Lake Stevens QB Kolton Matson leads top 5 Washington high school football overall preseason MVP candidates for 2024

Matson earned SBLive WA offensive player of the year honors as junior with 3,388 passing yards and a program-record 49 touchdowns

Lake Stevens quarterback Kolton Matson was SBLive WA's state offensive MVP and Gatorade state player of the year in 2023. / Photo by Glen Moffitt

Running back Jason Brown Jr. was named SBLive WA's state all-classification player of the year in 2023 after his remarkable career concluded at O'Dea High School in Seattle.

Brown is now at Arizona State University, meaning a new state player of the year will be crowned after the upcoming season.

* 5 LEADING PRESEASON MVP CANDIDATES IN CLASS 4A

* 5 LEADING PRESEASON MVP CANDIDATES IN CLASS 3A

* 5 LEADING PRESEASON MVP CANDIDATES IN CLASS 2A

* 5 LEADING PRESEASON MVP CANDIDATES IN CLASS 1A

* 5 LEADING PRESEASON MVP CANDIDATES IN CLASS 2B

* 5 LEADING PRESEASON MVP CANDIDATES IN CLASS 1B

Based on returning accolades, production potential and team success, here are the five most viable preseason all-classification MVP candidates for 2024:

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LANCE ALLRED, Royal

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

Biggest 2023 honor: SBLive WA's Class 1A player of the year as junior.

Leader of four-time defending Class 1A champion (3,794 yards of total offense, 55 TDs as junior) is refocused for another title run - and big swan-song season.

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BROCK and BRADY BEANER, Anacortes

Anacortes wide receiver Brady Beaner pulls away from a defender in WIAA Class 2A championship game. / Photo by Vince Miller

Biggest 2023 honor: SBLive WA all-state first-team selections as juniors (with Brock as state two-way player of the year and Class 2A state player of the year).

Versatile as they come. Brock, the power tailback, rushed for 1,209 yards and 20 TDs last fall while Brady, a moving-piece wide receiver, had 1,264 total-offense yards and 11 TDs.

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SIONE KAHO, Lincoln of Tacoma

Lincoln of Tacoma quarterback Sione Kaho throws a pass during the PLU Football Showcase in Parkland. / Photo by Todd Milles

Biggest 2023 honor: All-3A PCL first-team quarterback as ninth grader.

He took his licks in difficult 3A PCL, and finished with 2,296 passing yards and 18 touchdowns. Next stop: One of best signal callers on West Coast.

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DEMETRI MANNING, Bellevue

Bellevue lineman Demetri Manning shows where his championship ring belongs after Bellevue defeated Yelm for WIAA Class 3A football title in 2023. / Photo by Steve Faber

Biggest 2023 honor: SBLive WA state lineman of the year as junior.

Oregon Ducks commit is not only a physical specimen, he has the nastiness to block opposing pass rushers at left tackle - and chase down quarterbacks from interior of defensive line.

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KOLTON MATSON, Lake Stevens

Lake Stevens quarterback Kolton Matson was SBLive WA's state offensive MVP and Gatorade state player of the year in 2023. / Photo by Vince Miller

Biggest 2023 honor: Gatorade state player of the year/SBLive WA state offensive player of the year as junior.

Total package as passer, runner - and program leader. And he has playmaking "it" factor. Passed for 3,388 yards and a program-best 49 touchdowns in 2023 in winning another Class 4A title.

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