Week 3 prep football preview, picks
You know, those predicted scores are really starting to knock the luster off what has been an outstanding season for prognosticating so far.
In Week 2, The Columbian went 11-2 in picks, following a 12-1 Week 1. That’s 23-3 in two weeks or an 88 percent pick rate.
Luckily, we don’t have to worry about covering the point spreads.
Here are the Week 3 previews:
FRIDAY’S NON-LEAGUE GAMES
Lakes (1-1) vs. Skyview (1-1)
When, where: 5 p.m., Kiggins Bowl.
Live chat: www.360preps.com.
Last week: Lakes beat Bellarmine Prep 42-38; Skyview beat Columbia River 42-0.
Game notes: These are two teams that believe in tough non-league games. … Skyview is ranked No. 5 in the AP 4A state poll. Lakes is ranked No. 4 in the 3A poll. … Lakes lost 26 seniors off a team that lost to Bellevue in the 3A state playoffs last year. Yet, the expectations have not diminished for the Lancers. … QB Rhys Gervais, a transfer from Puyallup, threw for 2,000 yards in 2011. He had five interceptions in a Week 1 overtime loss to Woodinville. … Lakes WR Sammie Long is a University of Washington commit. … Skyview QB Jordan Berni completed passes to eight different receivers last week. … RB Jabari Marshall rushed for six TDs last week.
Columbian’s take: Two teams with strong winning traditions trying to reload after heavy graduation losses. Tough call. We’ll play the home-field advantage. Prediction: Skyview 31-28
Prairie (1-1) vs. Evergreen (1-1)
When, where: 5 p.m., McKenzie Stadium
Radio: KKOV 1550 AM.
Last week: Prairie lost to Battle Ground 41-21; Evergreen lost Mountain View 38-31.
Game notes: Both teams lost rivalry games that they were very much in before letting things slip away late. … Prairie led 21-14 in the third quarter; Evergreen trailed 24-21 entering the fourth quarter. … Prairie, which relied heavily on the pass in past years, is running out of a set in which the run is the first option. QB Jacob Austin ran for 86 yards last week. … As for Evergreen, which completed just 1 of 9 passes last week, it’s less about options. Three of Evergreen’s passes last week were caught — by somebody — and two went for touchdowns (but only one for the Plainsmen). … The Plainsmen prefer to run and like to mix it up as to who does the carrying of the ball.
Columbian’s take: Turnovers really hurt Prairie last week. As long as they limit the mistakes this week, the Falcons should be fine. Prediction: Prairie 31-14
Auburn Mountainview (1-1) vs. Camas (2-0)
When, where: 7 p.m., Doc Harris Stadium, Camas
Last week: Auburn Mountainview beat Mount Tahoma 60-6; Camas beat Canby (Ore.) 31-7.
Game notes: Auburn-Mountainview is coming off a 6-5 season in which they made the playoffs but was routed by Mountain View 51-9 in the state preliminary round. … The Lions are led by 6-2 QB Dominic Rockey, who threw for more than 2,000 yards last season. … Rockey completed 10 of 14 passes for 199 yards last week. … WR Devin Bryant, (5-9, 175) is Rockey’s top target. … After piling up big offensive numbers in Week 1, Camas turned to defense last week, giving up a fourth quarter TD to deny the Papermakers a shutout. … RB Nathan Beasley remains a threat running the ball and catching the ball for Camas.
Columbian’s take: Camas’ defense did a solid job shutting down a running team last week. Now, the Papermakers get a shot at containing a passing team. Prediction: Camas 31-17
Union (1-1) vs. Peninsula (1-1)
When, where: 7 p.m. Peninsula HS, Gig Harbor.
Last week: Union lost to Jesuit (Ore.) 48-12; Peninsula beat Gig Harbor 37-6.
Game notes: Peninsula is coming off an 8-2 season in which the Seahawks set several rushing records. .. But this year, the Seahawks plan to throw the ball behind QB Austin Filkins. … Peninsula, 3A school, lost to Bellarmine Prep, ranked fourth in 4A, in week 1. … Union is trying to regroup after the most lopsided loss in the program’s six-year history. … WR Trent Cowan caught four passes for 114 yards and two TDs last week.
Columbian’s take: Union will come out with something to prove this week. And Peninsula doesn’t have a line stacked with Division I players like Jesuit, the top-ranked team in Oregon, had. Prediction: Union 28-13
Decatur (1-1) vs. Battle Ground (2-0)
When, where: 7 p.m., District Stadium, Battle Ground.
Last week: Decatur beat Renton 21-18; Battle Ground beat Prairie 41-21.
Game notes: Both teams opened last season 5-1 then dropped their last four games to miss the playoffs. … The Gators return a young team with a sophomore QB Isaiah Hatch and a sophomore RB Isaiah Diggs. … Decatur won last week despite losing five fumbles and throwing two interceptions. … Battle Ground RB Kevin Haynes leads all SW Washington with 477 yards rushing and six TDs in two games. … He rushed for 160 of his 161 yards last week in the second half … QB Ian Humphrey passed for 109 yards vs. Prairie.
Columbian’s take: A team loses seven turnovers and wins by three points because other team couldn’t make a conversion after a TD? We’ll stick with Haynes and the Tigers. Prediction: Battle Ground 34-17
Mark Morris (1-1) vs. Columbia River (1-1)
When, where: 7 p.m., Chieftain Stadium, Columbia River HS.
Last week: Mark Morris beat Hudson’s Bay 63-0; Columbia River lost to Skyview 42-0.
Game notes: Clayton Frank, River’s biggest offensive weapon passing and running, won’t play this week after suffering a concussion last week. River will turn to Jonathan Branson at QB this week. … RB Remick Kawawaki will look to rebound after getting shut down by the Skyview defense (6 carries, 10 yards). … Mark Morris routed Bay 63-0 and the game wasn’t that close. But Bay was routed by Washougal, another 2A GSHL team, 50-0 in Week 1, so it’s difficult to say what that tells us about the Monarchs. … Turnovers and mistakes hurt Mark Morris in its Week 1 17-7 loss to Kelso.
Columbian’s take: One team wins 63-0 and another loses 42-0, so naturally we’ll go with the team coming off the 42-point loss. Prediction: Columbia River 23-17
Mountain View (1-1) vs. Bonney Lake (1-1)
When, where: 7 p.m., Bonney Lake HS.
Last week: Mountain View beat Evergreen 38-21; Bonney Lake beat Sumner 28-21.
Game notes: Bonney Lake QB Chris Brown threw for 2,912 yards and 34 TDs last season. But with a young offensive line and a senior RB in E.J. Harris, the Panthers will look to run the ball more this season. … Harris had two TD runs last week as Bonney Lake to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter. … The Panthers needed a late interception to seal the win. … The Thunder used its running game beat Evergreen. Carl Falls rushed for 73 yards and Russel Culverwell added 48. … The Thunder had four rushers gain 38 yards or more.
Columbian’s take: A long road trip for a Mountain View team still trying to find itself. Prediction: Bonney Lake 28-17
Fort Vancouver (0-2) vs. Washougal (1-1)
When, where: 7 p.m., Fishback Stadium, Washougal HS
Last week: Fort Vancouver lost to Hockinson 60-7; Washougal lost to Tenino 55-28.
Game notes: Fort scored its first TD of the season last week when QB Jordan Suell completed an 11-yard TD pass to Doty. .. Suell completed 14 of 24 passes for 203 yards. William Doty was his favorite receiver, catching eight passes for 116 yards. … Washougal allowed 460 passing yards to Tenino’s Mac Shaw on 31-of-43 passing. … Washougal beat Hudson’s Bay 50-0 in Week 1. … This is just one of three home games for Washougal.
Columbian’s take: Panthers look for similar result as in Week 1. Prediction: Washougal 34-7
Enumclaw (1-1) vs. Heritage (0-2)
When, where: 8 p.m., McKenzie Stadium
Radio: KKOV 1550 AM.
Last week: Enumclaw lost to Central Kitsap 35-14; Heritage lost to Kelso 49-46.
Game notes: Heritage can move the ball and make big plays. We know that. But can the Timberwolves stop anybody? They gave up 49 points to a Kelso team that scored 17 in Week 1, and gave up 40 points to a Columbia River team that was shut out in Week 2. … Heritage returned three kickoffs for TDs last week, one each by E’Lon Mack, Victor Duran and Tim Hergert. … Mack had a 93-yard TD pass play and a 49-yard TD pass play. Hergert added a 82-yard TD pass play. … How important are PAT kicks? Heritage missed two last week, which forced it to go for two points late, which they failed to convert. Three missed conversions = 3-point margin of defeat. … Enumclaw is coming off a 1-9 season and has a new head coach. … Enumclaw’s Perry Lockwood returned a kickoff for a TD last week.
Columbian’s take: Maybe there’s a reason Heritage had most of its games at McKenzie scheduled for 5 p.m. An 8 p.m. kickoff might not end until midnight. Prediction: Heritage 42-33
Hockinson (2-0) vs. Hudson’s Bay (0-2)
When, where: 8 p.m., Kiggins Bowl
Last week: Hockinson beat Fort Vancouver 60-7; Hudson’s Bay lost to Mark Morris 63-0.
Game notes: Hockinson QB Jess Krahn was The Columbian’s football player of the week after completing 8 of 13 passes for 307 yards and three TDs against Fort. … RB Thomas Kirschenbaum has rushed for 196 yards in two games. … Everything went wrong for Bay last week, starting with the bus driver getting lost and arriving late to the game in Longview last week. At least this week’s game is a shorter drive.
Columbian’s take: This is Bay’s third consecutive game against a 2A GSHL opponent. They were outscored 113-0 in the first two. Prediction: Hockinson 50-0
SATURDAY’S NON-LEAGUE GAME
Ridgefield (2-0) vs. River Ridge (1-1)
When, where: 7 p.m., South Sound Stadium, Lacey
Last week: Ridgefield beat Kalama 34-7; River Ridge beat Sequim 34-0.
Game notes: River Ridge QB Colby Schultz was 9 for 16 for 206 yards and three TDs last week … Receiver Wesley Coates caught six passes for 160 yards and two TDs. … The Hawks’ defense sent Sequim to its second shutout loss in two weeks. … Ridgefield could throw, too. QBs Gunnar Long and Jonah Roberts combined for 196 yards against Kalama. … Clayton Farr rushed 11 times for 69 yards and three TDs and caught eight passes for 62. … After wins against 1A foes, the Spudders move up to face the 2A Hawks.
Columbian’s take: This is Ridgefield’s first big test of the year. So we’ll give the edge to the home team. Prediction: River Ridge 27-21
FRIDAY’S TRICO LEAGUE GAMES
La Center (2-0, 2-0) vs. Kalama (0-2, 0-1)
When, where: 7 p.m., Kalama High School.
Last week: La Center beat Stevenson 46-6; Kalama lost to Ridgefield 34-7.
Game notes: Dylan King completed 10 of 18 passes for 150 yards and four TDs last week. … Matt Braaten caught five passes for 61 yards and three TDs. … Taylor Dreyer was the Wildcats’ top rusher with 88 yards. … A young Kalama team accounted for itself better in Week 2 than Week 1, but there were still struggles. The Chinooks only managed nine rushing yards in the first half against Ridgefield. … Kalama QB Austin Foresman passed for 80 yards.
Columbian’s take: There seems to be a clear division between the strong teams in the Trico and the weaker teams. La Center and Kalama are on opposite sides of that chasm. Prediction: La Center 40-6
Stevenson (0-2, 0-2) vs. Castle Rock (1-1, 1-1)
When, where: 7 p.m., Castle Rock High School.
Last week: Stevenson lost to La Center 46-6; Castle Rock lost to Woodland 28-20.
Game notes: Castle Rock was on the Woodland 6-yard line with one last play to try to tie the game late in the fourth quarter but fell short. … Austin Moore, Levi Godinho and Cale Johnson had TD runs for the Rockets. … Stevenson was improved in Week 2. QB Brandon Van Pelt threw for 84 yards. RB Zack Irwin rushed for 52.
Columbian’s take: Castle Rock bounced back from its near-miss against Woodland to get another Trico win. Prediction: Castle Rock 36-6
SATURDAY’S TRICO LEAGUE GAME
Woodland (2-0, 2-0) vs. Seton Catholic (0-2, 0-2)
When, where: 7 p.m., Doc Harris Stadium, Camas.
Last week: Woodland beat Castle Rock 28-20; Seton Catholic lost to Ilwaco 66-28.
Game notes: Woodland won last week despite five turnovers. … The Beavers need a late defensive stand to make the lead stand up. … Eli Whitmire rushed for 184 yards last week after Cy Whitmire had the big game in Week 1. … Seton trailed Ilwaco 16-14 in the second quarter and 28-21 early in the third before the Fishermen reeled off four consecutive TDs … QB Riley McShane passed for 123 yards and rushed for 98.
Columbian’s take: Which Whitmire will Woodland run at the Cougars? It probably won’t matter. Prediction: Woodland 48-6
