Zenon Thornton
Washington "State"
Washington State Football Tournament
The state football tournament begins this week with games on Friday and Saturday that will pair the current field in each division of 16 teams down to 8. The action should be exciting as ever heading toward the goal of Tacoma Dome dreams. Before the teams reach the neon tubes of the T-Dome they have to overcome travel and home-field advantage of some of the states best.
In the 4A's some of the best 1st round matchups include Newport and Isaac Dotson 
facing off agains Danny Mattingly of the Mead Panthers. Travel comes into play for Newport as they go 5 hrs to Spokane in taking on Mead. Newport is no stranger to traveling for the tournament, in 2010 they traveled to Pasco to take on Chiawana losing 30-10.
Bothell takes on Bellarmine Prep at a neutral site in Tahoma HS.
In the 3A division there are a number of interesting matchups including Mount Si/Glacier Peak, Ferndale at Bellevue, and Marysville-Pilchuck at Timberline. Bellevue appears to be a runaway train, heading for their 5th title IN A ROW! The bottom half of the bracket looks very competetive with O'Dea, Eastside Catholic, and Kennewick all hoping to advance. We will be carrying a live stream of the North Thurston-Kennewick game Saturday at 4PM so tune in to check that one out.
Down in 2A Prosser and #1 Othello appear headed for a quartefinal showdown, while Capital, Lynden and Archbishop Murphy hope to prove them both wrong.
1A looks extremely competitive as well with Royal, Cle Elum, an River View hoping to make theire dreams come true. Waitsburg-Prescott last years title holder looks to repeat in the 2B ranks. Full brackets for all classifications can be found on the WIAA website at http://www.wiaa.com/subcontent.aspx?SecID=614
Jerry's Picks Round1
Cougs Head To Palo Alto
Bay Area Bound
Fresh off the bye week and a chance to heal up, the Cougs visit Palo Alto for a matchup against the number 17 Stanford Cardinal.
Looking at this game from the perspective of a Cougs fan, it looks like another blowout loss for the Cougs. The Cougs are 21 point underdogs going into Stanford Stadium, but with the inconsistency in the Cardinal passing game this season, that could play into the Cougs hands.
The Huskies faced the Cardinal at Century Link field in September when the Cardinal were ranked number 8 in the country. The Cardinal were unable to convert open pass plays down the stretch, and the Huskies caught the Cardinal defense napping on two plays which gave the Dawgs the 17-13 upset win.
The Cougs could be a few plays away from making this one interesting. Before the Cougs last game, all signs pointed to Conor Halliday being the starter for the remainder of the season, but after Halliday’s two interception performance in the first quarter against Cal, Jeff Tuel has been called upon to be the leader. The Cougs seem to be more consistent and productive when Tuel is in the lineup. Unfortunately for the Cougs, it doesn’t appear to matter who they have in, they are still having mental lapses in the red zone when it comes to getting the ball in the end zone. 
The Cardinal have lost 2 of their last 4 games including a controversial loss at number 5 Notre Dame two weeks ago. The Cardinal defense and running game has propelled their team the past 3 weeks. Last week against Cal, Stanford jumped out to a 21-3 lead late in the 2nd quarter, and their defense locked down and finished out a 21-3 win against their bitter rival in the annual Big Game. Senior running back Stepfan Taylor rushed for 189 yards on 28 carries. He is the main focus for the Cougs. Cardinal quarterback Josh Nunes is the probable starter, but he has been so inconsistent this season, it may be easy for him to get rattled if the running game is not pulling the load.
Stanford’s 4th ranked defense versus the rush has helped them to a 5-2 record, but their passing game is 8th in the conference. This bodes well for WSU as their offense sets up for the passing game, and they don’t get much more than 20 yards on the ground anyway. The more I delve into this game, the more I see the possibility of a turnaround in the Cougs season.
With such inconsistency in the passing game, it is hard to see Cougs being able to close out the Cardinal on the road, but with the Cardinal being favored by 21 and coming off a big win against their rival, the Cougs could look to catch the Cardinal on a let down game.
The game kicks off at 3:15 on the Pac-12 network which is on channel 413 on Dish Network, and still not available for Directv or Charter customers. The Cougs travel next week to Salt Lake to visit the Utah Utes before returning home to face the UCLA Bruins.
MCC Top 10
Mid Columbia Top Players
Heading into week 5 games as picked by WSN staff...
| RANK | NAME | SCHOOL | YEAR | POS | Comment |
| 1 | Jalen Devine | Hanford | 12 | RB | Leading rusher and YPC, Devine is a homerun threat. Devine has 2 200+ yard games and should add more. Amazingly still underrated, but not by us. |
| 2 | K Perrins | Kamiakin | 12 | WR | Leading receiver with good hands, plus speed. Has the ability to catch the ball in traffic. A jump ball threat, Perrins is tops in yards, receptions, and TDs. |
| 3 | Joe Douglas | Hanford | 12 | OL | Still learning (and perhaps growing) Douglas is a legit D1 talent. Power rush, quickness and big hits are his calling card. |
| 4 | Jonah Hoe | Walla Walla | 12 | RB | Most rushing TD's (7), 2nd in yardage. If he stays healthy he'll have a 300yrd game befove the year is out |
| 5 | Luis Murillo | Pasco | 12 | RB | Murillo is the Senior leader of the Bulldogs. His 8.1 yard per carry average is 2nd behind Devine. |
| 6 | Devven Ramos | Kennewick | 12 | RB | Slashing runner with quickness and explosive cuts, look for Ramos to continue to power the Lions attack. |
| 7 | Kevin Greager | Kamiakin | 12 | DL | Good size and motor to take down opposing offense. Difference maker. Greager is the latest Kamiakin defensive standouts. |
| 8 | Kylle Robertson | Kamiakin | 11 | QB | Good arm, good footwork. Not afraid to stand in the pocket, athletic enough to avoid sack and make plays. 10 TDS leads the league. |
| 9 | Clifton Lonzano | Chiawana | 11 | RB | Tough, speedy back with great instincts. Exactly what the Riverhawks need. Only 11 carries in first 2 games, 67 carries with 304 yards in the last two… |
| 10 | Kaden Diaz | Southridge | 11 | RB | Southridge's version of Grant Woods (Ken '12) Bowling ball will run you over if need be. 428 yards, 3TDs on the season. |
Big 9 Top 10
Big 9 Top 10 List
here is the top 10 list for the Big 9 heading into week 5 of the Football season.
| RANK | NAME | SCHOOL | YEAR | POS | Comment |
| 1 | Kolney Cassel | Eisenhower | 12 | QB | This just in…Kolney is good! Sure the Cadets pass more than any other team, but you would too if you had Kolney. SMU commit may want to weigh options... |
| 2 | Isaiah Brandt-Sims | Wenatchee | 11 | RB | The fastest on the field on any given night Sims is a North-South runner true to his track roots, plus he can catch the ball out of the backfield. You want him on your team. |
| 3 | Justin Simmons | Moses Lake | 12 | QB | The #2 passer and #3 rusher in the Big 9, has to be in the running for League MVP. |
| 4 | Ridge Harmon | Eisenhower | 11 | WR | The beneficiary of Mr. Cassel's long throws, Harmon is an excellent reciever who can also make yard after the catch. Can he hit the 100 reception milestone this year? |
| 5 | Darin Hardgrove | Eastmont | 12 | RB | Hardgove leads the Big9 in rushing with a 8yard-per-carry average. He's a breakout player for a very tough Eastmont team. |
| 6 | Carlos Vijarro | Davis | 12 | WR | The big playmaker for the Pirates this year, Vijarro has 21 catches for 260 yards and 5TD. When the Pirates need a big play they go to Carlos. |
| 7 | Brett Moser | Moses Lake | 11 | WR | Moser is a talented young reciever who is 2nd in the league in TD, rec, and receiving yardage. Whats with all the talented Juniors? |
| 8 | Joseph Contreras | Sunnyside | 12 | DB | The best corner in the league hands down. He's got the confidence to take on the #1 recievers and win. Contreras is also a dual-threat as one of the top receivers in the Big 9. |
| 9 | Eduardo Salmeron | Sunnyside | 12 | QB | A great athelete and competitor, Salmeron has good speed to go along with a nice arm. Salmeron is versitile and has kept the Griz in a number of games. |
| 10 | Brandon Curtis | Eisenhower | 11 | RB | Curtis is an emerging back for the pass-happy Cadets. He has still managed to rank #2 in carries. |
Big 9 Top 10
Week 3 Player Rankings - Big 9 Conference
Here are the latest individual rankings for the Big9 conference according to our football experts.
| RANK | PLAYER NAME | SCHOOL | YEAR | POS | COMMENT |
| 1 | Kolney Cassel | EISENHOWER | SR | QB | Verbally committed to SMU. Arguably the best QB to ever grace the halls of Eisenhower (Yakima) for the Cadets. Calm in the pocket, strong arm, quick release, and great touch. Konley is a next-level talent and is among the best in the state. |
| 2 | Isaiah Brandt-Sims | WENATCHEE | JR | RB/WR | Speed can't be taught and Brandt-Sims needs no teacher. A home-run threat each time he touches the ball, everyone in the stands wants to see this kid in open space. More of a straight-ahead runner than a slasher, Brandt-Sims is as exciting as they come. |
| 3 | Cody O'Connel | WENATCHEE | SR | OL | Massive earth mover, O'Connel is headed to WSU where he will continue to open holes and pancake defenders. |
| 4 | Eduardo Salmeron | SUNNYSIDE | SR | QB | Behind Brandt-Sims of Wenatchee Salmeron may be the best athelete in the conference. Deceptively quick and fast, Salmeron is also one tough competitor. After taking a big hit vs. Kamiakin Salmeron returned after one play out to keep his calm in the pocket and deliver the then go ahead TD. |
| 5 | Justin Simmons | MOSES LAKE | SR | QB | Who knew the level of talent Moses Lake was sitting on this year (besides coach Griffith). Simmons is the straw that stirs the drink for the Chiefs who sit abot the Big 9. |
| 6 | Joeseph Contreras | SUNNYSIDE | SR | DB | A shutdown corner for the Grizzlies. Made a number of athletic stops during the close loss to the Braves, should lead the leage in picks for a second straight year. |
| 7 | Darrin Hardgrove | EASTMONT | SR | RB | This wildcat is an elusive and fast ball-carrier. The current league leader with a 143 ypg average, Hardgrove will keep Defensive Coordinators up at night. |
| 8 | Brett Moser | MOSES LAKE | SR | WR | Moser has put together i nice season so far. He's 2nd in yards and TD's |
| 9 | Carlos Vijarro | DAVIS | SR | WR/DB | Playmaking is what this kid does. Had a long kickoff return last week, can make the big catch and is not afraid of contact on D. |
| 10 | Eric Amarro | SUNNYSIDE | SR | DL | Amarro terrorized Kamiakin last week like a man posessed. Amarro has the size and speen to be among the league best. |
Eastside Notes - Week 3
Eastside Notes
- Chiawana and Pasco will face off on Friday, one team will get its first win of the season.
- Chiawana has never started a season 0-fer-3, in 2009 (their first season) they won game #2 vs Hanford.
- Kolney Cassel needs just 46 passing yards to go over 1,000 on the year in just 4 games
- 3 Big 9 teams have scored 100 or more points already, no MCC team has reached that mark.
- WaHi's Johan Hoe is 482 yards from being the Blue Devils All-Time rushing leader.
Running Ragged
The conversation came up last week about the amount of carries running backs were getting. Seems there was some concern about over-use of backs at the HS level. Not really sure what that means... In my book if you can't run the ball you cant win football games... Here is a look at some of the top ball carriers in the league:
Most Carries:
91 Hoe (Walla Walla)
70 Ramos (Kennewick)
67 Devine (Hanford)
61 Diaz (Southridge)
57 Hardgrove (Eastmont)
Not to be left out, what about the quarterbacks and their "arms"? Do you ever hear the same concern, akin to a pitcher in baseball, with regards to "over-use"?
Most Passing Attempts:
129 Cassel (Eisenhower)
86 Robertson (Kamiakin
79 Simmons (Moses Lake)
71 Whitby (Richland)
64 McNiel (Pasco)
Top Matchups:
Chiawana (0-3) vs Pasco (0-3) - The gravel pit showdown is also the battle for the first victory of the season.
Kamiakin (2-1) v Southridge (3-0) - Another K-town showdown. Can Southridge DB's survive the Braves arial attack? Can Kamiakin withstand RUN KADIN?
Eastmont (2-1) vs Wenatchee (1-2) - Cross-town rivalry at its best, can Wenatchee get back on track?
Check back this week to get our football expert Jerry Mercado's full picks for Week 4!
Southridge's RB Kadin Diaz (center) powers the Suns attack.
Kamiakin at Hanford Replay
Big 9 Notes - Week1
Big Nine Notes - Week 1
Most Yards Rushing (Team) - Wenatchee 281yards
Most Yards Passing (Team) - Eisenhower 289 yards
Most Yards Totall Offense - Moses Lake 393 yards
Most Points - Sunnyside 54
Least Yards Allowed Rushing - Eastmont 72
Least Yards Allowed Passing - Sunnyside 33
Least Yards Allowed - Sunnyside 136
Least Points Allowed - Eastmont 12
Top Rusher - Darin Hardgrove - Eastmont 106 yards 2 TD
Top Passer - Kolney Cassel - Eisenhower 289 Yards 3TD 1 INT
Top Receiver - Ridge Harmon - Eisenhower - 157 yards 2TD 14 Rec
Week 1 Scores
Week 1 Scores
Archbishop Murphy 42, North Kitsap 21
Battle Ground 41, R.A. Long 27
Bellevue 31, Trinity (TX) 24 (OT), Thur
Bellarmine Prep 38, Peninsula 14
Bethel 38, Spanaway Lake 35
Black Hills 46, Clover Park 6
Blaine 50, New Westminster, British Columbia 16
Blanchet 7, Ballard 6
Bremerton 42, Foster 15
Burlington-Edison 42, Meridian 8
Camas 63, Oregon City, Ore. 20
Castle Rock 62, Seton Catholic 7
Cedarcrest 41, Sammamish 28
Central Kitsap 48, Bainbridge 7
Charles Wright Academy 56, Tacoma Baptist 6
Clarkston 8, Moscow, Idaho 7
Colton/Pullman Christian 66, Wilbur-Creston 40
Columbia(Hunters)-Inchelium 52, Republic 42
Curtis 20, Emerald Ridge 0
Cusick 54, Wallace, Idaho 22
Davenport 44, Lake Roosevelt 13
East Valley (Spokane) 42, Sandpoint, Idaho 14
Edmonds-Woodway 42, Everett 14
Entiat 38, Waterville 6
Federal Way 41, Rogers (Puyallup) 14
Fife 54, Salmon Arm, British Columbia 8
Glacier Peak 42, Lake Stevens 31
Hanford 23, Chiawana 7
Hockinson 40, Elma 21
Hoquiam 49, Centralia 13
Issaquah 24, Interlake 13
Jackson 41, Monroe 26
Juanita 23, Inglemoor 7
Kelso 17, Mark Morris 7
Kentwood 31, Auburn 7
LaCenter 56, Ilwaco 6
Lake City, Idaho 27, Kennewick 27 (T)
Lake Oswego, Ore. 34, Olympia 0
Lake Washington 56, Foss 20
Liberty Christian 70, Ione, Ore. 6
Lynnwood 26, Shorecrest 6
Marysville-Pilchuck 42, Arlington 14
McCall-Donnelly, Idaho 31, Asotin 6
Mead 43, University 10
Meadowdale 28, Kamiak 18
Medical Lake 39, St. Maries, Idaho 32
Mercer Island 35, Redmond 20
Montesano 38, Aberdeen 0
Mount Baker 55, Bellingham 12
Mt. Spokane 35, North Central 18
Napavine 55, Adna 21
Naselle 39, Rainier 6
Nathan Hale 48, Lakeside (Seattle) 16
Nooksack Valley 17, Sehome 6
North Thurston 36, Steilacoom 21
Oak Harbor 27, Snohomish 3
Omak 42, Lynden Christian 39
Orting 21, Eatonville 9
Pateros 70, Curlew 0
Prairie 23, Rainier, Ore. 20
Priest River, Idaho 36, Kettle Falls 22
Puyallup 33, Todd Beamer 19
Renton 13, Olympic 0
Roosevelt 28, Seattle Prep 0
Shelton 42, Tumwater 21
Skyline 33, Bothell 21
South Kitsap 37, Kentridge 20
Southridge 9, Richland 7
Squalicum 27, Kingston 10
Stanfield, Ore. 47, Dayton 6
Stanwood 19, Mountlake Terrace 8
Sumner 20, Auburn Mountainview 7
Tenino 26, Raymond 7
Timberlake, Idaho 45, Riverside 35
Timberline 20, River Ridge 0
Toledo 49, Stevenson 8
Toutle Lake 27, North Beach 0
Tri-Cities Prep 42, Liberty (Spangle) 6
W. F. West 33, Port Angeles 0
Wahkiakum 34, Mossyrock 14
Waitsburg-Prescott 41, Heppner, Ore. 6
Walla Walla 21, Moses Lake 18
Washington 35, Lakewood 7
Wellpinit 72, St. John-Endicott 20
West Valley (Yak) 23, Pasco 0
Willapa Valley 47, South Bend 0
Woodinville 31, Lakes 24, OT
Woodland 55, Kalama 6
Yelm 53, Highline 14
Webcast Schedule - Sept
Friday Nights LIVE!
Back for a 4th season of live High School Webcasts is the Washington Sports Network team. WSN has established itself as the leader in HS sports webcasts in the State of Washington. This year our coverage continues to expand. 20 regular season games are scheduled to be shown live right here on Washington Sports Network, with the potential for more as the season rolls along.
At The Game!
Dont forget, in addition to your computer our games can be watched via smartphone or tablet using the Ustream Viewer app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch and for Andoid phones as well. Just open the app and search for" WASPORTS"
TV & Radio
If that weren't enough via ongoing partnerships with local and regional media outlets, select games may be played on LIVE RADIO and TV!
2012 HS Football Webcast Schedule* - September (*subject to change)
Friday, 8/31 - Chiawana @ Hanford - 7:00pm
Saturday, 9/1 - Prosser @ Kamiakin - 7:00pm
Friday, 9/7 - Kennewick @ Chiawana - 7:00pm
Friday 9/7 - Kamiakin @ Hanford - 7:00pm *courtesy of HHS
Friday 9/14 - Chiawana @ Richland - 7:00pm
Friday 9/14 - Hanford @ Pasco - 7:00pm
Friday 9/21 - Richland @ Eisenhower - 7:00pm
Friday 9/21* - Kennewick @ Sunnyside - 7:00pm
Thursday 9/27 - Walla Walla @ Kennewick - 7:00pm
Friday 9/28* - Southridge @ Pasco - 7:00pm
Friday 9/28 - Chiawana @ Wenatchee - 7:00pm
2012 JC Football Webcast Schedule
Saturday 9/8 - Tacoma Knights vs Columbia Basin Gladiators - 7pm
Saturday 9/22 - Everett Red Raiders vs Columbia Basin Gladiators - 7pm
Saturday 10/20 - Kitsap Peninsula Warhawks vs Columbia Basin Gladiators - 7pm
Saturday 11/3 - South Sound Spartans vs Columbia Basin Gladiators - 7pm