Walker Williams will be honored by the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl on Thursday at Tacoma Baptist. Williams is orally committed to the University of Wisconsin.

Here’s the release:

Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl Selection Tour Coming to Tacoma Baptist High School

Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl representatives are coming to Tacoma on Dec. 1 to present Tacoma Baptist High School’s Walker Williams with his invitation to the inaugural bowl game. The event will include a welcome presentation from bowl representatives and a special presentation of game apparel to Walker.

The classic East versus West gridiron matchup, presented by JuniorRank Sports in partnership

…

Read more »

I stopped by Lakes High to do some interviews for an upcoming basketball preview — looks like we’ll begin running our league-by-league previews on Sunday — and chatted with Zach Banner about hoops and to get an early look at the the defending Class 3A state champions. I’ll have more on basketball later, but wanted to post a small update on

Washington visited with Banner on Tuesday. USC will visit on Thursday and Michigan on Friday. Banner said at least a dozen other schools have contacted Lakes football coach Dave Miller for a last-ditch effort to sway his decision. …

Read more »

Come on. Be honest.

Did you really think Skyline would allow the Class 4A football state finals to be played without the Spartans?

Unranked Skyline, losers of three regular-season games that knocked the Spartans from the Class 4A Top 10 for the first time in school history, is back in the state title game for the fourth straight season.

“Our record’s not pretty, yeah we’re 10-3,” quarterback Max Browne said. “You hate to lose, but the cliché’s right – you learn from losing.”

Skyline held off second-ranked Woodinville 26-21 on Saturday afternoon at the Tacoma Dome and will meet ninth-ranked Skyview, a 38-14 winner over No. 8 Lake Stevens in the evening game, in the finals.

The Spartans were 6-3 when they entered the postseason. They’ve reeled off four straight victories, looking like the championship-caliber team they were believed to be – and still are – when they began the 2011 season ranked No. 1.
Read more »

By Tyler Hemstreet
Contributing writer

With a fourth straight appearance in the Class 1A football state finals on the line, Cascade Christian coach Randy Davis knew exactly who to turn to.

After all, the Cougars don’t call Jake Archer “Mr. Clutch” for nothing.

The senior receiver hauled in a pass from quarterback Jaelin Goldsmith on a two-point conversion to lift the fifth-ranked Cougars to a thrilling 29-28 victory in triple-overtime over second-ranked Montesano in the semifinals Saturday at the Tacoma Dome.

Cascade Christian (10-2) will play No. 2 Connell for the third year in a row in the title game, set for 1 p.m. Dec. 3 at the Tacoma Dome. Cascade Christian defeated the Eagles last season, while Connell won in 2009.

“On that last play, I told Jaelin if Jake is even close to being open, you get it to him,” Davis said.

Archer went in motion before the snap and settled near the center of the end zone. Rolling to his right, Goldsmith floated in a near-perfect pass.
Read more »

Mat Taylor felt like he had already seen this game.

As Woodinville came within a touchdown of Skyline in the final two minutes, then recovered an onsides kick in the Class 4A football state semifinal, the Spartans coach couldn’t help but recall a playoff game from 2010.

“Oh, I was terrified,” he said. “It was a lot like last year against Curtis (in the semifinals). You think you have the game wrapped up, here they come.”

Just like last season, Skyline held off a late charge, emerging with a 26-21 win over second-ranked Woodinville Saturday afternoon at the Tacoma Dome.
Read more »

By Meg Wochnick
Staff writer

When the pain of Saturday’s Class 2A state semifinal loss subsides, senior quarterback Mitch Gueller and the rest of the Chehalis Bearcats know they can look back on the 2011 football season and see it as a success.

“It’s not how I wanted it to end,” Gueller said following the Bearcats’ 17-7 loss to top-ranked Lynden at the Tacoma Dome. “I’ll be able to look back on it someday, and think about it being one of the greatest moments of my life.”

The loss ends Chehalis’ season at 10-3, while Lynden (13-0) advances to the Class 2A state championship game and faces Archbishop Murphy at 10 a.m. next Saturday at the Tacoma Dome. It’s Lynden’s fourth trip to the state title game since 2006; the Lions have won three state titles during that span. Not many expected Chehalis to make it this far in the state playoffs given their third-place finish in the 2A Evergreen Conference, nor even keep with the Lions and their multiple offensive weapons, but the Bearcats exceeded both expectations.

Read more »

We’ll be live-chatting throughout Saturday for the four semifinals at the Tacoma Dome. Join us to talk about the games, players and potential championship matchups.

Here’s the game schedule:
10 a.m. — Class 2A: Lynden vs. W.F. West
1 p.m. — Class 4A: Woodinville vs. Skyline
4 p.m. — Class 1A: Cascade Christian vs. Montesano
7 p.m. — Class 4A: Skyview vs. Lake Stevens

Here’s our football coverage in today’s paper:

Game preview on Cascade Christian-Montesano

Game story on O’Dea’s 21-13 win over Camas — O’Dea controlled the ball for 13 …

Read more »

There are two games today (Friday) at the Tacoma Dome. The Class 2B semifinal pitting Morton/White Pass and Napavine kicks off at 4 p.m. and the Class 3A semifinal between Camas and O’Dea will start at 7 p.m.

You’ve got a few ways to keep track of the games. Both games will be webcast here. You can also find radio broadcasts of the Morton/White Pass-Napavine game on KITI and KELA.

This link will tell you what games will be broadcast on radio or the web.

Finally, I’ll be doing a live chat of the Camas-O’Dea game. …

Read more »