Washington 2A Quarterfinal Preview

 

The 2A classification in Washington is very underrated. There is some really good football played at this level. Tumwater, Ellensburg and Lynden look to be the favorites, but it is very possible any of the three could not make it past this weekend.

Now don’t get me wrong, I think all three should win, but they face opponents that are capable of winning.

For a look at the updated look at the 2A bracket click Right Here . I’ve added a link to each game with the Google Map location of the stadium. If you need directions, simply click the name of the stadium and in the upper left corner of the map you can click “directions” and enter your city.

 

Squalicum Storm (9-2) @ Tumwater Thunderbirds (11-0)

Friday 7:00 pm at Tumwater District Stadium

Squalicum: Avg. Points For – 40.1 / Points Against – 17.6

Tumwater: Avg. Points For – 44.6 / Points Against – 11.6

 

The Northwest 2A conference might be the toughest conference at any level in the state. They have four teams left in the state tournament, and if it wasn’t for the fact that two are playing each other this week, you could have four in the semifinals.

Storm head coach Nick Lucey has done a tremendous job in his first season at the helm, and should be looked at as a Coach of the Year candidate.

Last week in Squalicum’s 45-7 win over Orting, the schools first state tournament win, the storm forced four turnovers, including three interceptions.

Offensively Squalicum is led by senior QB Christian Jorgensen. He is one of the more underrated QB’s in the state, and is beginning to see some big time interest. Last week he completed 12 or 16 passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns. Jorgensen’s connection with junior WR Josiah Westbrook was good for four receptions, 163 yards and three touchdowns.

Also look for WR Coleman Schwab in the passing game, and when the Storm look to run the ball you can expect to see Nick Manchester.

Tumwater is the state’s #1 ranked team for a reason. They are nearly impossible to stop on offense, and they have one of the top defenses regardless of classification.

RB Ian Saner was recently voted the Evergreen 2A League MVP, and when teamed with junior WR Griffin Shea and sophomore TE Cade Otton, the Thunderbirds are able to beat teams in a variety of ways.

ATH Easton Trakel has not been in the lineup the past few weeks, and may miss this game as well. The Thunderbirds offense should be click right along with out him, but make no mistake, it is a big loss.

Defensively the Thunderbirds will lean on senior LB’s Trevor Davis and Addison Barrett, who were recently voted as Co-Defensive MVP’s.

I am headed to this game and really excited to get a chance to see a game at Tumwater District Stadium. I have been told to get to the game early, and you might want to as well.

 

Sedro-Woolley Cubs (10-1) @ Burlington-Edison Tigers (8-3)

Friday 7:00 pm at John C. Larson Stadium – Arlington High School

Sedro-Woolley: Avg. Points For – 37.5 / Points Against – 12.3

Burlington-Edison: Avg. Points For – 29.9 / Points Against – 14

 

This is one of those games that makes NO SENSE in the state tournament. B-E gets a “home” game as the NWC #4 against the NWC #2… Yeah, that makes a ton of sense. This game should be played at Sedro-Woolley with the Cubs being the home team, but that is a fight for another day.

The Cubs scored a 28-10 win over the Tigers during a week three matchup at Burlington-Edison, and have really been one of the more under-the-radar teams this entire season.

Head coach Dave Ward is one of the most underrated coaches in the state, and he has done a great job getting the Sedro-Woolley program back on track.

As a team they are over 1,000 yards passing, led by junior Devin Willard, but really they like to run the ball, and that should be no surprise if you have followed Ward’s coaching career. The go to backs for Sedro-Woolley are junior Quinn Carpenter and senior Mason Elms.

In their round-of-32 win over W.F. West, the Cubs rushed for 328 yards, and Elms got into the end zone five times (4 rush, 1 receive).

B-E likes the ground game as well, led by senior QB Mason Schwetz and sophomore RB Lorenzo Mationg. The combo was good for six rushing touchdowns, three each, in B-E’s round-of-32 win over a tough Lakewood team.

Mationg is an athlete I am particularly excited about, as I think he has a chance to be a very good runningback, but really the offense revolves around Schwetz.

 

Hockinson Hawks (11-0) @ Lynden Lions (10-1)

Saturday 2:00 pm at Civic Stadium – Bellingham

Hockinson: Avg. Points For – 32.3 / Points Against – 4.8

Lynden: Avg. Points For – 37 / Points Against – 20.7

 

With three games left in the season, Lynden has already given up 68 more points than it did last season, but they are also scoring more points than they did last year.

Junior QB Sterling Somers is once again leading the Lions, and he has done a great job all season. He over 2,500 yards passing and around 500 rushing, with 35+ total touchdowns.

RB Trent Postma is the top rushing option for the Lions, and is near eight yards per carry, while junior WR Jordan Wittenberg is well over 1,000 yards receiving with 10+ touchdowns.

Lynden also features massive wideout Scooter Hastings (6’7″ 220), who is a mismatch for basically everyone outside the NBA, and Jonathan Whetnall, both of whom are over 500 yards receiving.

Hockinson is an interesting team. They have played some unbelievable defense, having only allowed double digits twice all season, while giving up three or less seven times.

Offensively they were moving right along until four weeks ago when the weather turned ugly, and since have averaged just 14.5 points per game.

The Hawks are led offensively by senior RB’s Tommy Harshaw and Austen Johnson. Harshaw is good for a first down every time he touches the ball, and is over 1,100 yards on the season with 16 TD’s. Johnson has more touchdowns, 17, but slightly fewer yards with 1,095.

Sophomore QB Mitch Lines has only thrown for 680 yards and six touchdowns, as the Hawks really do favor the run.

The winner of this one will travel east for the semifinal game against the winner of Prosser vs Ellensburg.

 

Prosser Mustangs (9-2) @ Ellensburg Bulldogs (10-0)

Saturday 4:00 pm at Lions Field – Moses Lake

Prosser: Avg. Points For – 41.8 / Points Against – 12.3

Ellensburg: Avg. Points For – 44.3 / Points Against – 7.3

 

This might turn out to be the best game in the state this weekend. These two are very familiar with each other, as they are the top two teams in the CWAC.

They’ve met the last two seasons during league play, with Ellensburg winning 52-43 as year ago at home, and 21-14 this season in Prosser.

Both teams like to run the ball, and have two of the better backs in the state in Gabe Caskey (Ellensburg) and Isaiah Sanders (Prosser).

Caskey is over 2,000 yards rushing with 23 touchdowns, and is one of the leading candidates for 2A Player of the Year.

Ellensburg’s Garrett Hull is a solid duel-threat QB, and does a great job directing the Bulldog offense. In last week’s win over Olympic, Hull only threw for 146 yards, but had three total touchdowns.

I think for Prosser to be successful, they are going to need to find a way to get the ball in the hands of Cardell Jones. He plays a little bit of everything for the Mustangs and can go to the house anytime he touches the ball.

For Ellensburg I think it is simple… Play Ellensburg football. They have a tremendous ability to run the ball, and in the playoffs, that and tough defense is usually a recipe for success.