4 big storylines to follow in Washington high school football this season

Can Royal win a WIAA-record five 1A championships in a row? Can Lake Stevens become the first 4A school to three-peat?

Longtime coach Wiley Allred instructs during morning practice as Royal opens 2024 preseason camp Wednesday at David NielsenField. / Photo by Todd Milles

Opening weekend of the Washington high school (WIAA) football season is here, with many riveting teams, players - and storylines - to monitor over the coming months.

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Here are the four storylines SBLive WA finds most interesting in following:

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Coach Tom Tri and Lake Stevens wins the Lakewood Cougars 7v7 Championship Passing Tournament for the third time in four years Saturday. / Photo by Todd Milles

LAKE STEVENS CHASING HISTORY

There is a lot going on with two-time defending Class 4A champion Lake Stevens these days.

As the Vikings ramp up for a difficult early-season schedule (Sumner, Bellevue) by replacing nearly its entire defense from 2023, they also knows what coule lie ahead.

History.

Five schools - Mount Tahoma (1979-80), Juanita (1984-85), Curtis (1989-90; 1995-96), Kentwood (2001-02) and Skyline (2008-09; 2011-12) all have had opportunities for a three-peat in Class 4A. All of them fell shorts.

Only Juanita and Skyline reached a championship game for a third consecutive year - but lost.

"It's great to think about, bud in reality, you’ve got to take it one week at a time," Lake Stevens quarterback Kolton Matson said.

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Sophomore Ryan Harrington becomes Anacortes' new starting quarterback in 2024. / Photo by Todd Milles

ANACORTES WRITES ANOTHER STORYBOOK CHAPTER

With low numbers, including just 10 juniors and seniors, Anacortes forfeited its 2019 varsity season.

Four years later, a rejuvenated program won the Class 2A championship over Tumwater for its first state title ever in football.

Needless to say, given what the Seahawks had been through, their rise from the near-dead is one of the best feel-good high school sports stories ever in Washington.

And with 14 starters returning (nine on defense), including the core of its skill-position playmakers - running back Brock Beaner; wide receivers Brady Beaner, Rylin Lang and Luca Moore; and tight end Micah Dickison - Anacortes can realistically entertain thoughts of a repeat championship run.

The Seahawks, whose senior group is 31-3 over the past three seasons, are SBLive WA's preseason No. 1 squad in Class 2A.

"I think it's important to establish that it is a program that has done the things to build it the right way to remain a competitive force," Anacortes coach Justin Portz said.

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Royal's Lance Allred led school to WIAA Class 1A football championship at Husky Stadium in 2023. / Photo by Steve Faber

ROYAL GOING FOR ALL-CLASSIFICATION RECORD

By now, most football fans in Washington are aware of the Royal dynasty in Class 1A.

The Knights have won seven of the past eight WIAA championships, including a classification-record four state titles in a row.

They've been in 15 state championship games since the mid-1990s, winning 12 of them.

If things go rights in 2024, Royal could break the tie with Bellevue in 3A (2008-11) and Lacrosse-Washtucna in 1B (2002-05) with the all-time best showing of winning four consecutive WIAA crowns (although it has to be mentioned Bellevue had titles vacated in 2012, 2013 after a WIAA investigation uncovered recruiting violations and other lack-of-institutional-control violations).

"Obviously the community is proud of whatT we’ve accomplished, but we want to look ahead," Royal coach Wiley Allred said.

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As Freeman moves down to Class 2B this fall, quarterback Logan Schultz will be a big factor in what offense does. / Photo by Lane Mathews

DOING DAMAGE IN NEW CLASSIFICATION

With this fall being the beginning of the WIAA's new four-year reclassification cycle, there will be successful programs playing at a new level.

It would difficult to bet against former 3A champion Yelm in 4A, as well as Arlington, which is in the same boat. And Enumclaw, which had back-to-back 2A semifinal appearances in 2022 and 2023, is equipped to do well in 3A.

But what changing program has the best long-run chance?

Check out Freeman in Class 2B.

The Scotties won three road playoff games in 1A over the past two seasons, and althought they graduated eight senior starters from 2023, they return their entire starting passing attack, including dual-threat quarterback Logan Schultz, as well as leading running back Cody Cayce.

"We have a mindset of, 'Anytime, anywhere, any place,'" first-year Freeman coach Michael McKeown said. "They are not afraid of anybody."

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