High school football: 2A state tournament bracket breakdown in Washington
High school football state tournaments begin this week in Washington. The state championship games for all six classifications will be held Dec. 6 and 7 at Husky Stadium in Seattle. Here’s our preview of the Class 2A bracket.
THE FAVORITE
When Tumwater (10-0) hosted 4A-Puyallup for a Sept. 6 season opener and ran over the Vikings by 50, the T-Birds planted their flag as Class 2A’s team to beat. That’s still the case -- no team sniffed an upset in a regular season as dominant as they come, even by Tumwater’s lofty standards. Willie Garrow’s program stomped its way through an undefeated 10-0 record and outscored opponents 543-69 in the process; in Weeks 6-9, the T-Birds won four games (all shutouts) by a combined 218-0.
They dropped last year’s 2A state championship game to Anacortes, 60-30, but this could be Tumwater’s year for revenge. Where else will you find a program with enough depth to trot out 19 different ball carriers in the same game? Fifteen of them logged 50+ rush yards this season, and QB Jaxon Budd can throw with accuracy when needed (less than five times per game, on average).
CONTENDERS
Does Anacortes hand over the 2A trophy this season or keep it for themselves? Brock and Brady Beaner guided the Seahawks (9-1) to last year’s state ctitle at Husky Stadium -- both are back in search of repeat. Their 18-game win streak with the Seahawks fell at Archbishop Murphy on Oct. 11, but this offense can pile points on anyone and would meet Tumwater for a title-game rematch if each program wins their next three games. RB-Brock paces Anacortes with 18 total touchdowns (15 rushing, 3 receiving) and QB-Brady pushes the ball downfield to top receiving target Rylin Lang (36-621-9).
Franklin Pierce (10-0) completed an untouchable run through the 2A SPSL and dropped 76 points on Columbia River in last weekend’s playoff opener, clinching a state berth. They’re certainly on the contention radar. Dual-threat QB Jeremiah Orcutt is proving equally valuable as a rusher in OC Cary Nagel’s Power-T offense, and running backs Bryson Allen (104-1,396-19) and Junior Teregeyo (92-913-13) provide the 1-2 punch behind him. Watch out when Orcutt moves to safety on defense, a foundational piece in Franklin Pierce’s secondary.
Lynden (9-1) is always a threat in the 2A bracket, too. The Lions silenced Archbishop Murphy’s offense, 7-3, on Oct. 18 and are winners of six straight since their only loss to Anacortes.
OPENING ROUND SCHEDULE
FRIDAY (NOV. 15)
No. 16 Cedarcrest at No. 1 Tumwater, 7 p.m.
SATURDAY (NOV. 16)
No. 11 Olympic at No. 6 W.F. West, 1 p.m.
No. 14 East Valley of Yakima at No. 3 Franklin Pierce, 4 p.m.
No. 10 Prosser at No. 7 West Valley of Spokane, 3 p.m.
No. 15 Bainbridge at No. 2 Anacortes, 2 p.m.
No. 12 Orting at No. 5 Archbishop Murphy, 1 p.m.
No. 13 Fife at No. 4 Lynden, 2 p.m.
No. 9 Sehome at No. 8 Othello, 2 p.m.
15 PLAYERS TO WATCH
LB/RB Braden Albrecht, East Valley of Yakima
RB Bryson Allen, Franklin Pierce
S/QB Brady Beaner, Anacortes
S/RB Brock Beaner, Anacortes
QB Gage Brumfield, W.F. West
QB/FS Jeremiah Orcutt, Franklin Pierce
RB/SS Jevin Madison, Archbishop Murphy
RB Carson McCall, Orting
LB/TE Isaiah Oudman, Lynden
DL Mekhi Richardson, Tumwater
LB Cash Short, Tumwater
WR/SS Greyson Stevens, East Valley of Yakima
RB/LB Junior Teregeyo, Franklin Pierce
LB Beckett Wall, Tumwater
QB Nolan Wright, Sehome
CHAMPIONSHIP PREDICTION
No. 1 Tumwater 44, No. 2 Anacortes 36
This story was originally published November 14, 2024 at 5:00 AM with the headline "High school football: 2A state tournament bracket breakdown in Washington."
