as well. If Brody can replicate his second half from last week, that can allow a lot of freedom calling plays on offense for Camas and keep the Sumner defense on its toes.

Speaking of Sumner, the Spartans come into this one with a flare for the dramatics. Sumner had to survive triple OT to defeat Chiawana 37-31. That was a theme for Sumner this season, close and stressful games. With their only loss coming to Oregon power in West Linn, Sumner earned some thrilling wins as well, including an OT win over Lake Stevens and narrow wins over Puyallup and Curtis but had some decisive wins in the postseason. Dominant wins over Auburn, Kamiakin, and Skyview before having to survive the thriller against Chiawana.

Steele Isaacs will boast one heck of a challenge for the Camas defensive line. In the 2024 season, Isaacs capitalized on his first full season as the starter with 1,274 yards and 15 touchdowns to be the centerpiece of the Spartan offense. Carter Cocke however might be the most dangerous weapon for quarterback Nate Donavan. Cocke caught 11 of Donavan’s 25 touchdown passes while racking up 683 yards. Young receivers have stepped up this year for Sumner and they will try to stretch the field against a talented Camas secondary.

Both programs have a proud history but for Sumner they have a chance to end a state title drought dating back to 1977. For Camas, it is a chance to climb back to the mountaintop and plant their flag as the top 4A program in the state. With Sumner, they will look to shorten the game with a strong rushing attack which will not allow for Camas to get off to a slow start like they did last week. The two common opponents between the two were Skyview and Curtis. Camas defeated both 24-14 and 41-6 respectively. Sumner knocked off Curtis 14-12 and Skyview 41-0. Those two opponents and the stats indicate this will be a very close game which makes both teams extremely vulnerable.

#6- Liberty Christian Patriots (Most Vulnerable)

Closing out the list as the most vulnerable is the #1 seed in the 1B classification. The Liberty Christian Patriots lead the second classification guaranteed to have a new state champion. After Liberty Bell won the previous two titles, the Patriots broke out with a huge 2024 season in which they went a perfect 13-0 and went on a stretch of five consecutive shutouts. In the state tournament, Liberty Christian earned wins over Ocosta and DeSales before surviving Almira-Coulee-Hartline 36-28 in a semifinal thriller.

Last season’s Liberty Christian team had the same fate as the 2022 team, a loss to Neah Bay. The Patriots won their only state title back in 2012 and this team looks to join that squad in the school history books. Senior quarterback Perry Pottle is a playmaking machine and his 40 total touchdowns this season has led the way for the Patriots. A dynamic pass catching duo of Joey Isley and Hunter Cole can turn a checkdown into a touchdown with their big time yards after catch ability. Charlie Branning also enjoyed a monster season with 1,608 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns on the ground. With that many playmakers, Liberty Christian trusts their offense against anyone.

Another team that did not enjoy last season’s championship weekend, the Wilbur-Creston-Keller Wildcats will look to write their own fairytale ending this season. In the first championship appearance in program history, WCK was unable to keep up with Liberty Bell but still took away some valuable learning experience. This year’s team does one thing better than most, they score…a lot. Only once this season was WCK held under 50 points and that was a 30-24 win over ACH at the end of October. Putting up 30 against that defense is a very impressive feat. After putting up 94 in an opening round win over Waterville-Mansfield, WCK defeated Garfield-Palouse 56-12 before overcoming a halftime deficit in the semifinals to knock of Naselle 52-28.

Not too many teams have the luxury of running a two-quarterback system without any drop in performance but the duo of Kallen Maioho and Preston Michel work together like peanut butter and jelly. The two have combined for 67 touchdowns this season. Those two by themselves can cause some late, stressful nights for opposing defensive coordinators. Add in T.J. Stoothoff’s 658 yards and eight touchdowns and the machine that is this WCK offense will have you wondering if they will ever stop putting up points.

Both of these teams had their problems in the semifinals. Both trailed at halftime before using strong second halves to pull out the win. The reason that Liberty Christian is ranked as the most vulnerable #1 comes down to two things. First, WCK might just be the best #2 seed out of any classification. The high-powered offense is that good and they had a valid argument to be the top seed themselves. Secondly, this Wildcat squad got the experience of a state championship game last year but also got the realization of how far they had left to go. They put in the work and it feels like more often than not when the previous runner-up gets to the championship game the following year, the ending is a lot better. Wilbur-Creston-Keller will look to make that a reality once again on Friday.

elisportsnetwork.com