Week 9: What we learned from this week’s high school football games in the South Sound
In the ninth week of the high school football season in the South Sound, some programs wrapped up undefeated league championships, postseason pairings were set, and more.
Here’s what we learned from this week’s action.
Chaotic 4A SPSL regular season crosses finish line
What a wild ride it was in the Class 4A South Puget Sound League this season. There were a few matchups that weren’t competitive, but for the most part, it felt like any team could beat another on any given night this season.
Sumner (8-1) won the league title outright after beating South Kitsap on Friday night, riding the talents of junior running back Matthew Spurbeck and a nasty offensive line this fall.
After Graham-Kapowsin ran the table in 2021, it was fun to watch the chaos and week-to-week unpredictability unfold this season. To recap this year’s increased parity:
▪ Sumner lost to Emerald Ridge
▪ Emerald Ridge lost to Puyallup and Graham-Kapowsin
▪ Graham-Kapowsin lost to Puyallup and Sumner
▪ Curtis lost to Sumner, Emerald Ridge and Graham-Kapowsin
▪ Puyallup lost to Sumner, Bellarmine Prep and Curtis
Sure, we probably looked foolish a few times trying to predict scores in this year’s 4A SPSL, but where’s the fun in always being right?
Sumner, Graham-Kapowsin, Emerald Ridge, Curtis, Puyallup and Bethel earned the league’s six playoff bids this season.
Auburn completes undefeated run through 3A NPSL
Auburn (8-1) secured secured an outright 3A North Puget Sound League championship on Friday night at Auburn Memorial Stadium, completing its sweep of the league with a 37-34 win over Auburn Riverside.
“It means everything,” Auburn senior quarterback Amari Goodfellow said. “To me, the team, the coaches and the community. It means everything.”
Much like last season, this rivalry thriller wasn’t decided until the game’s closing moments.
Auburn took an early two-possession lead against the defending 3A NPSL champions, and led 20-7 by the end of the first quarter on touchdown runs of 3, 29 and 39 yards from Luvens Valcin.
But, Auburn Riverside answered, and scored on a pair of touchdown passes from Andrew Wold to Jace Villers (27 and 30 yards) and a 12-yard run from Kyree Wright to even the game at 20-20 by the break.
Auburn Riverside took the lead in the third on a 12-yard run Thyrou Umi-Tuato’o, but Goodfellow responded with an 8-yard keeper on the next possession.
The Ravens pushed their lead to 34-26 midway through the fourth on a 1-yard pass from Wold to Carter Rhooms, but Auburn tied it again on a blocked field goal attempt returned for a touchdown and a successful two-point try.
Auburn kicker Karlis Cakuls kicked the game-winning 30-yard field goal with 1:06 left to play.
The Ravens recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, but an interception gave Auburn the ball back with 50 seconds left. Another fumble on the next play gave Auburn Riverside the ball inside the 25, but another interception on fourth-and-9 closed out the win for Auburn.
The Trojans swept all six 3A NPSL opponents — Auburn Mountainview, Thomas Jefferson, Kent-Meridian, Kentlake, Todd Beamer and Auburn Riverside — to secure their first league title in more than a decade.
The title was the first for fifth-year coach Aaron Chantler at Auburn, and first since former longtime coach Gordon Elliott, Chantler’s father-in-law, led the program to a 4A SPSL North championship in 2009. Elliott, now Auburn’s defense coordinator, has coached alongside Chantler the past five seasons.
“There’s a lot of emotions,” Chantler said. “We just believed in what we do and the process, and it took a long time to get it, but sharing that with him and looking back and going, the last two league titles are in the family — yeah, that’s pretty cool.”
Undefeated Lincoln wins 3A PCL title
If you haven’t taken the time to go see Lincoln senior quarterback Gabarri Johnson play yet, you’re running out of time.
Lincoln (9-0) enters the postseason with an undefeated record, champions of the 3A Pierce County League after beating Spanaway Lake, 38-19, on Friday night at Art Crate Field in Spanaway.
It probably wasn’t how Lincoln’s players dreamed of celebrating their undefeated regular season and league title. The players returned to the field after a moment of panic minutes earlier, when what first sounded like a gunshot cleared the bleachers at Art Crate Field and sent the players from both Lincoln and Spanaway Lake’s teams sprinting off the field.
Fortunately, it was a false alarm. The sound was apparently a car backfiring and slowly, players from both teams returned to the field. Officials decided to call the game after conferring with Spanaway Lake coach Cameron Robak and Lincoln coach Masaki Matsumoto. At that point, Lincoln led 38-19 in the fourth quarter.
Lincoln’s offense is one of the most dynamic in the state — the Abes averaged 40.7 points per game during the regular season. At the center of everything is Johnson, a Missouri commit and the state’s top-ranked quarterback. He completed 9-of-11 passes for 238 yards and three touchdowns against Spanaway Lake, and rushed for 70 yards and another touchdown.
He’s a special talent, equally dangerous as a runner and passer, extending plays with his legs and making defenders miss with an effortless-seeming shiftiness that has defined his Lincoln career. And that arm — Missouri is getting a total-package, dual-threat quarterback who throws darts with precision.
In a loaded 3A classification, Lincoln is expected to be a factor. After last season’s disappointing exit at the hands of Stanwood in the district round, the Abes feel they’re playoff ready this year.
“I don’t know if last year they truly saw how good they can be,” Lincoln coach Masaki Matsumoto said. “I think they really do see it. We keep talking to them about, ‘Hey, this could be a special group like 2019 when we went to the semis.’ I think they really believe that.”
These teams finished undefeated in league play this fall
Five South Sound teams swept their league opponents on the way to championships this fall.
Kennedy Catholic rolled through its 4A NPSL schedule again this season, on the way to a fourth consecutive unbeaten league title.
The Lancers outscored their six league opponents — Kentwood, Decatur, Federal Way, Kentridge, Tahoma and Mount Rainier — 294-49.
Auburn won five league matchups — against Auburn Mountainview, Thomas Jefferson, Kent-Meridian, Kentlake and Todd Beamer — by at least three touchdowns before edging Auburn Riverside last week to complete its undefeated run through the 3A NPSL. The Trojans outscored their league opponents, 254-78.
Lincoln scored 262 points in six league contests while allowing 128, and won every 3A PCL game — against Mount Tahoma, Bonney Lake, Stadium, Silas, Lakes and Spanaway Lake — by multiple possessions on the way to a repeat title.
Yelm posted convincing wins in all seven 3A SSC games — against Central Kitsap, River Ridge, North Thurston, Capital, Timberline, Peninsula and Gig Harbor — in securing an unbeaten league title. The Tornados allowed two touchdowns or fewer in each contest, and posted three shutouts, outscoring league opponents, 421-49.
Enumclaw outscored its seven league opponents — Washington, Fife, Steilacoom, Franklin Pierce, Orting, Clover Park and White River — 366-94 on the way to an undefeated 2A SPSL championship. Six of the Hornets’ seven league wins were by 30-plus points.
Cascade Christian is still undefeated in 1A Nisqually League play with one league game remaining this weekend.
Three South Sound teams — Lincoln, Yelm and Enumclaw — also completed the regular season with overall undefeated records.
Yelm’s 511 points scored in nine games this season are the most of any team in the 3A classification, while Lincoln’s 367 points scored rank third. Enumclaw’s 457 points scored in nine weeks are the most of any 2A team.
Fifteen teams across the state remained undefeated after Week 9.
Chiawana was the only team in 4A, and Lakeside of Nine Mile Falls the only team in 1A to finish the regular season without a loss.
Lincoln and Yelm are two of three undefeated teams in 3A, along with Eastside Catholic, while Enumclaw and Lynden remain unbeaten in 2A.
Napavine and Okanogan both stayed undefeated in 2B, and six 1B teams are still without a loss.
Which teams are headed to the playoffs?
Below are the scheduled matchups for South Sound teams playing in the district round in Week 10. Winners will advance to the state brackets in their respective classifications.
CLASS 4A
Bethel (4-5) vs. Lake Stevens (7-2)
Bothell (4-5) vs. Emerald Ridge (7-2)
Curtis (6-3) vs. Federal Way (7-2)
Kamiak (3-6) vs. Kennedy Catholic (8-1)
Kentridge (5-4) vs. Sumner (8-1)
Mount Rainier (5-4) vs. Skyline (6-2)
Mount Si (4-4) vs. Graham-Kapowsin (7-2)
Puyallup (6-3) vs. Skyview (7-2)
Tahoma (4-5) vs. Eastlake (7-2)
CLASS 3A
Arlington (7-2) vs. Peninsula (7-2)
Auburn Mountainview (6-3) vs. Kennewick (7-2)
Auburn Riverside (4-5) vs. Eastside Catholic (8-0)
Bishop Blanchet (4-5) vs. Yelm (9-0)
Garfield (6-3) vs. Spanaway Lake (6-2)
Gig Harbor (6-3) vs. Kelso (7-2)
Lakes (6-2) vs. Stanwood (8-1)
Marysville-Pilchuck (5-4) vs. Lincoln (9-0)
Timberline (6-3) vs. Mead (7-2)
Southridge (6-3) vs. Auburn (8-1)
CLASS 2A
Bremerton (7-2) vs. Fife (6-3)
Franklin Pierce (5-4) vs. Olympic (7-2)
Lindbergh (5-3) vs. Enumclaw (9-0)
Orting (3-6) vs. Highline (8-1)
Ridgefield (5-4) vs. Tumwater (8-1)
Steilacoom (5-4) vs. Washington (6-3)
Note: Aberdeen (4-5), Black Hills (5-3) and Shelton (5-4) play a tiebreaker Monday for the final two allocations from the 2A EvCo.
CLASS 1A
Eatonville (7-2) vs. Castle Rock (7-2)
King’s Way Christian (4-4) vs. Tenino (8-1)
Note: Cascade Christian (6-3) completes its league schedule this week and has already clinched a spot in the first round of the state playoffs.
CLASS 1B
Crescent (3-6) vs. Muckleshoot Tribal (5-4)
This story was originally published October 31, 2022 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Week 9: What we learned from this week’s high school football games in the South Sound."
