Bellevue is always good. But this season has the potential to surpass even the Wolverines' high expectations. It's no surprise they are our top pick.
Photo by Jeff Napier
14-0 (Class 3A state champions)
Head coach: Butch Goncharoff
Team previewEven by Bellevue standards, big things are expected for the greatest dynasty in the history of Washington football this fall. That's saying something considering the Wolverines have won nine of the last 11 Class 3A titles. They are 39-2 in state playoff action during that span, have won 26 games in a row entering the 2012 season and 37 of the last 39 dating back to 2009.
Michael Carlson,
Sean Constantine, UCLA commit
Myles Jack and
John Nguyen are the headliners in the senior class. Junior
Bishard "budda" Baker is a gamebreaker who housed a kickoff in last year's state championship game. Bellevue opens Aug. 30 against Texas juggernaut Trinity (Euless) in the shadow of the Space Needle at Memorial Stadium in downtown Seattle. Bellevue's name is all over the place on our list of
Washington state football champions for the past 10 years.
2. Skyline (Sammamish)2011 finish: 11-3 (Class 4A state champions)
Head coach: Matt Taylor
Team previewExpanding upon the dynasty theme, Skyline has traversed Class 3A and 4A to win six state titles since 2000. The presence of quarterback
Max Browne – a USC commit regarded by some as the nation's best at his position – masks the fact that this won't be one of the glossier Spartan rosters top-to-bottom. Browne has thrown for 8,216 yards and 95 touchdowns the past two seasons. Other players to watch include Washington State commitment
Peyton Pelluer,
Trevor Barney,
Nick Sblendorio,
Peter Stromgren and
Jack Valencia – all seniors. September out-of-state tests include Cottonwood (Salt Lake City) and Coeur d'Alene (Idaho). Skyline tops our June, 2011 list of
Washington's Top 10 football dynasties.
3. Bellarmine Prep (Tacoma)2011 finish: 11-1 (Class 4A state quarterfinalist)
Head coach: Thomas Larsen
Team previewThe Lions are always tough under Larsen, but 2012 may be a unique window of opportunity for the program with Colorado-bound quarterback
Sefo Liufau back for his senior campaign. Liufau threw for more than 2,200 yards and 23 touchdowns as a junior and has some key weapons returning in
Isaiah Flynn and
Calvin Chandler, who was also Prep's leading tackler in 2011. Sept. 7 will be a key date on the schedule as the Lions take on fellow Pierce County power Lakes (Lakewood). Bellarmine Prep must replace one player found on the list of
Washington Class of 2012 Division 1 football signees.
4. O'Dea (Seattle)2011 finish: 13-1 (Class 3A runner-up)
Head coach: Monte Kohler
Team previewThe Fighting Irish have reached the Class 3A state playoffs 18 years in a row but haven't won a title since going back-to-back in 1994-95. If not for the presence of Bellevue (which has eliminated O'Dea four times since 2002), this fall might represent one of the program's better opportunities to capture the trophy once again. Junior quarterback
Pierre Le Dorze is back after leading O'Dea to the state championship game as a sophomore. Speedster
Tatum Taylor has several Pac-12 offers and headlines the senior class. Metro League rival Seattle Prep is generating some buzz this offseason, so expect Kohler's crew to have that Sept. 21 meeting circled on the schedule. O'Dea ranks No. 8 on our list of
Washington's Top 10 most consistent football programs.
5. Skyview (Vancouver)2011 finish: 11-3 (Class 4A runner-up)
Head coach: Steve Kizer
Team previewSkyview opened its doors in 1997 and after a decade of middling performance in the Greater St. Helens League has now reached the 4A playoffs in five of the past six seasons under Kizer. After opening the 2011 season with a pair of losses, the Storm got hot and rattled off 11 wins a row while averaging 47.8 points per game. The span included a stunning 42-17 thrashing of then-unbeaten Bellarmine Prep in the quarterfinals. Some major personnel losses were suffered but the roster should still be well-stocked. Central Catholic (Portland, Ore.) and Lakes will present a pair of tough nonleague tests. Search for Skyview players on our list of
2011 Washington All-League football teams.
