Previews, predictions for the high school football state championships in every classification

The high school football state championships, which will feature 12 teams from across Washington, are scheduled for Saturday.

Here is a look at each of the six title games in Class 4A, 3A, 2A, 1A, 2B and 1B, which will be played at three stadiums in the South Sound.

CLASS 4A

No. 2 Lake Stevens Vikings (11-2) vs. No. 4 Kennedy Catholic Lancers (12-1)

5 p.m. Saturday, Mount Tahoma Stadium, Tacoma

Lake Stevens got its revenge, beating reigning state champion Graham-Kapowsin, 42-28, in last week’s semifinals after losing to the Eagles in last year’s 4A state championship game. RB Jayden Limar (202 carries, 1,833 yards, 35 TDs), a Notre Dame commit, was unstoppable, rushing for 145 yards and five touchdowns, and also threw a touchdown pass on a trick play. WR Cole Becker (37 catches, 459 yards, six TDs), WR Cassidy Bolong-Banks (33 catches, 461 yards, five TDs) and WR Isaac Redford (34 catches, 439 yards, five TDs) have been the top targets for QB Kolton Matson (115-of-160 passing, 1,540 yards, 15 TDs) this season. Between Limar and Lake Stevens’ balanced attack and Kennedy Catholic’s Air Raid, expect some fireworks in this game. Lancers WR Mason Hayes (65 catches, 1,274 yards, 16 TDs) continued his strong season with a dominant outing in the Lancers’ 42-28 win over Emerald Ridge in the semifinals, collecting 203 all-purpose yards. He caught eight passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns. He’s been the top target for QB Devon Forehand (145-of-211 passing, 2,474 yards, 28 TDs), alongside WR Maclane Watkins (49 catches, 888 yards, 13 TDs). RB/LB Xe’ree Alexander (94 carries, 885 yards, 17 TDs; 72 tackles, 17 TFL, six sacks), an Arizona State commit, is one of the state’s top two-way players. Lake Stevens’ Limar suffered a late-game ankle injury against Graham-Kapowsin, but it appeared to be minor. All indications point to him being at full strength this weekend. Both programs enter the game looking to win the first state title in program history. This will be Lake Stevens’ fifth trip to the title game and the second appearance for Kennedy Catholic.

TNT pick: Lake Stevens, 38-35

CLASS 3A

No. 2 Eastside Catholic Crusaders (12-0) vs. No. 1 Yelm Tornados (13-0)

Noon Saturday, Sparks Stadium, Puyallup

It’s a matchup of undefeated teams in the 3A state championship game. Yelm, the bracket’s top seed, defeated defending state champion Bellevue, 28-27, in the semifinals, while Eastside Catholic snuck past O’Dea in double overtime, 35-28, in a matchup of 3A Metro League powers. Yelm has shown the ability to win games in different ways this year. Last week’s win was an old-school, ground-and-pound victory featuring a heavy dose of four-star RB Brayden Platt (116 carries, 1,173 rushing yards, 24 TDs), who rushed for 163 yards and three touchdowns against Bellevue. WR Kyler Ronquillo (616 rushing yards, nine TDs; 746 receiving yards, 10 TDs) can beat teams in different ways. LB Ray Wright and LB William Carreto play with an edge, and three-star LB Isaiah Patterson has shown the ability to disrupt opposing quarterbacks. Eastside Catholic RB Richie Fotualii-Aliifua (105 carries, 674 yards, 19 TDs) had a monster game last weekend against O’Dea, rushing for 178 yards and five touchdowns in the win. This will be the first meeting between Yelm and Eastside Catholic in the state playoffs. The Crusaders have won four titles (2019, 2018, 2015, 2014). Yelm has never won a state title.

TNT pick: Yelm, 33-28

CLASS 2A

No. 3 North Kitsap Vikings (12-1) vs. No. 1 Lynden Lions (12-0)

5 p.m. Saturday, Sparks Stadium, Puyallup

So far, nobody has been able to slow down defending state champion Lynden, which enters the championship game with an undefeated record. Leading previously-undefeated Enumclaw, 13-7, at home in last week’s state semifinals game, Lynden marched 80 yards with just 26 seconds remaining in the first half to score a touchdown and effectively slam the door on any hopes of an Enumclaw upset bid. Lynden ran away with the game in the second half, winning 41-14. Lynden’s entire offensive line returned from last year’s state championship team and has paved the way for the Lions’ rotating stable of backs to put up big numbers in the run game. Against Enumclaw, Lynden rushed 50 times for 355 yards, including 188 yards and two touchdowns from Campbell Nolte (85 carries, 604 yards, seven TDs) and 111 yards and two touchdowns from Lane Heeringa (152 carries, 853 yards, 17 TDs). North Kitsap had a less comfortable semifinals win, having to crawl out of any early 15-0 hole against W.F. West. The Vikings scored 29 unanswered points in a 29-22 win to advance to the championship game. Two red zone interceptions from Logan Sloman and Benen Lawler, and a goal-line stand helped hold W.F. West’s offense in check after a fast start. On offense, Sloman caught nine passes for 162 yards and a touchdown. Jaxon Gore had eight catches for 154 yards and a touchdown. Lawler rushed for 120 yards on 29 carries. Lynden, which topped Tumwater in last season’s title game, is one of two defending state champions still playing. Lynden has won nine state titles in 14 total championship game appearances. This is the first trip to the championship game in North Kitsap’s history.

TNT pick: Lynden, 28-14

CLASS 1A

No. 10 Mount Baker Mountaineers (8-4) vs. No. 1 Royal Knights (11-1)

Noon Saturday, Harry E. Lang Stadium, Lakewood

Mount Baker has already picked up upset victories over three teams in this state bracket, but is there any stopping two-time defending 1A champion Royal? The Knights — this season led by QB Dylan Allred (157-of-238 passing, 2,282 yards, 28 TDs; 75 carries, 414 yards, eight TDs), RB Kaleb Hernandez (139 carries, 1,061 yards, 21 TDs) and WR Edgar Delarosa (48 catches, 840 yards, 17 TDs) — are set to make the 14th championship appearance in school history, and already have 10 titles, including winning five of the past six 1A brackets. Royal has routed each of its first three opponents in the state playoffs — Cascade Christian, 41-7, in the first round, Montesano, 41-9, in the quarterfinals and Freeman, 57-21, in the semifinals — to reach another title game. Mount Baker is looking to secure its first championship in its second appearance after finishing runner-up in 1A back in 2013, and has already posted three consecutive upset wins in this season’s state run over Tenino, 37-26, in the first round, Lakeside of Nine Mile Falls, 35-20, in the quarterfinals and 1A Northwest Conference rival Nooksack Valley, 14-13, in last weekend’s semifinals to advance. RB Marcques George (209 carries, 1,931 yards, 23 TDs; eight catches, 105 yards, TD) paces the Mountaineers’ offense. This is the second meeting between Royal and Mount Baker in the state playoffs. The Knights routed the Mountaineers in the state quarterfinals in 2018, a week before Colville snapped their 53-game winning streak. The Knights are 44-1 since, and Royal’s only loss in that stretch is to Lynden Christian, 21-14, back in Week 4. Mount Baker later bested the Lyncs, 48-34, in Week 9 to close out the regular season.

TNT pick: Royal, 38-27

CLASS 2B

No. 2 Okanogan Bulldogs (12-0) vs. No. 1 Napavine Tigers (12-0)

5 p.m. Saturday, Harry E. Lang Stadium, Lakewood

This will be the fourth meeting between these two programs in the state playoffs, and a championship is on the line again. The first two times Okanogan and Napavine played in the state bracket was in the 2B title game in 2014 and 2015. The Bulldogs won both meetings to secure back-to-back championships. Last season, Napavine ended Okanogan’s season in the semifinals on the way to a runner-up finish. What happens when the two meet again this weekend? Whichever program prevails will complete a perfect season with a fourth state championship. Napavine won its three titles 1976, 2008 and most recently 2016. Okanogan won its first championship in 1999 before the back-to-back wins in 2014 and 2015. Both programs enter this weekend’s meeting with perfect records, and are the only two programs in 2B this season to eclipse 600 points — Napavine has outscored opponents, 677-61, this fall and Okanogan, 617-106. Following a first-round bye in the state playoffs, the Tigers shut down both Liberty of Spangle, 55-7, in the quarterfinals and Chewelah, 49-6, in the semifinals last week to advance to the title game. QB Ashton Demarest (105-of-170 passing, 2,045 yards, 36 TDs; 90 carries, 996 yards, 15 TDs) leads the way in both passing and rushing. Okanogan also had a first-round bye before shutting out Onalaska, 55-0, in the quarterfinals and routing Pe Ell-Willapa Valley, 42-14, last week in the semifinals. QB Carter Kuchenbuch (77-of-142 passing, 1,321 yards, 21 TDs; 49 carries, 350 yards, four TDs) paces Okanogan’s offense through the air, while RB Johnny Swartsel (147 carries, 1,995 yards, 26 TDs) leads the Bulldogs’ rushing attack.

TNT pick: Napavine, 30-28

CLASS 1B

No. 2 Neah Bay Red Devils (11-0) vs. No. 5 Liberty Bell Mountain Lions (11-2)

Noon Saturday, Mount Tahoma Stadium, Tacoma

Neah Bay has collected four state titles in its seven championship game appearances to date — securing all four in an impressive six-season stretch from 2011-16. Can the Red Devils add another title win in their eighth appearance, and first since that most recent 1B championship win in 2016? Neah Bay hasn’t lost a game this season, and has won every contest it has played by at least 38 points. The Red Devils had a bye in the first round of the state playoffs, and routed Wellpinit, 66-14, in the quarterfinals and Liberty Christian, 82-24, in the semifinals last week. QB Julian Carrick (16-of-27 passing, 457 yards, nine TDs; 71 carries, 1,026 yards, 26 TDs) and RB Jodell Wimberly (143 carries, 1,735 yards, 24 TDs) have been Neah Bay’s top playmakers on offense this season. The Mountain Lions are in the title game for the first time in program history after shocking top-seeded Odessa, 70-24, in last week’s semifinals. QB Riley Lidey (153-of-218 passing, 2,501 yards, 50 TDs; 90 carries, 880 yards, 11 TDs) leads an offense that also includes key contributors in RB Lucien Paz, RB Remy Paz and WR Sawyer Crandall, who have combined for more than 50 touchdowns. Liberty Bell enters the contest on a six-game winning streak, including a 62-0 shutout of Muckleshoot Tribal in the first round of the state playoffs and a 54-20 rout of Mossyrock in the quarterfinals. This is the first meeting between Neah Bay and Liberty Bell in the state playoffs.

TNT pick: Neah Bay, 62-48