My Schedule
Thursday – Ferris Saxons (1-3) @ Mount Spokane Wildcats (2-2) – Joe Albi Stadium 4:45pm
Thursday – Lewis and Clark Tigers (1-3) @ North Central Indians (1-3) – Joe Albi Stadium 7:15pm
Friday – Bishop Blanchet Braves (4-0) @ O’Dea Fighting Irish (4-0) – West Seattle Stadium 7:00pm
Saturday – Bainbridge Spartans (2-2) @ Lakeside Lions (3-1) – Parsons Field 2:00pm
Saturday – Mountain View Thunder (1-3) @ Bethel Braves (4-0) – Art Crate Field 7:00pm
To have a look at all the broadcast from around the state, visit the Broadcasts page of WaPrepZone.com, which can be found Right Here .
Thursday’s Top Games
Not many true “BIG GAMES” for Thursday. I am in Spokane to watch Jalen Hicks and the Ferris Saxons take on Roy Hyatt and the Mount Spokane Wildcats. Both teams are coming off heartbreaking type losses, as Ferris fell to rival Lewis and Clark on a last second field goal, while Mount Spokane lost a halftime lead to Gonzaga Prep and nearly pulled off a late game comeback.
There might not be a better 1-3 team in the state than the Mercer Island Islanders. Their three losses come to teams with a combined record of 12-0 (Juanita, Bellevue and Bishop Blanchet). This week, they face another undefeated team, the Liberty Patriots, who look to be the favorite to snag Kingco’s 2A berth to state. Liberty’s Drew Hall maybe one of the state’s more underrated athletes, and with injuries at RB, has been able to show his all-around abilities.
Metro’s Sound Division has a matchup between two rivals as the Rainier Beach Vikings (3-1) square off against the Cleveland Eagles (2-2). The Eagles can’t afford to go 0-2 in League play, and will need to play their best football to beat a good Rainier Beach team.
Friday’s Top Games
A week ago the Root Sports game looked like it would feature two top ten teams… Unfortunately Glacier Peak dropped a league game to Meadowdale, and now come in just outside the top ten. Bellevue is a machine, having won something like 600 games in a row (giggle, laugh… It was sarcastic). GP may have overlooked Meadowdale, but they can’t possibly overlook Bellevue. They will have to play their best football to win this game.
The NFHS Network Game of the Week is a beauty this week, with two undefeated teams, as the Bishop Blanchet Braves travel to West Seattle Stadium to take on the O’Dea Fighting Irish. This game will feature two of the state’s top RB’s, Myles Gaskin (O’Dea) and Oshea Trujillo (Blanchet). This will be a great test for Blanchet lineman Raemo Trevino, as O’Dea might have the state’s best offensive line.
Eastern Washington has two great games of its own. In the Mid-Columbia Conference, Kamiakin (3-1) and Chiawana (3-1) square off in a game featuring the league’s top 3A and 4A team. In Spokane, Shadle Park (3-1) plays host to undefeated Gonzaga Prep. This looks like a week we might finally get to see a lot of Prep’s Jack Bamis on defense. Shadle Park likes to throw, and you would think the Bullpups will want to get pressure on Boise State bound Brett Rypien.
Kingco 4A’s top matchup this week is one many may have overlooked until last week, when the Woodinville Falcons (3-1) topped previously unbeaten Skyline. The Bothell Cougars (4-0) are ranked #1 in the state, and come in playing some great football. Mr. Everything Sam McPherson is playing at a very high level right now, and will be a handful all night for the upstart Falcons.
Another key matchup in Kingco will be the Eastlake Wolves (3-1, 2-1 League) at the Newport Knights (2-2, 2-2 League). Notice I put “League” in their standings, as these two teams look like they will be part of a logjam looking to gain spots 2, 3 & 4 into the round of 32 playoffs. Bothell is 4-0 in league, having all but locked up a spot, while Inglemoor and Redmond are both 0-3, and are close to elimination. The next three spots could go to a variety of teams. Skyline (3-1 League), Woodinville (2-1 League) and Mount Si (2-2 League), all look to be fighting with Newport and Eastlake for those three spots. Issaquah is 1-3 in League play, with games against Newport, Mount Si, Woodinville and Redmond left, they would essentially have to run the table.
Hope that all makes sense to you, I will read it again later to see if it makes sense to me….
The Greater St. Helens league has two huge 4A games, as the Union Titans (4-0, 1-0 League) take on the Evergreen Plainsmen (2-2, 1-1 League), and the Skyview Storm (3-1, 2-0 League) head east to Doc Harris Stadium to battle the Camas Papermakers (4-0, 1-0 League). An upset in either game could REALLY shake things up, but it appears as though the biggest game maybe week 8 when Evergreen hosts Skyview.
If I lived in Vancouver, I wouldn’t know what to do tonight. You have two games at McKenzie Stadium, with highly talented QB Gunner Talkington and the Battle Ground Tigers playing a 5pm game vs Heritage, followed by the Union/Evergreen game. Or, you could go out and see Columbia River take on 2A’s #2 ranked Tumwater Thunderbirds. Knowing me, I would take the double header, but that’s based solely on seeing two games in one night.
South Puget Sound 3A started to take shape this past week with Peninsula and Auburn Mountainview taking what appears to be the lead in the race to a league title. This week Peninsula (3-1, 2-0) heads to Sumner (3-1, 1-1) to take the Spartans, while Auburn Mountainview (4-0, 2-0) plays a struggling Auburn Riverside (0-4, 0-2) squad.
Another good game in the SPSL is in the new Northeast Division of 4A. The Kentwood Conquerors (4-0, 1-0) head out to Maple Valley to take on the Tahoma Bears (3-1, 0-0). Many people look at Tahoma as the best possibility to beat Kentwood within the division. This could be a great game.
Wesco 4A should be a little clearer this week, when the Monroe Bearcats (4-0, 2-0) travel to take on the Kamiak Knights (3-1, 2-0). Monroe hasn’t played the toughest early schedule, but has put up some great offensive numbers the last two weeks. We will find out if they are for real over the next two weeks, as they travel again next week to take on the Lake Stevens Vikings (3-1, 2-0).
The Northwest Conference has a couple big games this week. In the 1A classification, the Meridian Trojans (3-1) travel to Deming to take on the Mount Baker Mountaineers (3-1). In 2A, Sedro Woolley (4-0, 2-0 League) head to Blaine (3-1, 1-1 League) to take on the Borderites, while Squalicum (2-2, 0-2 League) started hot, but have dropped two straight play host to Burlington-Edison (3-1, 1-1 League). All three games could help with seeding of playoff berths.
This week the Seamount 3A/2A title could very well be on the line when the Lindbergh Eagles (2-2, 1-0) head to Highline Memorial Stadium to take on the Kennedy Catholic Lancers (3-0, 2-0) in a 5:00pm game. Lindbergh won last year’s meeting between the two teams, which was essentially a Seamount League Championship game. Kennedy has only allowed 9 total points through three games, if they keep that average, they have a good chance at winning (Thank you, Ron Fairly).
In the SCAC West, the defending league champ Zillah Leoards (4-0, 2-0) head to La Salle (4-0, 2-0) to take on the Lightning. This game could very well end up deciding the league’s number 1 seed, and for the Leopards to win, they will need a big game from QB Justin Dunsmore. As the Mayor of Zillah, I tried to contact the Mayor of Union Gap (Home of La Salle) to make a friendly wager, but he was having none of it. The last sentence was a joke. This should be a great matchup.
Saturday’s Top Games
Saturday isn’t loaded with a ton of great games this week.
Kentlake (2-2) heads to Federal Way Memorial Stadium to take on upstart Todd Beamer (3-1). This is probably the top game of the day, but is also a non-league contest.
Lakeside (3-1) plays host to Bainbridge (2-2) in a 2:00pm game. It will be interesting to see how the Lions respond after taking it in the shorts last week against Eastside Catholic.
The Bethel Braves (4-0) are home to the Mountain View Thunder (1-3). These are two teams headed in opposite directions, but don’t sleep on Mountain View, they could surprise.
At the 1B (8man football) level, defending state champ Neah Bay (4-0) plays host to Lopez (4-0).
