Another week and another great slate of games. Take a look at our thoughts below and be sure to vote on your choice in each game.

Year to date
Kevin: 25-13
Joel: 24-14
Readers: 25-11-2

Last week
Week 3
Kevin: 10-2
Joel: 9-3
Readers: 9-2-1

Year to date
Kevin: 25-13
Joel: 24-14
Readers: 25-11-2

BIG 5 MATCHUPS

No. 4 Issaquah Eagles (3-0) at No.1 Skyline Spartans (2-1)
Joel – Talk about a big game. Seems like every week we’ve had one game that just towers over all the others and this week is no exception. With a heated rivalry, the winner of this game is likely to end up the No.1 ranked 4A team next week. Skyline QB Max Browne has shown that the Spartans opening-week loss to Liberty was an aberration, leading his team to wins over Class 3A No.1 Bellevue and Oregon’s top-ranked Class 6A team, Lake Oswego. Issaquah QB Ethan Kalin has been consistent for the squad in his first year at the helm. I still think the edge goes to Skyline though. That receiving corp has helped to make the Spartans offense one of the most feared in the state. Pick: Skyline 35-28
Kevin – Wow, this matchup is always a huge one, but with the talent these teams bring to to the field, it feels like it could be a little extra special this season. Skyline has dominated the last three seasons, winning by a combined score of 104-7. The Eagles last won in 2006, beating the Spartans 19-18 on their home field. Things are different this season, however. Issaquah boasts one of the biggest lines Skyline has faced this season, and that could present some interesting challenges for the Spartans. Both schools have young signal callers trying to make a name for themselves. Skyline sophomore Max Browne (67-for-102, 927 yards, 10 TDs, 1 INT) has showed serious poise through his first three games. Issaquah junior Ethan Kalin (41-for-77, 727 yards, 6 TDs, 3 INTs) has been equally impressive. He also provides an added threat with his ability to run. Whoever limits their mistakes and holds onto the ball will come out on top of this one, taking the driver’s seat for the KingCo Crest Championship. Pick: Skyline 21-20

Seattle Prep Panthers (2-1) at Eastside Catholic Crusaders (3-0)
Joel – Are the Crusaders for real? We’ll find out this week as they face off with a tough Seattle Prep squad. Eastside Catholic hasn’t played the toughest competition to this point, so it’s difficult to tell how improved the team is since last season. Prep features tough QB Nick Holt, son of Huskies defensive coordinator Nick Holt. The Panther’s only loss came at the hands of a surprisingly resilient Mercer Island squad. Though they play at home, I give this round to the Panthers. Pick: Seattle Prep 21-20
Kevin – Eastside Catholic has dominated in its first three non-league games, outscoring opponents 129-6. Things will get a little tougher this week when Seattle Prep enters Charlie Acosta Stadium. This will be the first test for the Crusaders who have beat up on Cleveland, Sultan and Ranier Christian. Panther quarterback Nick Holt presents a dual threat with his ability to run and throw. Crusader QB Trey Reynolds has shown poise for a sophomore. This will be the most aggressive defense he’s seen in his young career, however. This is a big early-season Metro matchup. If Eastside Catholic comes out focused and ready for a much more difficult challenge, they have a chance. Pick: Eastside Catholic 24-20

Mount Si Wildcats (2-1) at No. 2 Liberty Patriots (2-1)
Joel – Sammamish couldn’t even get a hand on Liberty running back Chandler Jenkins who scored five – five! – touchdowns (four rushing, one receiving) against the Totems. It’s hard to remember that Jenkins is just one of the many weapons in Liberty’s offense. I think the big three of Jenkins, Trey Wheeler and Jake Bainton is going to be too much for Mount Si to handle. Pick: Liberty 35-14
Kevin – I’ve seen Liberty twice this season, and was extremely impressed by the Patriots’ resilience. Not to mention they have some great skill players in running back Chandler Jenkins, quarterback Trey Wheeler and wide receiver Jake Bainton. Mount Si has been equally impressive. The Wildcats’ only loss came by a touchdown to 4A powerhouse Bothell. I’ll have to give this one to the home team, however, seeing how inspired they play on their own turf. Pick: Liberty 28-20

Redmond Mustangs (2-1) at Eastlake Wolves (2-1)
Joel – I have to admit, Redmond’s 20-6 handling of Woodinville last Friday surprised me. I thought the Falcons would look much better than they have so far this season. QB Michael Conforto continued his steady play from last season into this year and it seems the Mustangs have a solid kicker in Christopher Schumacher, who kicked a pair of 30-plus yard field goals last week. Eastlake’s been on a roll, scoring 89 points in their last two games. I think the Wolves and QB Keegan Kemp keep rolling. Pick: Eastlake 35-21
Kevin – Another great rivalry game here. Redmond has been a bit of a surprise, winning its last two games against Lake Washington and Woodinville. Eastlake is also on a two-game win streak after stumbling to Central Kitsap in week one. Mustang’s quarterback Michael Conforto is a tough kid, and he will have his teammates ready for this rivalry road game. The Wolves have shown a more balanced attack with the arm of quarterback Keegan Kemp and legs of running back Kyle Lappano, however. Lappano (43 carries, 423 yards, 5 TDs) has rushed for over 190 yards the last two weeks. After losing a stunner last season, the Wolves will be hungry for revenge. Pick: Eastlake 35-14

No.7 Juanita Rebels (3-0) at Sammamish Totems (0-3)
Joel – I really think this game is going to be closer than what people think. The Totems defense looked good in their first two games – before last week’s loss to Liberty – and Juanita’s offense thrives on pounding the ball. While I like the Totems ability to hang in against the Rebels, I think Juanita has the edge with running back Jeremiah Laufasa (one of the toughest runners I’ve covered) and UW-recruit Jarrett Finau. I’ll be one hand for this one. Pick: Juanita 17-14
Kevin – Juanita overcame a handful of penalties to fend off Mercer Island and improve to 3-0 last week. The Rebels have provided a tough task for defenses, particularly behind running back Jerimiah Laufasa. Sammamish was close to victory in its first two games, before getting blown out by Liberty last week. The Totems are improved, but the Rebels present too large of an obstacle. Pick: Juanita 32-14

OTHER GAMES

Woodinville Falcons (1-2) at Garfield Bulldogs (1-2)
Joel: Woodinville 20-12
Kevin: Woodinville 28-14

Roosevelt Roughriders (2-1) at No.5 Bothell Cougars (2-1)
Joel: Bothell 52-17
Kevin: Bothell 49-0

Inglemoor Vikings (1-2) at Ballard Beavers (1-2)
Joel: Inglemoor 22-6
Kevin: Inglemoor 35-14

No.1 Bellevue Wolverines (2-1) at Lake Washington Kangaroos (1-2)
Joel: Bellevue 35-14
Kevin: Bellevue 48-7

Interlake Saints (0-3) at Mercer Island Islanders (1-2)
Joel: Mercer Island 21-14
Kevin: Mercer Island 28-7

Cascade Bruins (0-3) at Newport Knights (2-1)
Joel: Newport 45-20
Kevin: Newport 31-17

Here’s the latest addition of our football poll. Not a lot of changes, except Issaquah, despite winning 53-0, slips down and Curtis leapfrogs them. We’ll see what happens this Friday in the Eagles big game with Skyline. I will personally have a hard time not voting the winner of that game No.1 next week, despite what Auburn does. Skyview won in OT, and slips to No.10.

Bellevue still holds a narrow lead over Liberty for the top spot. The Wolverines didn’t look solid despite a 42-0 win over Class 2A Interlake, but they hold on to the No.1 spot for now. Capital moves to No.4 in the 3A poll after dispatching Lakes last week.

Class 4A
1. Auburn (3-0)
2. Skyline (2-1)
3. Curtis (3-0)
4. Issaquah (3-0)
5. Bothell (2-1)
6. Richland (3-0)
7. Ferris (3-0)
8. Gonzaga Prep (2-1)
9. Graham-Kapowsin (3-0)
10. Skyview (2-1)
Others receiving votes: Central Kitsap (3-0)

Class 3A
1. Bellevue (2-1)
2. Liberty (2-1)
3. Camas (3-0)
4. Capital (3-0)
5. Mount Spokane (3-0)
6. Lakes (2-1)
7. Juanita (3-0)
8. Kamiakin (3-0)
9. Glacier Peak (3-0)
10. O’Dea (2-1)
Others receiving votes: Mount Si (2-1), Ferndale (2-1)

Class 2A
1. Archbishop Murphy (3-0)
2. Lynden (3-0)
3. Burlington-Edison (3-0)
4. Prosser (2-1)
5. Tumwater (2-1)
6. Lindbergh (2-1)
7. Clarkston (2-1)
8. Ellensburg (2-1)
9. W.F. West (2-1)
10. Sumner (3-0)
Other receiving votes: North Thurston (3-0)

Last week was a real treat for me. On Friday night I was able to watch a great back-and-forth game between Newport and Mercer Island. The Islanders showed a lot of heart, but in the end the Knights defense forced them into too many mistakes and Newport got the win. The game was a fun one to watch and things look good for both teams – Newport showed a tough bend-but-don’t-break defense and Mercer Island showed flashes of an offense that will catch unprepared defenses off guard.

Saturday night couldn’t have been a better atmosphere. Seattle Memorial Stadium was rocking with fans of both Skyline and Bellevue out in force. Because, as Skyline wide receiver Kasen Williams told me, “they’ve been waiting for this game for three years.” And what a game it was. Bellevue held a 14-0 advantage before the Skyline offense awoke from its slumber and went on a tear. The Spartans rallied for a 28-21 win in what was a highly contested matchups.

Unfortunately, I didn’t do so hot on my picks. Oh well. This week we’re moving to a slightly different format. We’ll feature the “Big 5 Matchups” each week with analysis, while simply predicting the rest of the games.

Results through week two:

Week 1
Kevin: 7-7
Joel: 9-5
Readers: 10-3-1

Week 2
Kevin: 8-4
Joel: 6-6
Readers: 6-6

Year to date
Kevin: 15-11
Joel: 15-11
Readers: 16-9-1

BIG 5 MATCHUPS

Lake Oswego, Ore. Lakers (2-0) at Skyline Spartans (1-1)
Kevin – Oregon’s 6A powerhouse Lake Oswego is off to a hot 2-0 start in 2010, earning convincing wins over Central Catholic and Westview. The Lakers are led by University of Oregon recruit Tyson Coleman — a 6-foot-2, 200-pound linebacker and fullback. Skyline is riding momentum as well, coming off a 28-21 victory over Bellevue while avoiding their first back-to-back losing streak since 1998. Without having seen Lake Oswego, it’s hard to really evaluate what the Lakers bring to the field. But, Spartan sophomore quarterback Max Browne’s confidence only continues to grow. If Skyline can shut down the Lake Oswego run game, it should be a happy home opener at Spartan Stadium. Pick: Skyline 28-24
Joel – After getting up close and personal with Skyline this week, I really like what I see how of the Spartans. QB Max Browne is unquestionably talented for a sophomore. His receiving corp is experienced, deep and talented. Though Lake Oswego is a top 6A team, I think Skyline took a huge step last week in beating Bellevue, as the Wolverines couldn’t stop the Spartan offense after it hit a groove. Pick: Skyline 17-14

Newport Knights (2-0) at Bothell Cougars (1-1)
Kevin – How can you not be impressed by Newport’s start to the 2010 season? The Knights are out of the gates at 2-0, led by a powerful running attack and an opportunistic defense. Friday will no doubt mark their toughest test so far this season, however, as they enter the new Pop Keeney Stadium for Bothell’s first home game. The Cougars were banged up in their season-opening loss to Mission Viejo at Qwest Field, but bounced back nicely last week with a hard-fought win at Mount Si. This will likely be a game won on the ground. With the top running back in the league, Luke Proulx, along with home field advantage, the nod has to go to Bothell. Pick: Bothell 35-14
Joel – Last week I watched Newport battle adversity against a young Mercer Island team with a lot of spunk. I liked the way the Knights were able to bounce back after a couple bad breaks and some questionable calls on the field. They’ll be in for another kind of test though when they travel to Pop Keeney. Bothell’s no Mercer Island, but the Cougars are still beat up following their week one game. If the Knights can tighten up their special teams, I like their chances in this one. Pick: Newport 28-22

Eastlake Wolves (1-1) at Roosevelt Roughriders (2-0)
Kevin – Eastlake’s offense really came around last week in its 47-0 thrashing of Snohomish. The Wolves put up 384 yards on only 42 plays — an average of over 9 yards per play. Roosevelt’s 2-0 start might be the most surprising in KingCo. But, Eastlake will present the biggest obstacle to the Roughriders thus far. Pick: Eastlake 42-7
Joel – Eastlake bounced back from their week one loss to Central Kitsap with a 47-0 thrashing of Snohomish. Kyle Lappano rushed for three touchdowns and Sam Gillis added two as Eastlake showed a tough running game. Although Roosevelt is much improved, their 2-0 record is a bit deceiving as they have just managed to squeeze by both Franklin and Interlake. Pick: Eastlake 35-14

Mercer Island Islanders (1-1) at Juanita Rebels (2-0)
Kevin – Mercer Island has had a couple of close battles come down the final minute — splitting the difference with a win over Seattle Prep and a loss to Newport. Don’t be surprised if there’s another close one this week at Juanita. Jeff Lindquist will be the toughest quarterback the Rebels have faced. Can they slow him? Juanita will try to grind it out on the ground as usual. If the Rebels control the clock and slow the pass, they will be 3-0. Pick: Juanita 24-20
Joel – I came away from Mercer Island’s loss last week to Newport extremely impressed with the Islanders. They were explosive on special teams (Nicky Sinclair returned one kick 92 yards for a touchdown, another 70 yards to the 3-yard line) and tough defensively. But they’ll need to clean up their mistakes – too many fumbles sunk them against the Knights. Juanita has shown all year they belong in the playoff discussion. I  just don’t think MI is there yet. Pick: Juanita 28-21

Inglemoor Vikings (1-1) at Lake Stevens Vikings (2-0)
Kevin – Inglemoor already handled one WesCo opponent (Snohomish), can the Vikings do it twice? Friday’s matchup will be a lot tougher, facing a Lake Stevens team that should vie for the WesCo championship. Lake Stevens, which runs a spread offense, presents a talented quarterback in Jake Nelson and a hard-nosed back in Duke Dolphin (yes, that’s his real name). Inglemoor almost knocked off a ranked Juanita team at home last week, using its balanced running and throwing attack behind Mitchell Gunsolus. How do the KingCo and WesCo stack up? Friday’s result will be a good litmus test. Pick: Inglemoor 28-21
Joel -  I haven’t seen either of these teams yet this season, so it’s a bit of a toss up for me. I usually give an edge to KingCo teams over Wesco teams, and I’ll follow suit here. Pick: Inglemoor 13-10

OTHER GAMES

Seattle Prep Panthers (1-1) at Garfield Bulldogs (1-1)
Kevin – Seattle Prep 28-6
Joel – Seattle Prep 28-13

Ballard Beavers (1-1) at Issaquah Eagles (2-0)
Kevin – Issaquah 48-7
Joel – Issaquah 42-14

Woodinville Falcons (1-1) at Redmond Mustangs (1-1)
Kevin – Woodinville 28-14
Joel – Woodinville 17-14

Bellevue Wolverines (1-1) at Interlake Saints (0-2)
Kevin – Bellevue 49-6
Joel – Bellevue 35-17

Mount Si Wildcats (1-1) at Lake Washington Kangaroos (1-1)
Kevin: Mount Si 28-7
Joel: Mount Si 42-21

Liberty Patriots (1-1) at Sammamish Totems (0-2)
Kevin: Liberty 42-7
Joel: Liberty 28-7

Eastside Catholic Crusaders (2-0) at Rainier Christian Mustangs (0-1)
Kevin: Eastside Catholic 54-6
Joel: Eastside Catholic 35-0

Many teams that haven’t found a lot of success recently  got off to a nice start. Lake Washington picked up a big 34-2 win over Class 4A Garfield. Mercer Island showed a lot of resilience in its opening win against Seattle Prep. Eastside Catholic picked up a big win over Cleveland. Some surprises too: I don’t think anyone thought Newport would roll 70 points on Class 2A Interlake. This week’s game against Mercer Island should show if the Knights offense is really that potent, or if Interlake just had a bad game. I knew Inglemoor would fare well against Snohomish, but a 48-0 win by the Vikings is really encouraging for them. Also, KingCo 3A teams had roaring success against their 4A brethren: both Juanita and Mount Si rolled to wins over 4A opponents.

How hard was it to guess that Skyline-Liberty game? In true coin flip fashion, our readers deadlocked 24-24 voting on that game. Fitting.

Here’s last week’s results before we dive into this week’s predictions.

Joel: 9-5
Kevin: 7-7
Readers: 10-3-1

Last week’s results
Lake Washington 34, Garfield 2
Correct: Joel, readers
Wrong: Kevin

Mount Si 28, Woodinville 6
Correct: Readers
Wrong: Joel, Kevin

Ballard 15, Sammamish 6
Wrong: Joel, Kevin, readers

Liberty 39, Skyline 34
Correct: none
Wrong: Joel, Kevin
Tie: Readers deadlocked 24-24 on this one.

Newport 70, Interlake 14
Correct: Joel, Kevin, readers

Inglemoor 48, Snohomish 0
Correct: Joel, Kevin, readers

Issaquah 41, Heritage 13
Correct: Joel, Kevin, readers

Central Kitsap 13, Eastlake 10
Correct: Joel
Wrong: Kevin, readers

Juanita 41, Redmond 7
Correct: Joel, Kevin, readers

Mercer Island 19, Seattle Prep 15
Correct: Readers
Wrong: Joel, Kevin

Bellevue 20, Union 6
Correct: Joel, Kevin, readers

Mission Viejo 49, Bothell 13
Correct: Joel, Kevin, readers

Roosevelt 27, Franklin 21
Correct: none
Wrong: Joel, Kevin, readers

Eastside Catholic 51, Cleveland 6
Correct: Joel, Kevin, readers

This week’s picks
Franklin Quakers (0-1) at Ballard Beavers (1-0)
Joel – Ballard QB Jesse Scott hooked up with Blake Sechler on two long touchdown passes in the Beavers win over Sammamish. Signs point to Ballard being 2-0 after week 1. Pick: Ballard 16-0
Kevin – With two struggling programs, this is a tough call. Franklin put up 21 in an overtime loss to Roosevelt last week. Ballard squeaked out 15 points in a narrow victory over Sammamish. Franklin showed it had big-play potential last week, and with that I think they’ll earn their first victory of the season. Pick: Franklin 28-14

Eastlake Wolves (0-1) at Snohomish Panthers (0-1)
Joel – Eastlake really needs a win after a tough loss to Central Kitsap last week. Snohomish was roughed up by Inglemoor last week. Expect the Wolves to even their record. Pick: Eastlake 27-6
Kevin – Eastlake is still trying to find an offensive groove after scoring just 10 points in its home loss to Central Kitsap last week. But, Snohomish seems to be  having some woes on the offensive side of the ball as well. The Panthers were shut out 48-0 by Inglemoor. Snohomish will be tougher at home, but I expect the KingCo team to reign once again. Pick: Eastlake 24-7

Class 4A No.6 Issaquah Eagles (1-0) at Class 3A No.2 Liberty Patriots (1-0)
Joel – One of the most intriguing week two matchups. Issaquah showed once again it could just plug in a new quarterback and still have success, as QB Ethan Kalin hit Evan Peterson on two big touchdown passes. Running back Taylor Wyman scored three rushing touchdowns. On the other side, Liberty knocked off Class 4A No.1 Skyline 39-34 – despite losing Jake Bainton in the process. I’m sticking with the Patriots in this one. Pick: Liberty 35-33
Kevin – I watched Liberty defeat Skyline last week, and the Patriots certainly impressed on both sides of the ball. Defensively, they keyed in on receiver Kasen Williams, keeping his numbers to a minimum. Jordan Simone had four TDs and 207 yards in the first half, however, proving the Liberty secondary is vulnerable if a team has a second weapon. If the Patriots key on Issaquah star receiver Evan Peterson (and I expect nothing less), the Eagles will need a second threat to step up. This should be another great battle between Issaquah School District teams. I think the experience of Liberty quarterback Trey Wheeler and star running back Chandler Jenkins might be the difference in this one, however. Pick: Liberty 24-20

Inglemoor Vikings (1-0) at Class 3A No.5 Juanita Rebels (1-0)
Joel – Both of these teams impressed in week one. But I expect Juanita’s toughness running the ball to prove the difference in this one, as the Rebels knock off a KingCo 4A team again this week. Pick: Juanita 21-15
Kevin – Both teams are coming off blowout wins where they put up more than 40 points. Will Juanita be able to slow the balanced Inglemoor pass and run attack? Can the Vikings stop the powerful run game of the Rebels? Home field advantage might be the difference in this neighborhood battle. Pick: Juanita 28-24

Redmond Mustangs (0-1) at Lake Washington Kangaroos (1-0)
Joel – Five different Kangs scored touchdowns last week in their 34-2 romp over Garfield. Redmond struggled against Juanita. LW goes 2-0. Pick: Lake Washington 14-7
Kevin – Steve Supple is off to a great start as the new Lake Washington football coach, coming off a surprising 34-2 blowout victory over Garfield. The Kangs get another struggling opponent at home this week in Redmond. I expect a much closer battle between the Lake Washington School District foes, but the same result. Pick: Lake Washington 20-14

Newport Knights (1-0) at Mercer Island Islanders (1-0)
Joel – No one expected Newport to drop 70 points on Interlake last week. Some have said Interlake played JV players late and the score was deceiving. This week we’ll see. Newport should edge an improved Mercer Island, as their depth and returning talent gives them the edge over the Islanders. Pick: Newport 35, Mercer Island 21
Kevin – Newport is a team on the rise. With weapons like quarterback Isaac Dotson and running back James Dupar, the Knights put up 70 points in their win over Interlake last week. Mercer Island, which came from behind to beat Seattle Prep in week one, presents a huge weapon in quarterback Jeff Lindquist. The junior is responsible for all three Islander TDs last week. On paper this looks to be a great game between two teams on the upswing. Pick: Newport 35-28

Class 4A No.4 Bothell Cougars (0-1) at Mount Si Wildcats (1-0)
Joel – Bothell is reeling after suffering some big injuries against Mission Viejo in week one. Mount Si made me look foolish by whipping up on Woodinville in their season opener. Wildcats take advantage of a hurting Bothell, sending the Cougars to 0-2. Pick: Mount Si 30-20
Kevin – This is an interesting matchup. You have a Bothell team that just suffered a tough loss to out-of-state Mission Veijo. The Cougars have to hit the road and go to Snoqualmie after suffering some bumps and bruises last week. Mount Si, on the other hand, is coming off a convincing road win over Woodinville. Can the Wildcats and quarterback Ian Ilgenfritz keep their momentum alive? This might be closer than some might think. Pick: Bothell 35-21

Garfield Bulldogs (0-1) at Sammamish Totems (0-1)
Joel – Garfield could only manage two points last week against Lake Washington, with those points coming on a blocked punt. Pick: Sammamish 20-12
Kevin – I’m still a believer that Sammamish is an improved team‚ even after its 15-7 loss to Ballard last week. I believe the Totems will right their ship against a Garfield squad that tallied just two points in a loss to Lake Washington last week. Pick: Sammamish 14-7

Roosevelt Roughriders (1-0) at Interlake Saints (0-1)
Joel – Hard to judge Interlake after their defense gives up 70 points in week one. Roosevelt snuck past Franklin last week. I expect the Saints to show real improvement in this game, but just can’t edge a team two classifications above them. Pick: Roosevelt 21-20
Kevin – This is a tough pick. There’s no doubt, Interlake has a lot to prove after losing 70-14 last week. Roosevelt is traditionally a team that struggles, but they had a solid showing with a week-one win over Franklin. Pick: Interlake 24-21

Monroe Bearcats (0-1) at Woodinville Falcons (0-1)
Joel – I was surprised Woodinville was roughed up by Mount Si. Monroe will be just the cure for that. Pick: Woodinville 41-10
Kevin – Woodinville struggled in its home-opener against Mount Si, scoring just six points. Fortunately for the Falcons, they should get a chance to tune things up this week when Monroe comes to town. The Bearcats have a history of tough times on the gridiron, and it looks like those struggles could continue in 2010 after a 49-0 loss to Edmonds-Woodway last week. Pick: Woodinville 35-6

Eastside Catholic Crusaders (1-0) at Sultan Turks (0-1)
Joel – Crusaders exploded for 51 points against Cleveland. They’ll keep it going against Sultan. Pick: Eastside Catholic 45-12
Kevin – Eastside Catholic looked sharp in its week-one victory over Cleveland. Sophomore quarterback Trey Reynolds tossed the ball around with confidence, while running back Chevy Walker scored two rushing TDs and a third on a kickoff return. Sultan struggled in its opener, losing to 1A Cascade of Leavanworth. I expect the hot start to continue for the Crusaders. Pick: Eastside Catholic 35-7

Saturday
Class 4A No.2 Skyline Spartans (0-1) vs. Class 3A No.1 Bellevue Wolverines (1-0)
Joel – This one’s been three years in the making. Bellevue’s been thinking about this game all summer, with their alumni swinging back by to pump up the Wolverines. The last time these teams met was in 2007, when Skyline beat Bellevue 6-0 in Jake Heaps’ first high school start. Skyline is coming off a loss to Liberty. Bellevue struggled early against Union but did enough to get the win. If the Wolverines can control the clock like they did in the second half against the Titans, they’ll win this one. Pick: 17-14 Bellevue
Kevin – Last but not least, here’s a matchup fans have been asking for the last two seasons. While both rosters are completely different from the last time the programs met in 2007 (a 6-0 Skyline win), don’t expect a lack of intensity. Both teams want this. Skyline hopes to recover from a tough road loss to Liberty, while Bellevue looks to keep rolling off its win over Union. Can the Spartans stop the run-heavy Wing-T? They allowed Liberty’s Chandler Jenkins to go for 127 yards on 27 carries last week‚ not a reflection of the stellar defense the Spartans have displayed in their three straight state championships. At the same time, Bellevue will have to prove it can stop the passing game. And sophomore Max Browne showed last week he is ready for the big time (28-for-40, 411 yards, 5TDs, 1INT). There’s little doubt this will be a shootout. But, I’m basing my pick on one small fact‚ Skyline hasn’t lost back-to-back games since its 2-7 season in 1998. Pick: Skyline 35-32

It was a strange and wild first weekend for football and the week 1 poll reflects that. It’s always hard to gauge teams by their first performance, but that’s the way it works.

A pretty big shakeup in Class 4A, as Auburn takes over the top spot. Skyline moves to No. 2 after losing a nailbiter to Liberty. Skyline’s sophomore quarterback Max Browne performed great in his first varsity start and the Spartans, by all indications, will be there at year’s end. Curtis and Bothell switch spots after the Cougars took a tough loss to California’s Mission Viejo. Gonzaga Prep stays at No.5, but were dealt a tough blow when their stud QB Shane Schmidlkofer seperated his shoulder. He’ll miss a couple weeks and it will be interesting to see how the Bullpups deal with that. Issaquah and Ferris both move up after opening the season with wins, while Skyview moves from No.7 to No.8 after opening up their season with a loss. Richland blanked Pasco 21-0 and the Bombers remain at No.9, while Gig Harbor pokes in at No.10 after opening their season with a win over Peninsula. Spokane’s Central Valley drops out of the poll.

Down in 3A, it’s tough to pick one between Bellevue and Liberty, who both looked the part of the top teams in the state – they stay the same with the Wolverines and No.1 and the Patriots at No. 2. Lakes moves from No.5 to No.3 with Camas mysteriously slipping from No.3 all the way to No.6, despite opening with a win.

Class 2A sees quite the shakeup in the bottom half of the poll as nearly half the top 10 lost in week 1.

I’m planning on heading out to Mercer Island Friday to watch Newport take on the Islanders. I want to see if this new Knights offense is for real after they put up 70 points on Interlake in week 1. Saturday, of course, I’ll be heading out to Seattle Memorial to watch Bellevue take on Skyline in what should be a great battle.

Class 4A
1. Auburn (1-0)
2. Skyline (0-1)
3. Curtis (1-0)
4. Bothell (0-1)
5. Gonzaga Prep (1-0)
6. Issaquah (1-0)
7. Ferris (1-0)
8. Skyview (0-1)
9. Richland (1-0)
10. Gig Harbor (1-0)
Others receiving votes: Union (0-1), Kentwood (1-0), Olympia (1-0), Marysville-Pilchuck (1-0), Graham Kapowsin (1-0)

Class 3A
1. Bellevue (1-0)
2. Liberty (1-0)
3. Lakes (1-0)
4. Capital (1-0)
5. Juanita (1-0)
6. Camas (1-0)
7. Ferndale (1-0)
8. Meadowdale (1-0)
9. Timberline (0-1)
10. Kamiakin (1-0)
Others receiving votes: O’Dea (0-1), Enumclaw (1-0), Mount Si (1-0), Mount Spokane (1-0)

Class 2A
1. Archbishop Murphy (1-0)
2. Lynden (1-0)
3. Lindbergh (1-0)
4. Burlington-Edison (1-0)
5. Prosser (0-1)
6. Clarkston (0-1)
7. West Valley (Spokane) (0-1)
8. Othello (0-1)
9. Ellensburg (0-1)
10. Tumwater (0-1)
Others receiving votes: W.F. West (1-0), Cedarcrest (1-0), Mark Morris (0-1), Lakewood (1-0)

Last season Issaquah/Sammamish Reporter sports editor Kevin Endejan and I made a habit of trying to predict the results of each week’s games and invited fans to guess along with us. Although I narrowly edged out Kevin in the end, it was more fun to just watch our guesses play out on the field each week. So we decided to bring back the feature again this year. Make sure to vote on who you think will win each week, and I’ll keep a tab on how the readers fare.

Without further ado, the first picks of the 2010 football season.

Thursday, Sept. 2
Lake Washington Kangaroos (0-0) at Garfield Bulldogs (0-0)
Joel – Both of these teams are young and the Bulldogs have a three-year starter at running back with Valentino Coleman. However, I think the Kangs surprise with first-year coach Steve Supple at the helm. Pick: Lake Washington 21-14
Kevin – On the bright side, one of these programs will get off to a much more promising start than they did last year. Lake Washington (1-8) and Garfield (3-6) struggled in 2009. New Kangs head coach Steve Supple is a former defensive coordinator at Interlake, Redmond and most recently Eastlake. He will have to prepare his team to stop a tough back in third-year Bulldog starter, Valentino Coleman. Pick: Garfield 20-14.

Mount Si Wildcats (0-0) at Woodinville Falcons (0-0)
Joel – A nice opening-day matchup between KingCo 3A/2A dark horse Mount Si and a young, but experienced Woodinville squad. Quarterback Brett Arrivey and running back Alec Schwend showed great promise last season. I expect that to carry over to this season, helping the Falcons pick up a win in the opener. Pick: Woodinville 35-14
Kevin – Woodinville junior quarterback Brett Arrivey showed a ton of promise during his sophomore season. With the returning backfield of Alec Schwend and Dan Clark, the Falcons should pack a punch on offense. Mount Si is a team that has consistently made the playoffs, and returns a ton of starters on both sides of the ball. This could be a shootout. I’ll give the nod to the home team. Pick: Woodinville 24-20.

Sammamish Totems (0-0) at Ballard Beavers (0-0) (Seattle Memorial Stadium)
Joel – Hard to believe it’s been six years since Ballard played for the Class 4A state championship. It’s been hard times since for both of these squads. Sammamish looks to be on the upswing and have a little momentum after winning their final two games last season. The Beavers have won just two games the last two seasons. Pick: Sammamish 17-6
Kevin – Second-year Sammamish head coach Brian Tucci seems to have  his Totems headed in the right direction. Ballard, on the other hand, is only returning two starters from a team that finished 1-8 last season. There are a lot more unanswered questions for the Beavers. Pick: Sammamish 24-7.

Friday, Sept. 3
Skyline Spartans (0-0) at Liberty (0-0)
Joel – Can’t really ask for a better week 1 matchup than last year’s Class 4A champion and last year’s Class 3A runner-up. Both teams lost talent – especially Skyline, with quarterback Jake Heaps off to BYU – but I have to go with the three-time defending champions for this one. Pick: Skyline 21-20
Kevin – Skyline certainly has a few unanswered questions, starting with sophomore quarterback Max Browne. But, the Spartans have been here before. In 2007, a new sophomore quarterback by the name of Jake Heaps, took over and led Skyline to a 6-0 road victory over Bellevue. If the youngster can get time in the pocket he has plenty of explosive targets, led by University of Washington-bound Kasen Williams. Liberty is loaded, returning three key components from its state runner-up finish in 2009, including senior quarterback Trey Wheeler, senior running back Chandler Jenkins and senior wide receiver Jake Bainton. Expect a shootout. Pick: Skyline 28-27.

Interlake Saints (0-0) at Newport (0-0)
Joel – This game should be a great sneak preview for the upcoming season as both teams debut new offenses. I like what Interlake coach Jason Rimkus is doing, but Newport brings back a ton of experience in the backfield and on the line. I think the Knights take this one in a close one. Pick: Newport 20-17
Kevin – Both Newport and Interlake are running new offenses this season. The experience factor tends to lean toward Newport, however. The Knights return athletic players to the field, and it suits their triple option well. Interlake returns senior quarterback Matt Malos, but his adjustment to the pro-style offense is a little more of a challenge. The learning curve could take a while, especially with a new surrounding cast. Pick: Newport 28-14

Snohomish Panthers (0-0) at Inglemoor Vikings (0-0)
Joel – I must admit, I don’t know much about Snohomish. But what I do know is that they play in Wesco, which usually doesn’t fare well against KingCo competition. Pick: Inglemoor 10-7
Kevin – Snohomish finished 3-7 in a weak WesCo last season. Honestly, I’m not aware of what kind of talent the Panthers return in 2010. It appears they lost a lot of seniors, however. Inglemoor returns a deep core of players, particularly in the backfield. I’ll give the nod to the KingCo school in this one. Pick: Inglemoor 35-14

Issaquah Eagles (0-0) at Heritage Timberwolves (0-0)
Joel – Eagles are a team I like to pick up steam this season and return to the playoffs. Heritage went just 4-6 last year. Issaquah shows again the strength of the KingCo 4A Conference and put a hurting on Timberwolves. Pick: Issaquah 42-7
Kevin – This is a long road trip for Issaquah, but I fully expect the Eagles to be prepared. Vancouver-based Heritage finished 4-6 last season, and lost their leading passer (2,720 yards) and rusher (958 yards) in quarterback Garrett Grayson. Issaquah will also be sporting a new quarterback in junior Ethan Kalin, but he has performed well in summer camps. If Issaquah can handle a five-hour bus ride, the Eagles should roll. Pick: Issaquah 32-20

Central Kitsap Cougars (0-0) at Eastlake Wolves (0-0)
Joel – Another interesting early season matchup. Eastlake lost their dynamic quarterback Kelby McCorkle as well as running back Cameron Hunt and are a pretty young team. I think they’ll hit their stride later in the season. Pick: Central Kitsap 23-17
Kevin – Eastlake has all the components to be successful again, starting with an experienced offensive line and a hard-nosed backfield (Sam Gilliss and Kyle Lappano). Junior quarterback Keegan Kemp also brings mobility and an accurate arm to the field. Central Kitsap presents a shotgun spread offense behind second-year starting quarterback Brett McDonald (10 TDs, 10 INTs). Playing in KingCo, Eastlake is well aware of how to slow the pass. Pick: Eastlake 32-14.

Juanita Rebels (0-0) at Redmond Mustangs (0-0)
Joel – Juanita brought a host of talented transfers in this season, including UW-commit Jarret Finau. Redmond is still a team finding its identity, while Shaun Tarantola’s Rebels are a team that is poised to make a run at the KingCo 3A heavyweights this season. Pick: Juanita 28-6
Kevin – Juanita mixes a large group of returners with some key transfers to present one of the more potent offenses in the KingCo 3A/2A. Senior running back Jerimiah Laufasa is the centerpiece to the offensive scheme. Redmond is coming off a difficult season, but the Mustangs do return an important element in starting quarterback Michael Conforto. The Rebels just have too many weapons, however. Pick: Juanita 35-7

Mercer Island Islanders (0-0) at Seattle Prep Panthers (0-0)
Joel – The Islanders look promising with talented junior quarterback Jeff Lindquist, but Seattle Prep has punishing linebacker/quarter Nick Holt, one of the Metro League’s best players. Mercer Island looks like it might need one more year to take the big leap. Pick: Seattle Prep 21-14
Kevin – Junior quarterback Jeff Lindquist continues to wow the KingCo 2A/3A with his arm. Seattle Prep, led by defensive standout Nick Holt, is coming off a state playoff season. The Panthers return a ton of depth and are poised for a return to the playoffs. They’ll come out fired up at home. Pick: Seattle Prep 24-21

Saturday, Sept. 4
Bellevue Wolverines (0-0) at Union Titans (0-0) at Qwest Field
Joel – One of the biggest games of the year on the biggest stage in the opening week. Could you ask for more? Union’s defense showed in last year’s semifinals that their coach’s have figured out a way to slow Bellevue’s Wing-T attack, holding the Wolverines without an offensive touchdown. Bellevue relied on their defense and the leg of Race Sciabica to beat Union then. Now, they’ll have to overcome their youth to go 1-0. My thought? I’ve yet to see an in-state team beat Bellevue since O’Dea in 2007, so I have no reason to doubt them now. Pick: Bellevue 30-27
Kevin – They’re in different classifications now, but that doesn’t mean that 4A Union won’t have revenge on its mind when it meets 3A Bellevue on Saturday in the Emerald City Kickoff Classic. The Wolverines knocked off the Titans 19-13 during the 3A state semifinals last season. There are a lot of new faces on both rosters, but Bellevue does return key components to its Wing-T offense in quarterback Kendrick Van Ackeren and running back Joey Mangialardi. Expect another hard-fought battle. Pick: Bellevue 21-17

Bothell Cougars (0-0) vs. Mission Viejo (Calif.)
Joel – After losing to Skyline in the state semifinals, the Blue Train looks reloaded. But losing the talent they did on the line, including tight ends Michael Hartvigson and Evan Hudson and tackle Colin Porter (all three to UW), has to take a toll on a team. Mission Viejo is a traditional California power, a team that went 12-1 last season and scored 40 or more points 10 times. The Diablos even won one game 70-7. While I think the Cougars drop this one, they’ll rebound in plenty of time to contend for another KingCo 4A championship. Pick: Mission Viejo 35-14
Kevin – Bothell continues to be one of the top program’s in Washington, but the Cougars will have to fill in some key positions in 2010, including quarterback. One of the best running backs in the league, Luke Proulx, will help ease some of that pressure. Mission Viejo is one of the powerhouses of California. And word is, they don’t travel unless they’re loaded. The Diablos outscored opponents 563-137 last season, en route to a second place finish in California’s Section 3 classification. Pick: Mission Viejo 28-20

Franklin Quakers (0-0) at Roosevelt Roughriders (0-0)
Joel – Another game between two teams that look to be on the way up after a tough few years. Franklin looks to be the more improved squad, this time, however. Pick: Franklin 21-12
Kevin – Roosevelt had a rough ride last season, going 2-7. They return their quarterback, Peter Ianelli, and third-year starting tackle, Brian Hutchison. Franklin also had a tough season, finishing at 3-6. The Quakers have a lot more to build off, however, returning seven starters on offense and six on defense. The nod goes to the more experienced team. Pick: Franklin 24-17

Cleveland Eagles (0-0) at Eastside Catholic Crusaders (0-0)
Joel – Cleveland couldn’t find success last season, and though they’ll be improved, so should be Jason Gesser’s Crusaders. Although Eastside Catholic has been hit with some untimely injuries, this should be a good game for them to figure things out. Pick: Eastside Catholic 30-13
Kevin – Cleveland went winless in 2009, finishing at 0-8. Eastside Catholic was a few bad quarters away from making the playoffs. The Crusaders have suffered some early-season injuries, including the loss of transfer quarterback Bradley Wheeler, but they should still be able to use Saturday’s home opener as a nice warmup for the 2010 season. Pick: Eastside Catholic 28-7.

First, a reminder. Be sure to “like” our Facebook page to get all the latest updates on stories and blog posts:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bellevue-Reporter-sports/285950712492?ref=ts

Sammamish coach Brian Tucci wants to keep on rolling. The Totems finished 3-7 last season – starting off the year with a win and ending it with a two-game winning streak, something that hadn’t been done since 2004. Sammamish returns 13 starters this year, the majority of those being juniors who played as sophomores.

The vibe I got at the Sammamish practice today was one of continuation. Players tell me they’ve bought in to the new mentality Tucci brought in last year. They saw how it paid off to work hard to reach their goals, one of which was to be competitive in every single game.

That’s brought more excitement into the program. Tucci told me today that they had 15 more kids turn out for the team this year as well as the largest freshman turnout they’ve had in a long time.

“You’re never really sure about how the first year went until you get to the beginning of the second year,” said Tucci, a former offensive guard at Western Washington University and Washington State University. “We found out things were looking better for us.”

The biggest factor, Tucci said, was laying down a good foundation. Players say he did just that.

“Ever since last year, our players have a new mentality and a different mindset,” said senior linebacker and wing Taylor Ragan. “Coach Tucci has done great things for us and kids are buying into the beliefs.”

Sammamish’s relative youth last year should be a strength this year. Returning at quarterback is Andrew Engles, who started eight games last year as a sophomore when senior Nick Hartigan went down with an injury. Engles impressed teammates last year enough to be voted a captain. Now he’ll lead the Totems offense in their second year in the veer offense that Tucci installed.

“We’re already up another level from last year,” Tucci said. “Now we’re fine-tuning things about it. It lets us coach at a higher level and it helps the kids take it to another level.”

I’ll have more on Engles in Friday’s preview.

Another weapon at the Totem’s disposal is Chris Lider, brother of former Sammamish and West Virginia kicker Josh Lider. Chris Lider is one of the state’s top kickers and one Tucci is counting on to be a big factor this season, saying coaches think there’s a possibility Lider may not allow any kickoffs this season since he hits the end zone nearly every time. One assistant joked they weren’t going to send out a kickoff unit – just Lider.

“Making every offense go 80 yards would be a huge thing for us,” Tucci said. “The kid can just flat-out kick the ball. He should be kicking on Saturday’s next year for sure.”

Tucci also joked with me about this blog post. Rivals.com listed Sammamish as one of the nation’s top high school football programs – inadvertantly picking the Totems when they meant Skyline. Tucci laughed saying his parents printed the article out – he even told the team to enjoy their national ranking for now.

It’s not the first time the two schools have been confused. Tucci told me he was woken up several times last season by Division I coaches recruiting Skyline wide receiver Kasen Williams.

“By the end of the season, I knew [Skyline coach Mat] Taylor’s number by heart to give out to them,” he said with a laugh.

Again, I’ll have much more about the Totems in Friday’s preview, but here’s a video interview with senior Taylor Ragan, a linebacker and wing in the veer offense. Here’s a link to his highlight reel from last season.

Here’s the video:

<object width=”660″ height=”405″><param name=”movie” value=”http://www.youtube.com/v/tyeciXt20ms?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;border=1″></param><param name=”allowFullScreen” value=”true”></param><param name=”allowscriptaccess” value=”always”></param><embed src=”http://www.youtube.com/v/tyeciXt20ms?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;border=1″ type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” allowscriptaccess=”always” allowfullscreen=”true” width=”660″ height=”405″></embed></object>

One could say the construction surrounding Bellevue High School is an apt metaphor for a team trying to rebuild after losing so many impact players to graduation.

But that’s never the case when it comes to Bellevue. The Wolverines, as always, don’t rebuild. They just reload.

Senior leadership will be key for Bellevue this season, as just eight seniors are expected to see playing time – compared to 10 sophomores.

“We’ve got a really young team this year but we’ve got to just keep improving every day,” said senior running back Joey Mangialardi.

Mangialardi is the only starting back returning for Bellevue. He said the competition is wide open for playing time.

“We have all these sophomores and a few juniors competing for spots and everyone’s just trying to do the best they can,” he said. “We have a bunch of guys who we know can do it, now it’s just about figuring out who wants it most.”

Mangialardi, quarterback Kendrick Van Ackeren and lineman Marcus Henry are the only starters returning on offense this year. Henry, who will play next year at Boise State, said the key is getting the younger guys up to speed quickly.

“We have to bring all these young guys up to our level,” he said. “We’ve been in the system for a while but they have to get with the program fast.”

Van Ackeren said he’s not worried about the team reloading because it’s not the talent of the players that wins championships, it’s the work ethic.

“We always reload…we don’t have all the talent in the world,” he said. “It’s just our work ethic and the way our coaches coach and the effort that we put in practice every day that gets us to where we are.”

I’ll have much more in Friday’s football preview, but for now, enjoy this video interview with Joey Mangialardi, a captain who will be playing running back and defensive line for the Wolverines.

SI.com released its preview of the Pac-10 today and 2007 Bellevue graduate David DeCastro was picked as one of the offensive guards. He’s featured on slide No.6 if that link doesn’t take you directly there.

DeCastro is entering his fourth year starting on the line for the Cardinal. He helped running back Toby Gerhart bull his way to a runner up finish to the Heisman a year ago. The line allowed just seven sacks last year.

I visited Newport today and the biggest news out of the Knights practice was that the team will debut its new triple-option offense this fall.

The Knights have long used the wing-T offense but will switch things up to accomodate the starters they return offensively (8). Newport returns four backs who all saw several carries last year in Tyler Wright, Louie Jachim, James Dupar and Eric Rodan, but the biggest key may be their quarterback, sophomore Isaac Dotson.

Dotson, along with Rodan, saw action as a freshman last year, starting two games and impressing coaches (and teammates) enough to earn the starting nod. Dotson, 6-foot-2 and 200-pounds, quickly earned the respect of his teammates including the senior captains, perhaps the biggest compliment of all.

“Isaac is like the adult on the field,” Jachim said. “He’s barely 15 but he’s one of the most physically and mentally mature guys on the field.”

All five of the senior captains I spoke too had nothing but praise for him. Coach Mike Miller was no different, saying Dotson earned the respect of the seniors by working hard, and remaining humble.

That, Dotson told me, was important to him.

“I tried to be humble and that was the most important thing,” he said. “I just tried to be a great teammate and play hard.”

Dotson was thrown into the fire last year – his first start came in Newport’s 3-way playoff with Redmond and Eastlake. The freshman guided the Knights to a win over Redmond, then got the team the first score against Eastlake. Newport couldn’t hold on however, losing to the Wolves and ending their season.

But it’s a whole new seaspm for Newport. New really is a key word this year. The Knights will break in the new offense to go with new uniforms and their new turf field.

“Our motto this year is ‘tradition starts here’,” Dotson said. “It’s a whole new year, new hope.”

Newport will also dedicate the season to the memory of former assistant coach John Fullerton, who passed away last fall. Fullerton coached for over 40 years at the school.

Here’s a quick video interview with senior captain and offensive/defensive lineman Matt Murray, talking about the new look Knights, the upcoming season and playing for Fullerton.