WIAA 1B football championship preview: Undefeated title hopefuls meet for first time

Top-seeded Liberty Christian takes on reigning state runner-up and No. 2 seed Wilbur-Creston-Keller in 8-man finale

After defeating Naselle in the Class 1B semifinals, Wilbur-Creston-Keller stamped a spot in Gridiron Classic in back-to-back seasoms. / Photo courtesy of Wilbur-Creston-Keller athletics

Editor's note:This Class 1B preview package was written up by SBLive WA staff for the WIAA state program. Game predictions were made by reporter Todd Milles, Tri-Cities-based Evans Rankings' founder Matt Evans and an anonymous 1B coach:

---

Last season, the Wilbur-Creston-Keller Wildcats accomplished something they had never done: Playing for a Class 1B football championship.

Even though they lost to Liberty Bell, they have another opportunity to win it all - while still incurring a first-time opportunity.

They will play Liberty Christian, the 2012 state champion, for the first time - which in the shrinking landscape of eight-man football is pretty remarkable.

“It is weird we’ve never played them,” Liberty Christian coach Craig Lukins said. “When they were 11-man, we were in eight-man (football), and then we kind of flip-flopped. Yeah, I don’t know.”

And yet, ask both coaches, they feel they know the other program quite well - through film scouting and live scrimmaging at the Eastern Oregon University and Almira-Coulee-Hartline offseason camps.

“(Lukins) knows what we want to do, and we know what they want to do,” Wildcats coach Darin Reppe said. “They pose a tremendous challenges with their balance and team speed.”

With non-league wins over Almira-Coulee-Hartline (twice) and Neah Bay, and sweeping 1B Southeast play, the Patriots have not only the most impressive season resume, they’ve done it by showcasing themselves as the state’s most complete team.

Led by all-state MVP candidate Charlie Branning on offense, and a rangy, stifling defense with improved physicality, they are going to be a handful come Friday.

"Just over the last couple years, we’ve slowly developed that mentality of being tough,” Lukins said.

What Wilbur-Creston-Keller has is the most productive duo leading the way in seniors Preston Michel and Kallen Maioho, who have combined for more than 6,000 yard and 92 touchdowns on offense playing multiple positions.

“It will come down to defense and who can get more stops,” Reppe said. “We do have contrasting styles offensively.”

---

Liberty Christian's Joey Isley scores a touchdown in the Patriots' win over Neah Bay in Everett. / Photo by Amanda Pottle

CLASS 1B CHAMPIONSHIP PRIMER

NO. 2 WILBUR-CRESTON-KELLER WILDCATS (13-0) vs. NO. 1 LIBERTY CHRISTIAN PATRIOTS (13-0)

11 a.m. Friday at Husky Stadium, Seattle

Coaches: Darin Reppe is in his 13th season (79-52 record). Craig Lukins is in his 10th season at Liberty Christian (65-34 record).

WIAA championship history: Wilbur-Creston-Keller made its first WIAA title game in 2023, losing to Liberty Bell. Liberty Christian won the 1B title in 2012.

Road to 2024 Gridiron Classic: Second-seeded Wilbur-Creston-Keller defeated No. 15 Waterville-Mansfield in the first round (94-26), No. 10 Garfield-Palouse in the quarterfinals (56-12) and No. 3 Naselle in the semifinals (52-28). Top-seeded Liberty Christian defeated No. 16 Ocosta in the first round (66-0), No. 8 DeSales in the quarterfinals (56-20) and No. 4 Almira-Coulee-Hartline in the semifinals (36-28).

Statistical leaders: For Wilbur-Creston-Keller - QB/RB Preston Michel (235 carries, 2,139 yards, 41 TDs; 30-35, 872 yards, 12 TDs; one receiving TD), QB/WR Kallen Maioho (106 carries, 1,475 yards, 24 TDs;  27-33, 662 yards, three TDs; 25 catches, 797 yards, 11 TDs), RB T.J. Stoothoff (95 carries, 658 yards, eight TDs), TE Dustin Strozyk (10 catches, 269 yards, three TDs) and LB Jaeger Brashears (48 tackles, four TFL). For Liberty Christian - QB Perry Pottle (89-152, 1,753, 33 TDs; seven rushing TDs), RB Charlie Branning (124 carries, 1,608 yards, 30 TDs; three receiving TDs), TE Joey Isley (31 catches, 561 yards, 18 TDs), TE Hunter Cole (20 catches, 549 yards, eight TDs) and LB Addison Lyle (134 tackles).

Anonymous 1B coach game pick: Liberty Christian, 42-38

Evans game pick: Liberty Christian, 52-48

SBLive WA game pick: Wilbur-Creston-Keller, 37-33

---