What do preseason rankings mean?

Not much, at least when it comes to qualifying for the postseason. Rankings still play no part in that process.

But they’re fun to debate — at least in every classification besides Class 3A, right Bellevue? — and, if enough research is done and luck accumulated, can be an accurate predictor of how the season might unfurl.

Take the TNT’s 2011 preseason rankings. We pegged the eventual state champions in 4A (Skyline), 3A (Bellevue) and 2A (Lynden). We ranked the eventual state champs in 1A (Connell) and 2B (Waitsburg-Prescott) second in their respective classifications and pegged the 1B winner (Neah Bay) fourth.

So, take these preseason rankings for what they’re worth — conversation fodder and the impetus for anonymous emails that will clog my in-box — and we’ll update them after each week in the regular season.

Tacoma News Tribune’s 2012 Preseason Football Rankings
(2011 records in parenthesis)

CLASS 4A
1. Skyline (11-3)
2. Bellarmine Prep (11-1)
3. Mead (9-2)
4. Skyview (11-3)
5. Federal Way (10-1)
6. Bothell (6-4)
7. Chiawana (8-1)
8. Issaquah (7-3)
9. Camas (11-2)
10. Wenatchee (5-5)
Read more »

NARROWS 3A BOYS BASKETBALL PREVIEW CAPSULE

CRYSTAL BALL
1. Lincoln (21-4)
2. Foss (15-9
3. Wilson (17-5)
4. Capital (12-7)
5. Timberline (6-13)
6. Yelm (3-16)
*2010-11 records

STARTING FIVE
G Isaac Barsh 6-4 Sr. Lincoln
Has really grown into the mold of big, smooth guard with clutch shooting stroke.

G Marcus Chambers 5-10 Jr. Foss
An ankle-breaking penetrator who is a lot to handle defensively out on perimeter.

F Tre’Shaun Lexing 6-5 Jr. Lincoln
A deluxe DI attraction – can shoot long range, but asked a lot to be “point” forward.

F Dezmyn Trent 6-4 Jr. Foss
He plays with energy and edge. Now that he has a year under his belt at Foss, watch out.

G Phoenix Waters 5-9 Jr. Wilson
The Rams’ leader is the best pass-first threat in the league; poised to take next step.

FASTBREAK
Defending Narrows 3A and West Central District champion Lincoln is still deep, motivated and extremely defensive-minded. Read more »

CAN KENTLAKE STOP KEIVARAE?
SPSL North champion Kentlake will get an up-close look at All-America running back KeiVarae Russell when the Falcons host Russell and the Mariner Marauders in a Class 4A state play-in game tonight. Russell could have a hard time finding room to run – Kentlake’s rushing defense is second-best in the SPSL, allowing just 106.6 yards per game.

RUNNING-CLOCK KINGS
Second-ranked Lakes is piling up points, averaging a Class 3A-leading 55.4 points per game and winning contests by an average of 47 points per game. The flipside of those blowout victories is that the Lancers have played only one game without a running clock – it’s 33-13 win over No. 8 Peninsula in Week 5.

CAPITAL GOING FOR 7TH STRAIGHT WIN
Since opening the season with three losses – all to ranked teams – Capital has turned into one of the hottest teams in the state, ripping off six consecutive victories. The Narrows League 3A champions will go for their seventh straight win and a trip to the state playoffs when they host West Seattle at 7 p.m. Saturday.
Read more »

The Capital High Cougars are locked and loaded for next week’s Narrows 3A League showdown with a very familiar foe – Timberline.

The Cougars did their part to keep a share of first place with the Blazers, pulling away in the second half for a 42-14 victory over Wilson at Stadium Bowl.

Both Capital and Timberline will enter that game at 3-0 in the Narrows 3A.

And look who was back – junior Kai Van Sickle, who missed almost a month with a concussion and high ankle sprain. He ran for a game-high 130 yards, and coach J.D. Johnson certainly liked seeing him out there.

“He was cleared last week, but that ankle was still holding him back,” Johnson said. “He came back tonight, and it was good to see him. He adds the dynamic of speed. He adds a little more giddy-up for us.”
Read more »

Three to See: Week 2

SPSL SOUTH
Puyallup (1-0 league, 1-0 overall) at Federal Way (1-0, 1-0), 7 p.m. Friday
Lowdown: Puyallup shined its season-opener, dismantling Spanaway Lake 56-7. The Vikings rotated Trevor Lyon and Rhys Gervais at quarterback, with Lyon getting the majority of the snaps over Gervais, who joined the team shortly before the season. Both ran the offense well, but they’ll face a bigger, stronger and faster defense tonight. Few teams can match the Eagles’ athleticism, who have at least three Division-I recruits – RB/DB D.J. May, NG Uso Olive and OT/LB Jordan Pulu – on their roster. When Federal Way has the ball, keep an eye on the line to see the matchup between Pulu, a WSU commit, and defensive lineman Joshua Garnett, rated as one of the top offensive linemen in the country. Federal Way rallied from a first-quarter deficit last week, scoring five unanswered touchdowns in a 37-14 win at Graham-Kapowsin.
TNT pick: Federal Way 31, Puyallup 24
Read more »

Narrows League 4A
Bellarmine Prep (5-0 league, 7-0 overall) at No. 10 Olympia (5-0, 6-1), 7 p.m. Friday, Ingersoll Stadium
The lowdown: This is the game of the year in the Narrows League 4A. If Olympia wins it will capture at least share of the Narrows League 4A title, the league’s top seed to the postseason and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. If Bellarmine Prep beats the Bears, it will secure a share of its first league title since 2000, but the possibility of a three-way tie for first looms if Gig Harbor wins tonight at Shelton. For now, the Lions’ focus is on Olympia, a team they have not defeated since 2004. Bellarmine Prep, one of five undefeated teams in all of Class 4A, should make it difficult for Olympia to score. Finding the end zone is not something that has troubled the Bears lately. The two-headed rushing attack of Anthony Parks and Spenser Killman has helped Olympia average 43 points in their last three games. Bellarmine Prep’s defense has allowed just 65 points all season. Strong-armed sophomore QB Sefo Liufau has emerged as a legitimate threat, throwing for eight touchdowns in the last four games. Against Shelton last week, Liufau twice hooked up with WR Michael Rector for touchdowns. RB Isaiah Flynn has rushed for 244 yards in the last two games, adding depth to the backfield.
TNT pick: Olympia 20, Bellarmine Prep 17
Read more »

NON-LEAGUE
Evergreen (0-1) vs. 3A No. 5 Lakes (1-0), 7 tonight at Harry E. Lang Stadium
The lowdown: Despite have just two returning starters on both sides of the ball back from 2009, Lakes didn’t miss a beat in its season-opener last week. The Lancers crushed Clover Park 63-12. QB Cedric Dozier might be on the verge of emerging as a true run-pass threat. Read more »

Capital (7-3) vs. No. 4 Union (9-1), 7:30 tonight at Doc Harris Stadium
Lowdown: Don’t be fooled by the Cougars’ three losses – all to playoff teams – this is a good squad. Capital thoroughly trounced Enumclaw, 42-7, last week. In that game, the Cougars showed their offense was more than the Tyler Sundberg Show. Sundberg has rushed for a school-record 31 touchdowns, but he’s not the team’s only scoring option. QB Alex Everson ran for two scores and threw a touchdown – his 15th of the season – against Enumclaw. South Sound fans should be familiar with Union. The Titans topped Lakes 28-7 in the 3A state semifinals and return the core of that team, including all-state receiver Mitch Saylor. Capital won’t want to kick or punt the ball to Saylor. He returned a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns in the Titans’ 56-10 throttling last week of Olympic, a team Capital defeated 35-7 in Week 4.
The News Tribune pick: Titans will slip past the Cougars in this matchup of 2008 semifinalists.
Union 27, Capital 20
Read more »