Week 12: High school football games to watch, predictions
CLASS 2A STATE QUARTERFINALS
NO. 1 ARCHBISHOP MURPHY (11-0) AT NO. 2 TUMWATER (10-1)
1 p.m. Saturday, Tumwater District Stadium, Tumwater
About the Wildcats: Archbishop Murphy is the top-ranked team in 2A — and has been for most of the season — and it’s pretty obvious why. These guys are huge up front, they put up points (averaging more than 51 per game), and they shut teams down (they’ve allowed one TD in the six games they’ve played). RB Collin Montez (41 carries, 505 yards, eight TDs) and WR Anfernee Gurley (617 total yards, seven total TDs) are two, of many, players to look out for.
About the T-Birds: Here they are again. The T-Birds won this matchup in a 2A semifinal thriller last season, and may be the only team in the classification with the discipline and depth to derail the Wildcats. Tumwater’s defense is allowing an average of 2.4 yards per carry on the ground this season, and allowing 5.7 yards per attempt through the air.
Olympian pick: Archbishop Murphy, 28-17.
NO. 7 RIVER RIDGE (9-1) AT NO. 8 LIBERTY (10-0)
7 p.m. Saturday, Liberty High School, Renton
About the Hawks: Last week’s rout of W.F. West got River Ridge out of the first round of the 2A state playoffs for the first time since 1998. But don’t expect the Hawks to rest on that as their explosive offense will need to continue to show up from here on out behind QB Kelle Sanders (72 of 133, 1,298 yards, 15 TDs) and RB Trey Dorfner (167 carries, 1,376 yards, 25 TDs).
About the Patriots: It’s hard to measure how these two will match up based on opponents. What isn’t hard to measure is this — Liberty hasn’t lost a game this season, and rarely has it been close. The Patriots’ offense has passed the 40-point mark six times this season. The best gauge for an outcome is Steilacoom: River Ridge beat the Sentinels, 47-27, in Week 2, while Liberty edged them, 20-13, last week.
Olympian pick: River Ridge, 35-21.
Lauren Smith: 360-754-5473, @smithlm12
This story was originally published November 18, 2016 at 7:57 PM with the headline "Week 12: High school football games to watch, predictions."