High school football practices are now underway in the South Sound. Here is a look at how the season could go for each team in the 2024 season.

4A NPSL

Kennedy: 8-0 in 2023: 1st (10-2)

The Lancers are the cream of the crop as far as football goes in the South Sound. The perennial favorites are looking to be there once again. Last year, the Lancer offense was held to 30 points just once. That team is now a 3A school. Look for Kennedy to be a powerhouse this fall.

Tahoma: 6-3 in 2023: 3rd (4-6)

Tahoma is going to be a part of a very competitive race for the second seed in the league. I think the Bears have enough returning talent, with experience from a tough season last year to make some noise in the NPSL this season. I am looking forward to that week 5 matchup with Auburn Riverside to see where both programs will be.

Auburn Riverside: 6-3 in 2023: 1st (7-4) (3A)

Head Coach Greg Herd is no stranger to tough schedules. This year, the Ravens open against a sneaky good Lakes, then face Sumner in week 2. They will be one of three sides that can reach that second spot in the division. Their games against Kentwood and Tahoma will be interesting to see how UW commit Jonathan Epperson is used and if Andrew Wold can take that next step at quarterback. Then as we all know, that final game against Auburn is anybody’s game.

Kentwood: 5-4 in 2023: 5th (3-7)

The Conks could be anything from 7-2 or 4-5 this year. Last year Kentwood went 3-6 — one of its worst seasons in the past 20 years, with just 2022 being a bit worse (2-8). But this year Kentwood is looking to lead from the ground. Antoine Lee is the school’s best rusher in its history, leading in 6 different categories. Will teams be able to slow him down? We shall see. If they don’t, Kentwood will be a tough team to beat.

Auburn: 5-4 in 2023: 2nd (7-3) (3A)

Auburn is another team that could cause some problems for any number of opponents. The Trojans last year made their way to the playoffs with a 7-3 record, but were beaten badly by Auburn Riverside. Lucas Whitehall-Gilkes, RJ Conlan and Christian Titialii are going to need to carry the high-paced offense. Baylen Erdmann entering his junior year will be the engine that carries the Trojans. Defensively, the Trojans have been able to get the job done. With the way the offense plays, a lot is asked of the defense and they deliver. Playing at the 4A level will be a good challenge for Head Coach Aaron Chantler’s boys, and they could be a dangerous team on any given night.

Stadium: 4-5 in 2023: 6th (5-4) (3A PCL)

The newcomers in the NPSL I don’t think will make a huge impact on the make up this year. Last season the Tigers went 5-4 and their win over Cedarcrest in week one was their only win over a team with an above .500 record. I think 4A will take a bit of an adjustment for the Tigers, especially with teams like Kennedy, Tahoma and Riverside on the schedule.

Kentridge: 2-7 in 2023: 7th (0-10)

With Head Coach Nick Carins heading into his second year, Kentridge still has work to do. Offensively last year, the Chargers put up just 5.2 points per game. Kentridge went 0-10 and was shut out four of those 10 games. Defensively, Kentlake and Mount Rainier were held under 20 points by the Chargers. In 7 of their 10 games, they gave up 40 or more points in all of them. I think Kentridge is still a bit away, but they will record a win this season.

Mount Rainier: 0-9 in 2023: 6th (1-8)

After winning just one game last year against Kentridge, the Rams are going to sit at the bottom of the standings this year. With former Head Coach Tremain Mack departing for Thomas Jefferson, Quincy Carter has a daunting challenge ahead of him. Someone has to be at the bottom of the standings. Unfortunately for Mount Rainier, I think this year it will be them.

3A NPSL

Decatur: 8-1 in 2023: 2nd (8-2) (4A)

Last year was a breakthrough year for the Gators. Decatur now drops to 3A and returns a heck of a lot of talent. Nehemiah Washington, who was the Gators bell-cow at running back, returns with Spencer Holloway under center. The defense was on for the Gators last season and really made the difference. Decatur was the only team to hold Kennedy to just 30 points, while no other team scored over 30 points against the Gators all year. The first game of the season against Enumclaw will say a lot to how ready and what level Decatur will be at.

Enumclaw: 7-1 in 2023: 1st (12-1) (2A SPSL)

I think the fact that Enumclaw’s first game against Decatur is on the road means that it goes the way of the Gators. The Hornets have proven that they have the talent to compete with the best in the state, making the semifinals at 2A state the last two seasons. Outside of Decatur, the Hornets will take care of the field. Federal Way could be a sleeper, but that is at home inside Pete’s Pool. Overall, I can’t see much standing in the way of the Hornets this season.

Federal Way: 5-2 in 2023: 4th (3-7) (4A)

Revenge is going to lay heavy on the minds of the Eagles this season, who saw their 2023 season slip right through their fingertips. After a rough 0-3 start in the non-league section of their season, Federal Way then won two out of four before falling to Decatur 16-14. If the Eagles can develop a bit more consistency, then they will be in a great spot in a league that can have a few surprises.

Auburn Mountainview: 4-4 in 2023: 4th (4-4)

Auburn Mountainview will not play either Auburn or Auburn Riverside for the first time in school history on the gridiron. First year play caller Garrett McKay will hope to maximize uber talented quarterback Elijah Baird this year to bolster an offense that is missing Elijah Carney (transferred to Lincoln), John Wanlemvo (graduated) and Isaiah Wallis-Caw (graduated). Heading into week 5, the Lions could be 4-0. If that is the case, they will be in a great position to make the postseason. Last year, Kent-Meridian shocked the Lions with a 38-point defeat. The year ended in controversy, and they had to forego their playoff spot. Hopefully the Lions can end on a much sweeter note.

Kent-Meridian: 4-5 in 2023: 3rd (4-6)

Last season was a revolution for the Royals. Head Coach Randy Robbins was the perfect guy to kickstart a program and school that had been down for decades. After sneaking their way into the postseason, and an unfortunate meetup with Yelm, the Royals can look back on their 2023 season with reverence. This year there will be a new man under center with dual threat quarterback Jayden Saelee graduating, which creates a big question mark because of how dynamic he was with the ball in his hands. But Robbins has created a special culture on 256th Street. We will see if they continue their way up the totem pole.

Thomas Jefferson: 4-5 in 2023: 6th (2-7)

The Raiders are welcoming new head coach and former NFL Pro-Bowler Tremain Mack this year. Mack spent over a decade at Mount Rainier, where he became one of the most respected coaches in the state. This year at TJ, both parties get a fresh start. It has been eight years since the Raiders have been over .500 (2015, 8-3). Since 2020, the Raiders have won a total of nine games. There are winnable games on the schedule, but the games against the top three teams in the league could get ugly.

Todd Beamer: 3-4 in 2023: 5th (3-6)

With Head Coach Rodney McCurry returning from his stint at the helm of the Seattle Majestics, he will bring some energy and maybe a different mindset to the Todd Beamer season. But the loss of Sekou Bangoura will hurt in more ways than one for the Titans. If Todd Beamer can string some things together, they can be fighting among those at the top for a playoff spot. But it is going to take a heck of a lot from them to do so.

White River: 3-6 in 2023: 6th (4-6) (2A SPSL)

White River kind of suffers the same problems that many of the teams at this area of the standings do. They can beat bad teams, but against good teams, they get blown out. I think a lot of these teams will trade punches among each other. There will be a lot of parity at the bottom of the standings, but White River is coming from not a great league to one where the top dogs are the top dogs for a reason. If they can rally some wins against a Thomas Jefferson or Auburn Mountainview, they can easily work their way up.

Kentlake: 2-6 in 2023: 7th (2-8)

Last year the Falcons won just a pair of games over Mount Rainier and Kentridge. This year I am expecting more of the same. Kentlake just needs to establish a bit of offensive consistency to prove they can be a threat in the NPSL. Last year the Falcons were shut out in four of their 10 games and scored over 10 points in three of them. Kentlake did put up 26 points against Auburn Mountainview which was the first time since the final game of the 2022 season they scored over 20 points.