4A state championship capsule: Lake Stevens vs. Graham-Kapowsin

Here’s a look at the Lake Stevens vs. Graham-Kapowsin Class 4A state championship game:

NO. 2 LAKE STEVENS VS. NO. 1 GRAHAM-KAPOWSIN

When: Saturday, 7 p.m.

Where: Husky Stadium

The skinny: State powers collide as the Vikings and Eagles square off for the third straight postseason and sixth time in the state playoffs since 2015. Lake Stevens beat G-K 42-28 in last year’s state semifinals. The Vikings are 3-2 in the teams’ previous five meetings, but the Eagles hold the biggest win in the series — the 2021 state championship.

Lake Stevens: 12-1; beat Garfield 48-21, beat Bellevue 34-31, beat Federal Way 63-13, lost to West Linn (Oregon) 49-30, beat Jackson 42-3, beat Eastlake 35-27, beat Mariner 71-6, beat Kamiak 54-7, beat Glacier Peak 42-7, beat Olympia 54-0, beat Woodinville 41-0, beat Kennedy Catholic 44-21, beat Kamiakin 48-7

About the Vikings: After winning its first state football championship last season, Lake Stevens looks to repeat as it makes its third straight appearance in the title game and fourth in the past five postseasons. The Vikings have won 24 straight games against in-state opponents, including 12 this season by an average of 36.1 points. Lake Stevens, the Wesco 4A champion, has been particularly dominant in the postseason, winning its four games since the winner-to-state Week 10 round by a combined 187-28. Junior Kolton Matson broke the program’s single-season record for TD passes last week, tossing four to bring his total to 45 (the previous record was 43 by Jacob Eason). He’s thrown for 703 yards and 10 TDs since the team’s opening-round win over Woodinville and has totaled 3,157 yards on this season while completing 67.4% of his passes. David Brown sports team bests with 790 yards and 17 TDs receiving, averaging 16.8 yards per reception, and senior Paul Varela has added a team-high 48 receptions for 559 yards and six TDs. Five other players have at least 250 receiving yards and three receiving TDs. Running back Jayshon Limar has seven total TDs since the start of the state playoffs, including two rushing and two receiving in last week’s rout of Kamiakin. Limar, a three-star junior recruit according to 247sports.com, has over 1,100 total yards and 14 TDs this season. Senior Talha Rai has added 12 rushing TDs. The defense’s first unit hasn’t allowed a single point during the postseason. Junior Keagan Howard and senior Mason Turner are the team’s leading tackers. Senior Gage Solomon is also among the squads top tacklers and sports a team-best nine sacks. Brown has six of the defense’s 13 interceptions, including two returned for TDs. Senior Gabe Kylany has two picks, two fumble recoveries (both for scores) and two blocked punts. Senior Steven Lee Jr. and Jaxson Lewis each have a kickoff return TD.

Graham-Kapowsin: 13-0; beat Rogers (Puyallup) 49-10, beat Puyallup 42-13, beat Olympia 27-13, beat Bellarmine 35-0, beat Sumner 38-31, beat Curtis 42-35, beat South Kitsap 35-7, beat Emerald Ridge 41-35, beat Bethel 38-7, beat Kamiak 63-15, beat Richland 56-35, beat Gonzaga Prep 20-14, beat Eastlake 27-24

About the Eagles: G-K is playing for the state championship for second time in the past three seasons and is in search of a second title during that span after winning it all in 2021. The Eagles, who won the South Puget Sound League 4A title, pulled out a pair of one-possession games to reach the final, including topping Eastlake on Aidan Skolrud’s 25-yard field goal as time expired in the state semifinals. G-K has won 13 straight games since falling to Lake Stevens in last year’s state semifinals. The Eagles feature of an array of talent at the skill-positions, including five three-star recruits at either quarterback, wide receiver or tight end. It starts with senior quarterback Daveon Superales, who’s thrown for 3,473 yards, 44 TDs and just five interceptions while completing an ultra-efficient 76.1% of his passes. He also leads the team with 706 rushing yards and shares the team lead of seven rushing TDs with senior Alele Fa’apito-leao, who’s run for 618 yards while averaging 5.2 yards per carry. Three-star seniors Jabez Woods and Malachi Durant both have over 1,000 receiving yards a combined 28 receiving TDs. Woods has 1,202 yards and 10 TDs on 95 receptions, while Durant, an Oregon State University commit, has 1,025 yards and 18 TDs on 64 receptions. Three star-junior receiver Khris Norris has 569 yards and seven TDs on 52 receptions, and three-star junior tight end Noah Flores has 399 yards and five TDs on 40 receptions. Senor Levi Turner is the team’s leading tackler and has recovered three fumbles, including one for a score. Junior Jonathan Haas has team highs of eight tackles for loss, seven sacks and three forced fumbles. The G-K defense has recorded 16 interceptions, including three apiece from senior Mika Roberson and junior Julian Delossantos. Durant has a kickoff return TD.

GAME PICKS

Zac Hereth, Herald sports editor

Lake Stevens 41, Graham-Kapowsin 23

Overall record: 159-39

Evan Wiederspohn, Herald writer

Lake Stevens 35, Graham-Kaposwin 14

Overall record: 139-59

Steve Willits, Prep Sports Weekly

Lake Stevens 35, Graham-Kapowsin 27

Overall record: 159-39

Tom Lafferty, 1380 AM KRKO

Lake Stevens 34, Graham-Kaposwin 24