Prep football: A look at local teams’ state quarterfinal matchups

Four local high school football teams are playing state quarterfinal games Saturday. Below are capsules for each matchup.

CLASS 4A

No. 3 LAKE STEVENS vs. No. 11 MOUNT SI

When: 1 p.m., Saturday

Where: Lake Stevens H.S.

Implications: The winner advances to the 4A state semifinals, where it faces either No. 2 seed Camas or No. 7 seed Puyallup.

Lake Stevens: 11-0 overall, 7-0 Wesco 4A; beat Tahoma 49-14 in Week 10 playoffs, beat Union 28-21 in state first round

About the Vikings: Lake Stevens ousted defending state champion Union last week to avenge last year’s state-title game loss and advance to the state quarterfinals for the fourth time in the past five seasons. It was a rare close game for the Vikings, who have outscored opponents by 45.6 points per contest during another dominant campaign. Dallas Landeros ran for 276 yards and two TDs on 41 carries last week behind Lake Stevens’ dominant offensive line, which received an added boost with Washington State University-bound left tackle Devin Kylany making his return from a torn ACL. Landeros has rushed for 1,554 yards and 25 TDs, leading a high-powered ground attack that averages 8.2 yards per carry and 256 yards per game. Tanner Jellison has been ultra-efficient at quarterback, completing 74.5% of his passes for 2,729 yards, 37 TDs and just six interceptions. His favorite target is dynamic playmaker Kasen Kinchen, who leads a talented array of wideouts with 1,003 yards receiving and 12 TD catches. Joe Gonzales has four interceptions for a Vikings defense that allows just 8.9 points per game.

Mount Si: 9-2 overall, 3-1 KingCo 4A Crest Division; beat Monroe 34-20 in Week 10 playoffs, beat Chiawana 46-21 in state first round

About the Wildcats: Clay Millen threw for 466 yards and six TDs last week to lead Mount Si past Chiawana and into the state quarterfinals for the second consecutive year. Taking over as Mount Si’s quarterback this season after his record-setting older brother Cale graduated, Millen has completed 72% of his passes for 2,675 yards, 30 TDs and no interceptions. Millen, the son of former NFL quarterback Hugh Millen, has an offer from the University of Oregon and is the 31st-ranked junior quarterback in the nation according to 247Sports. His favorite target is Brayden Holt, who has 783 yards receiving and 10 TD catches. The Wildcats allow just 14.1 points per game and haven’t yielded more than 26 points all season. Mount Si’s two losses came by a combined 10 points to 4A No. 8 seed Woodinville and No. 10 seed Eastlake. The Wildcats are seeking their second state semifinal trip in program history.

Herald pick: Lake Stevens

CLASS 3A

No. 3 LINCOLN vs. No. 6 MARYSVILLE PILCHUCK

When: 1 p.m., Saturday

Where: Lincoln Bowl (Tacoma)

Implications: The winner advances to the 3A state semifinals, where it faces either No. 2 seed Eastside Catholic or No. 7 seed Bellevue.

Lincoln: 9-2 overall, 7-0 Pierce County League; beat Rainier Beach 56-6 in Week 10 playoffs, beat Seattle Prep 49-28 in state first round

About the Abes: After opening the season with a pair of two-possession losses to unbeaten 4A state-title contenders Camas and Lake Stevens, Lincoln rolled to its fourth-ever state quarterfinal appearance while posting nine straight wins by an average margin of 39.1 points. Loaded with elite talent, the Abes feature nationally ranked junior recruit Julien Simon and four of the state’s top 55 senior recruits, according to 247Sports. Simon, the nation’s 68th-ranked junior recruit, has 807 yards receiving, 16 offensive TDs and two interception returns for scores. Simon is one of three Lincoln wideouts — along with Jasiah Snow-Marshall and Jaylen Clark — who have at least 650 yards receiving and eight-plus TD catches. Lefty quarterback Caden Filer has completed 72.4% of his passes for 2,937 yards, 34 TDs and seven interceptions. Abner Sio-Fetaui complements the Abes’ aerial attack with 1,167 yards rushing and 16 TD runs, averaging 11.1 yards per carry. Lincoln beat both 3A No. 4 seed Bethel and No. 10 seed Lakes by double digits en route to the PCL title. The Abes allow just 12.9 points per game and are seeking their first-ever state semifinal trip.

Marysville Pilchuck: 11-0 overall, 6-0 Wesco 3A North; beat Ballard 28-25 in Week 10 playoffs, beat Prairie 37-30 (OT) in state first round

About the Tomahawks: Marysville Pilchuck prevailed for a wild overtime win over Prairie last week in a seesaw first-round matchup that included four lead changes in the fourth quarter and extra period. Tomahawks kicker Edgar Martinez forced overtime with a game-tying 39-yard field goal as time expired, Dylan Carson ran for the go-ahead score in the extra period and Marysville Pilchuck came up with a game-ending defensive stop to reach the state quarterfinals for the fourth time in program history. Jordan Justice and Carson lead a deceptive Slot-T rushing attack that churns out 7.6 yards per carry and 320 yards per game behind the Tomahawks’ powerful offensive line. Justice has rushed for 1,351 yards and 21 TDs, while Carson has added 1,329 yards and 16 TDs. Marysville Pilchuck allows just 13.6 points per game and is seeking its third-ever state semifinal appearance. The Tomahawks’ last semifinal trip was in 2014.

Herald pick: Lincoln

CLASS 2A

No. 4 HOCKINSON vs. No. 5 LAKEWOOD

When: 4 p.m., Saturday

Where: Battle Ground H.S.

Implications: The winner advances to the 2A state semifinals, where it faces either No. 1 seed Tumwater or No. 8 seed Archbishop Murphy.

Hockinson: 10-1 overall, 6-0 Greater St. Helens League 2A; beat Centralia 59-7 in Week 10 playoffs, beat Ellensburg 21-15 in state first round

About the Hawks: Two-time defending state champion Hockinson has won 37 of its past 38 games, with its only loss over the past three seasons coming in a six-point defeat to 2A No. 8 seed Archbishop Murphy in Week 2. Dual-threat quarterback Levi Crum has accounted for 3,125 total yards and 46 TDs, leading a high-powered attack that averages 41.7 points per game. Crum has passed for 2,435 yards and 34 TDs, while adding 690 yards and 12 scores on the ground. The Hawks are without leading receiver Peyton Brammer, a three-star recruit who suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 8. Hockinson also lost three-star University of Washington-bound receiver Sawyer Racanelli to a torn ACL over the summer. The Hawks’ depleted receiving corps is led by Makaio Juarez, Jeremiah Faulstick and Liam Mallory, who have combined for 1,556 yards receiving and 21 TD catches. Hockinson rallied from an eight-point halftime deficit last week to beat Ellensburg, led by Crum’s 295 total yards and three TDs. Mallory also had two interceptions and a TD catch for the Hawks, who allow just 12.5 points per game and have held all but two opponents to 16 points or less.

Lakewood: 9-1 overall, 4-1 Northwest 2A Sky Division; beat Liberty-Issaquah 14-10 in Week 10 playoffs, beat Sequim 38-12 in state first round

About the Cougars: Lakewood is making the third state quarterfinal appearance in program history and its first since 2011. Dual-threat quarterback Jared Taylor has accounted for 2,318 total yards and 32 TDs — including 1,241 yards rushing, 18 TD runs and an average of 9.1 yards per carry. Landen Pruitt and Malik Dotson have combined to rush for 1,190 yards and 10 TDs, adding to a ground attack that averages 7.8 yards per carry and 261 yards per game. Leading receiver Carson Chrisman caught seven passes for 111 yards and three TDs in last week’s rout of Sequim, while the Cougars’ defense allowed just 211 total yards. Lakewood yields just 13.9 points per game and has held all but two opponents to 17 points or less. The Cougars finished second in the ultra-competitive Northwest 2A Sky Division and beat three final Associated Press 2A top-10 teams: Archbishop Murphy, Sedro-Woolley and Liberty. Lakewood’s only loss was to 2A No. 3 seed and Sky Division champion Lynden. The Cougars are playing for their second-ever trip to the state semifinals and their first since 1983.

Herald pick: Lakewood

No. 1 TUMWATER vs. No. 8 ARCHBISHOP MURPHY

When: 1 p.m., Saturday

Where: Tumwater H.S.

Implications: The winner advances to the 2A state semifinals, where it faces either No. 4 seed Hockinson or No. 5 seed Lakewood.

Recent history: This is the seventh time in the past 10 seasons that these perennial powers have met in the state playoffs. Tumwater won four of their previous six state-playoff matchups, including a 10-6 semifinal victory over Archbishop Murphy in 2017. These teams have combined for eight state-title game appearances since 2010.

Tumwater: 11-0 overall, 5-0 Evergreen 2A; beat Columbia River 66-13 in Week 10 playoffs, beat Franklin Pierce 56-7 in state first round

About the Thunderbirds: Tumwater has beaten every opponent by double digits while rolling to its eighth consecutive state quarterfinal appearance. The Thunderbirds have outscored 2A opponents by a combined 395-40 margin and cruised to seven running-clock victories, including last week when they raced to a 49-0 halftime lead in a rout of Franklin Pierce. Tumwater also has three victories over higher-classification teams: a 27-point win over 3A state qualifier Yelm, a 55-0 rout of 3A Timberline and a 13-point win over 4A Bellarmine Prep. The Thunderbirds average 51.5 points per game behind a rushing attack that churns out 7.0 yards per carry and 265 yards per contest. Dylan Paine leads the way with 1,102 yards rushing and 20 total TDs, averaging 7.2 yards per carry. Tumwater allows just 9.1 points per game and has held all but one opponent to 19 points or less. Jack Jones has four interceptions for the Thunderbirds’ defense, which has forced 19 turnovers and posted three safeties. Tumwater is seeking its sixth state semifinal trip in the past eight seasons.

Archbishop Murphy: 8-2 overall, 3-2 Northwest 2A Sky Division; beat Sedro-Woolley 23-6 in Week 10 playoffs, beat North Kitsap 46-0 in state first round

About the Wildcats: After missing the state playoffs last year, Archbishop Murphy is back in the state quarterfinals for the 14th time in the past 18 seasons. The Wildcats posted another strong defensive performance in last week’s shutout of North Kitsap, limiting the Vikings to just 125 total yards and intercepting three passes. Archbishop Murphy allows just 11.2 points per game and has held all but two opponents to 14 points or less. Joe Ennis has 858 yards from scrimmage and 12 TDs, and Mason Mathis has added 700 yards rushing and eight scoring runs. The Wildcats beat two-time defending state champion and 2A No. 4 seed Hockinson in a Week 2 non-league contest and also earned a pair of wins over Sedro-Woolley, which was ranked No. 9 in the final Associated Press 2A state poll. Archbishop Murphy’s two losses came by a combined 11 points to 2A No. 3 seed Lynden and No. 5 seed Lakewood. The Wildcats are seeking their fourth state semifinal trip in the past five seasons.

Herald pick: Tumwater