Prep Football Preview: Plenty of intriguing matchups on deck for Week 3
Published 5:30 am Wednesday, September 17, 2025
Twin Harbors teams faces some tough non-league challenges as we preview an intriguing Week 3 of the high school football season.
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Aberdeen at Rochester
When and where: 7 p.m. Friday at Rochester High School
Players to watch: Aberdeen – Micah Schroeder RB/LB, Riley Wixson RB/LB, Mason Hill QB, Adonis Hammonds WR/DB. Rochester – Ethan Rodriguez RB; Maddox Rodgers RB/OLB. Xander Peterman RB/MLB.
Aberdeen (1-1 overall) will face a tough test in a Rochester this week, a likely top-10 team in the 1A classification.
The Warriors (2-0) are coming off a 49-14 drubbing of Castle Rock and are averaging 48.5 points and 471 rushing yards per game this season.
Rochester features one of the best running backs in the 1A class in senior Ethan Rodriguez. The University of Idaho commit is averaging 133 rushing yards a game for run-heavy Rochester, and he’s not the only Braves ball-carrier that’s making an impact this season.
Running backs Maddox Rodgers, a junior, and Xander Peterman, a senior, have averaged 185 and 96.5 rushing yards per game through the first two games of the season, respectively.
Aberdeen’s offense had multiple chances in the second half of last week’s loss to Steliacoom and were able to move the ball through the running capability of senior Riley Wixson, who had 109 rushing yards as the Sentinels defense keyed on senior running back Micah Schroeder.
Aside from allowing some runs via quarterback scrambles, the Aberdeen defense kept the running game of Steliacoom in check last week despite being smaller in the trenches than the Sentinels.
Rochester doesn’t throw the ball nearly as much as Steliacoom, so the Bobcats defense will be tasked with slowing down the Warriors ground game that led them to a 1A Evergreen League title last season and has predicted to be in contention once again this year.
This one could resemble an old-school slobber-knocker as both teams feature smash-mouth running games.
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Black Hills at Montesano
When and where: 7 p.m. Friday at Jack Rottle Field, Montesano
Players to watch: Montesano – Tyson Perry QB/DB, Kole Kjesbu REC/LB, Terek Gunter RB/DB, Mason Fry REC/DL. Black Hills – Jesse Keith QB/CB, Matthew Johnson T/OLB, Marshall Orona RB/LB.
The Montesano Bulldogs are staring at a potential 3-0 start when they face another 2A-class opponent in Black Hills on Friday.
Montesano (2-0) is coming off a convincing 35-7 victory over perennial 2A State tournament qualifier Ridgefield, one in which the Bulldogs ran well, passed well, and made big plays on defense and special teams.
Black Hills (1-1) is coming off a 22-13 loss to Eatonville and has struggled to find much offense this season, scoring just 14 points in a 14-7 Week 1 win over Clover Park.
The Wolves are averaging 146.1 rushing yards and 117.1 passing yards per game this season, numbers that likely don’t bode well against a Montesano defense that held Ridgefield to a lone, garbage-time touchdown in the fourth quarter well after the outcome had been determined.
The Montesano defense flew around the field last week, with multiple players making impact plays, led by senior defensive back Toren Crites, who had seven tackles, recovered two fumbles – one for an 85-yard scoop-and-score touchdown – and blocked a field goal.
With Monte quarterback Tyson Perry looking as efficient and effective by completing 10-of-13 passes for 187 yards and running back Zach Timmons gaining 135 on the ground, Black Hills has a tough task in slowing down a Bulldogs squad that looks to be running on all cylinders.
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Elma at Sequim
When and where: 7 p.m. at Sequim High School
Players to watch: Elma – Isaac McGaffey QB/S, Colt Landstrom RB/DB, Dayton Brookins WR/CB, Kolby Rademacher RB/LB. Sequim – Zeke Schmadeke QB/RB/WR, Kaden Miller QB, Malachi Hampton WR/CB.
Hopefully for the Elma Eagles, they’ll get a full week of preparation for Friday’s opponent, the Sequim Wolves.
Elma had to scramble to find a late replacement after Stevenson backed out of last weekend’s matchup on the previous Wednesday.
That gave the Eagles one full practice to prepare for 3A-class Highline, which defeated Elma 31-28 on Friday.
Senior quarterback Isaac McGaffey threw for 197 yards in last week’s loss, with receiver’s Colt Landstrom (7 receptions, 101 yards) and Dayton Brookins (5-96) proving themselves as adept weapons in the passing game.
McGaffey had 89 yards rushing in the game for an Elma offense that has shown it can put points on the board, averaging 34.5 points a game this season.
Sequim (2-0) is coming off a 17-6 win over Mariner last week and has scored no more than 18 points in a game through the first two weeks of the season.
The Wolves have been using a quarterback-by-committee this season, with sophomore Kaden Miller getting a bulk of the snaps and being Sequim’s throwing signal-caller while last season’s quarterback, senior Zeke Schmadeke, will see snaps as a running and short-passing QB as well getting touches as a receiver.
Sequim squeaked past Forks for a 17-6 win in Week 1 as a Forks punt-return touchdown was wiped off the board due to penalties and a touchdown pass from Miller to Schmadeke gave the Wolves the lead in the fourth quarter.
Sequim’s two wins this season are against opponents who are a combined 0-4 and are averaging 10 points a game this season.
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Hoquiam at Raymond-South Bend
When and where: 7 p.m. at Raymond High School
Players to watch: Hoquiam – K.J. McCoy QB, Ethan Byron WR/K, Kingston Case RB/DB, Javonni Koth WR. RSB – Chris Banker RB/LB, Manny Souza RB/DB, Angel Morales QB/DB, Adam Mora WR/DB/K.
The scoreboard operator should get a good workout when Hoquiam meets Raymond-South Bend on Friday in Raymond.
Both teams have put points on the board through the first two weeks of the season and have shown improvement compared to last season’s model.
Bolstered by the performance of freshman quarterback phenom K.J. McCoy, Hoquiam (1-1) has an offense that is starting to resemble the potent attack that guide Jeremy McMillan’s squads to six straight state tournament appearances through 2018.
The Grizzlies (1-1) are averaging 44.5 points per game this season as McCoy has a wealth of weapons in running back Kingston Case, receivers Javonni Koth and Ethan Byron, and tight end Lincoln Niemi.
But the Hoquiam defense was exposed in a 57-35 loss to King’s Way Christian last week, allowing seven touchdowns and a field goal in the game.
Raymond-South Bend (2-0) relied on a big game from Chris Banker to beat Rainier 27-26 last week. The Ravens senior running back broke a program record of 284 rushing yards on 32 carries with three touchdowns.
The Ravens have scored 70 points through its first two games, with Banker being the main catalyst, averaging 230.5 rushing yards per game this season.
This one should be a high-scoring affair, with both teams showcasing some standouts on the offensive side of the ball.
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Pe Ell-Willapa Valley at Toledo
When and where: 7 p.m. at Toledo High School
Players to watch: PWV – Brody Ritzman QB/DB, Blane King WR/DB, Lucas Lusk RB/LB, Spud Swogger RB/LB. Toldeo – Eli Weeks QB, Carter Swofford RB, Adam Kruger WR.
Pe Ell-Willapa Valley will have a chance to snap a long losing streak when it faces Toledo on Friday.
The Titans (2-0) have not beat Toledo (2-0) since 2015, losing the past six meetings, including a 48-29 defeat last season.
That won’t be an easy task as the Riverhawks are coming of a 60-14 thrashing over Goldendale, one in which they scored 40 points in the first quarter alone and led 60-0 at halftime.
Toledo rushed for 297 yards in that game, had 424 total yards of offense and forced three fumbles on the defensive end.
PWV has gone back to its roots of being a power-running football team with the return of head coach John Peterson and has more than enough speed to give the Riverhawks fits.
As evidenced in last week’s 27-13 win over Blaine, the Titans can pass the ball when teams load the box to stop the run.
Senior quarterback Brody Ritzman attempted 16 passes in the first half to keep Blaine honest before the offense controlled the game, and the clock, with the running game in the second half.
Both teams like to run the ball, with running backs Lucas Lusk, Eddie Clements and Spud Swogger sharing the load for the Titans.
This game could come down to how successful the Titans are at sustaining drives and converting them into points, and just how much their bend-but-don’t break defense can keep a high-powered Toledo attack in check.
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Other games
WA School for the Deaf at Wishkah Valley: The Loggers (1-0) have a short week after playing last Saturday and will host the Washington School for the Deaf at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Northwest Christian at Taholah: Coming off a bye week, The Chitwhins (0-1) will host Northwest Christian at 3 p.m. on Friday.
North Beach at Ocosta: Both the Hyaks (1-1) and Wildcats (1-1) will be looking for a key 1B Southwest Washington 8-man League win when they face off at 7 p.m. Friday in Westport.
Mary M. Knight at Lake Quinault: The Elks (0-1) look to snap an 11-game losing streak when they host Mary M. Knight at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
