Week 3: High school football games to watch in the South Sound, predictions

Read team previews and score predictions for five games across the South Sound in Week 3, plus our pick for the state game of the week.

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Lakes Lancers vs. Curtis Vikings

7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20 at Curtis High School

Curtis has looked impressive in the first two weeks, notching blowout wins over Mount Si (35-14) and Peninsula (42-6). Freshman Sam Patterson and sophomore Cooper Hordyk have split time at quarterback, targeting TNT All-Area receivers Parker Mady and Xavier Ahrens, who have been unstoppable early on this season. Mady racked up 147 yards and two touchdowns against Peninsula, while Ahrens had 104 receiving yards and a touchdown. Lakes won a close game against Auburn Riverside in Week 1, 21-13, before a 55-0 shutout against Bonney Lake last week. The Lancers have been stingy on defense and balanced on offense, led by running back Sentoa Leapai and a stable of capable receivers. It’s unclear whether Lakes star linebacker Ta’u Mareko (undisclosed injury) will make his season debut this week; he may still be a week or two off.

TNT pick: Curtis 35, Lakes 21

Sumner Spartans vs. West Linn (Ore.) Lions

7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20 at West Linn High School

Believe it or not, the game against back-to-back Washington Class 4A state champion Lake Stevens in Week 1 wasn’t even the most daunting matchup on Sumner’s preseason slate this fall. A road trip to Oregon 6A runner-up West Linn will be the biggest test yet for the Spartans, who are 2-0 after knocking off Lake Stevens and shutting out Auburn Riverside in Week 2. West Linn is also 2-0 with back-to-back blowout wins over Eagle and Sherwood. Sumner tight end and Montana State commit Carter Cocke showed why he’s a dangerous red zone threat last week, catching three touchdown passes in the win over Auburn Riverside. West Linn, considered by many the favorite to win the Oregon 6A title this year, is coached by former Camas coach Jon Eagle. The Lions are balanced on offense. In last week’s 35-0 win over Sherwood, running back Viggo Anderson rushed for 149 yards and QB Baird Gilroy passed for 162 yards and two TDs, adding another score on the ground.

TNT pick: West Linn 35, Sumner 28

Tumwater T-Birds vs. Eastlake Wolves

7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19 at Eastlake High School

Tumwater just keeps rolling, having outscored Puyallup and Bainbridge by a combined 100 points in the season’s first two weeks. Can the good times continue in Sammamish? With Tumwater’s well-oiled Wing-T offense, we think so. Eastlake forced five turnovers and intercepted Mount Tahoma four times in last Friday’s 23-7 win at Mount Tahoma, rallying behind backup QB Ryder Barrysmith after losing QB1 Landon Renfroe to injury a week prior. This one may come down to how well the Wolves counter a Tumwater run game that features six running backs.

TNT pick: Tumwater 30, Eastlake 24

Orting Cardinals vs. Fife Trojans

7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20 at Fife High School

It’s time for league play in the 2A SPSL, where multiple contenders have their sights set on a title considered up for grabs after Enumclaw rose to the 3A NPSL this fall. And in our annual season previews, we picked Orting and Fife to finish atop the standings. Buckle up. We’re looking forward to an always-dynamic Cardinals run game against a physical Fife defense that returned four linemen and standout LB/RB La’au Maka. Come postseason, the SPSL standings should be tight. So should Friday night’s score.

TNT pick: Orting 31, Fife 28

Kamiakin Braves vs. Yelm Tornados

7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20 at Yelm High School

After a 41-0 win over Walla Walla in Week 1, Kamiakin was stunned by Chiawana in Week 2, losing 44-0. Kamiakin will need to look to get star WR/DB David Kuku more involved this week to have a chance against Yelm, which is 2-0 with impressive wins over Tacoma schools Mount Tahoma and Lincoln in the first two weeks of the season. Yelm will be without bruising running back Nathan Ford (collarbone) the next few weeks, but dual-threat QB Parker Myers has shown the ability to make big plays with his legs, running behind Yelm’s hulking offensive line. We like the Tornados to head into 4A SPSL play undefeated.

TNT pick: Yelm 35, Kamiakin 17

STATE GAME OF THE WEEK

Camas Papermakers vs. Lincoln Abes

7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20 at Lincoln Bowl

Last September, the Abes made the road trip down to Camas, where the Papermakers emerged from a halftime draw and grabbed the non-league clash, 21-7. Now, a rematch at Lincoln Bowl. It’s the same dueling quarterbacks this time around: Lincoln QB Sione Kaho welcomes Camas QB Jake Davidson onto his stomping grounds after both threw for over 200 yards in Camas a year ago. Oddly enough, neither threw a touchdown in the 2023 rendition, with all four touchdowns scored on the ground by tailbacks. We expect that to change Friday night.

TNT pick: Camas 28, Lincoln 21

OTHER GAMES TO WATCH

Auburn Mountainview vs. White River

7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20 at White River High School

Graham-Kapowsin vs. Emerald Ridge

7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20 at Sparks Stadium

Puyallup vs. Skyview

12 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21 at Kiggins Bowl

Spanaway Lake vs. Federal Way

1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21 at Federal Way Memorial Field

Mount Tahoma vs. Mount Si

7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20 at Curtis High School