Coupeville's Chase Anderson has an arm and a leg up on Washington high school football

Junior takes over Wolves' starting quarterback gig for first time - but his next-level future is likely as a placekicker or punter

Coupeville High School's Chase Anderson gets starting nod for first time at quarterback heading into 2024. / Photo by Todd Milles

ADNA, Wash. - In between the big hits, the verbal smacks and celebrated live-scrimmage touchdowns, the Adna Pirates Football Camp stopped for a few skill-game interludes.

One of them was the "Pass-Punt-Kick" relay competition Tuesday among the eight small-school programs at South Bend High School.

Except it really wasn't a relay, per se, for Coupeville High School, which features arguably the most unique three-way standout in the state in junior Chase Anderson.

As some of the best programs in Class 2B, including state runner-up Napavine, as well as perennial playoff teams Toledo, Pe Ell/Willapa Valley, Raymond/South Bend and Brewster, lined up with multiple relay members, only Anderson stepped forward for Coupeville.

And he won. Handily.

"It is," Anderson said, "kind of what I do."

Yep. At Coupeville this fall, Anderson will be the starting quarterback for the first time. He will man free safety on defense. And he will be the team's placekicker and punter.

His performance was still talked about Wednesday at the close of the three-day camp at Adna High School.

"He is an extraordinary kid, he really is," Coupeville football coach Bennett Richter said. "He doesn't want to come off the field."

The relay game gave folks a glimpse of what to expect from Anderson in 2024.

Starting five yards from behind the end zone, Anderson heaved a pass 55 yards to midfield on the first leg.

Then, he strategically pooched a punt that landed just outside the red zone at the 20-yard line.

Finally, he lined up for the win on a 38-yard field goal - and booted it through the uprights and into the nearby parking lot.

"I play three sports (football, basketball, baseball), so it is kind of a normal thing to play everything, and from everywhere," Anderson said.

Because his father, Craig, is a former college placekicker at Central Washington University, the younger Anderson had dabbled in kicking from an early age.

But it wasn't until 2022 as a ninth grader when he was pressed into placekicking duties after the starter was lost to an injury.

"I wasn't real good," he said.

But after finding the weight room, then attending a few Kohl's Kicking Camps (including the upcoming late-week National Invitational Scholarship Camp in Tennessee), Anderson not only became reliable. He has turned into one of the best college kicking/punting prospects in Washington for 2026.

How good?

Coupeville coaches have video footage of Anderson making a 60-yard field goal.

And in punting, Anderson has been known to boot it 55 yards in the air - with a hang time of 4.2 seconds.

"He just kind of latched on to it (kicking and punting), and wanted to be really good at it," Richter said.

"Most of the time, I will get into my kicking workouts after practice," Anderson said. "And that is usally a me-time thing."