Bracket Breakdown: WIAA 1B state football tournament quarterfinal previews, stat leaders, game picks
This was supposed to be a year of come-back-as-champions celebration for the Liberty Bell Mountain Lions.
Instead, it has turned into a logistical struggle.
The crux of their scheduling issues? Most requests for games, especially in Winthrop, were turned down.
* CLASS 1B WASHINGTON TOURNAMENT BRACKET
In fact, Liberty Bell's only regular-season home game was a "hybrid" matchup with Chewelah, a perennial playoff program in the Class 2B ranks.
In all, the Mountain Lions played just seven games before their home district crossover playoff games 10 days ago against Republic (which also served as "senior night" for their four seniors).
Needless to say, the reigning state champions - with no league to call home - feel like a ship sailing choppy waters far from land.
"I don't like being out of a league, because we can't reward our players with any all-conference selections," Liberty Bell football coach Jeff Lidey said.
Their future in 1B football after this season also remains unclear.
In 2019 - after years of struggling in the 2B Central Washington League against the likes of Lake Roosevelt and Manson - the school was granted an opt-down to 1B for football by the WIAA.
In all other sports, they compete at the 2B level. In fact, while the football team was well on its way to winning the 1B crown last fall, the school's volleyball team played in the 2B volleyball championships.
That football-related agreement is expected to end after this fall, but the school will continue to search for ways to appeal that decision - or could just continue in eight-man football with no hopes for postseason eligibility.
"The WIAA said we are done," Lidey said. "If we want to go for (state) championships, we have to go to 11-man (football)."
With the emergence of Lucien Paz as a first-year starter at quarterback, and the all-over-the-field dominance of Remington Paz as a tailback and wide receiver, the team will have a ton of returning talent in 2024 - so much that Lidey proclaimed next year's squad would be his best, on paper.
But the players, as well as community members, are having so much enjoyment in eight-man football, they don't want to go back up to 2B.
"They just don't want to leave eight-man football," Lidey said.
Editor’s note: Here’s a game-by-game breakdown, including top individual performers, outlook and score predictions of this weekend’s 2023 WIAA Class 1B football quarterfinal matchups.
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NO. 8 WELLPINIT REDSKINS (8-2) at NO. 1 LIBERTY BELL MOUNTAIN LIONS (8-0)
Photo by Danea Norman/Wellpinit athletics
7 p.m. Saturday at Apple Bowl, Wenatchee
Statistical leaders: For Wellpinit – QB Grant Denison III (64-93, 869 yards, 18 TDs), RB Andrew Moyer (136 carries, 1,213 yards, 16 TDs; 11 catches, 217 yards, four TDs), RB Kaden McCrea (63 carries, 657 yards, 13 TDs; 12 catches, 183 yards, two TDs) and LB Carter Hughes (120 tackles). For Liberty Bell - QB Lucien Paz (71-105, 1,272 yards, 25 TDs; 83 carries, 611 yards, 11 TDs), ATH Remington Paz (54 carries, 643 yards, nine TDs; 35 catches, 697 yards, 18 TDs), WR Brodie Barnhart (14 catches, 230 yards, two TDs) and DB Greyden Paz (42 tackles, five TFL, three INT) and DL Alex Ramsey-George (37 tackles, eight TFL, six sacks).
What to watch for: Much like the defending state champion Mountain Lions, the Redskins have underclassmen talent that should buoy a multi-year run in the WIAA playoffs. But this is a tall task this weekend against the No. 1 seeds. Moyer and McCrea are going to have run effectively and control pace to keep high-powered Liberty Bell offense on sideline - but the Mountain Lions' run defense just doesn't give up an inch of turf (cue past two Neah Bay games).
Pick: Liberty Bell, 61-20.
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NO. 5 NEAH BAY RED DEVILS (8-2) at NO. 4 LIBERTY CHRISTIAN PATRIOTS (10-0)
Photo by Todd Milles
1 p.m. Saturday at Fran Rish Stadium, Richland
Statistical leaders: For Neah Bay – QB Mathias Greene (37-68, 793 yards, 10 TDs), RB Jodell Wimberly (129 carries, 1,555 yards, 33 TDs), RB Tyler Swan (84 carries, 912 yards, 20 TDs), WR Adan Ellis (15 catches, 355 yards, six TDs) and LB Tyler Swan (68 tackles, six TFL) and LB Adan Ellis (64 tackles, 11 TFL, six sacks). For Liberty Christian - QB Perry Pottle (32-66, 591 yards, nine TDs), Trent Ralston (30-44, 558 yards, eight TDs), RB Charlie Branning (123 carries, 1,944 yards, 27 TDs; 15 catches, 398 yards, six TDs), RB Silas Bjur (31 carries, 276 yards, six TDs), WR Hunter Cole (15 catches, 283 yards, six TDs) and LB Levi Idler (81 tackles, three INTs) and DL Joey Isley (57 tackles, 13 TFL, four sacks).
What to watch for: A year ago, the Neah Bay power-running effect ended the Patriots' season in the state semifinals. So what did Craig Lukins and his staff do in the offseason? They borrowed a few of the Red Devils' ideas and changed the offense not only showcase the big-play Branning, but help alter the team's mentality at facing a good rushing offense. Needless to say, they should be better-equipped to handle Wimberly, Swan and company in the rematch in the Tri-Cities.
Pick: Liberty Christian, 40-36.
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NO. 10 NASELLE COMETS (10-1) at NO. 2 WILBUR-CRESTON-KELLER WILDCATS (10-0)
Photo courtesy of Naselle athletics
12:30 p.m. Saturday at Lions Field, Moses Lake
Statistical leaders: For Naselle – QB Jacob Lindstrom (88-133, 1,676 yards, 23 TDs; 117 carries, 1,580 yards, 28 TDs), RB Jack Strange (130 carries, 1,584 yards, 22 TDs; 37 catches, 831 yards, 13 TDs), WR Jacob Pakanen (18 catches, 354 yards, four TDs) and LB Jack Strange (82 tackles, five INTs, four fumble recoveries). For Wilbur-Creston-Keller - Kallen Maioho (39-55, 714 yards, 11 TDs; 34 carries, 469 yards, 14 TDs; RB Kalub Dreger (141 carries, 1,917 yards, 27 TDs; four catches, 148 yards, three TDs); RB Preston Michel (168 carries, 1,274 yards, 20 TDs; 28 catches, 403 yards, seven TDs) and DL Adam Oates (98 tackles, 14 TFL, 11 sacks).
What to watch for: The bracket's biggest opening-round surprise came last week when the Comets shocked big-and-strong Pomeroy on the road. They will get a similar test Saturday, but with different variable against Wilbur-Creston-Keller, which balances a good interior power run game with an option look. For Naselle to have a chance, it needs to exploit area outside the hashes with its speed, led by the dual-threat Lindstrom, who rushed for 346 yards and six touchdowns last week
Pick: Wilbur-Creston-Keller, 48-44
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NO. 6 ALMIRA/COULEE-HARTLINE WARRIORS (9-2) at NO. 3 MOSSYROCK VIKINGS (10-0)
Photo by Jennifer Schwartz
12:30 p.m. Saturday at Tenino High School
Statistical leaders: For ACH – QB Caden Correia (42-108, 858 yards, 11 TDs; 169 carries, 808 yards, 11 TDs), RB Carter Pitts (167 carries, 1,380 yards, 21 TDs), WR Max Grindy (15 catches, 463 yards, seven TDs) and DL John Pierce (66 tackles, 17 TFL, six sacks). For Mossyrock - QB Easton Kolb (48-72, 1,120 yards, 15 TDs; 64 carries, 695 yards, eight TDs), RB Marshall Brockway (81 carries, 537 yards, four TDs), RB Luke Cooper (32 carries, 441 yards, three TDs), TE Hunter Isom (19 catches, 338 yards, four TDs) and LB Luke Cooper (45 tackles, seven TFL).
What to watch for: This could be the most interesting contrast of styles - the Vikings' power rushing attack versus the five-time 1B champions' spread attack. Correia is the catalyst in knowing what areas to attack the Mossyrock defense while also giving Pitts another healthy workload (37 carries, 220 yards, four TDs against Concrete). But if the ACH defense cannot find ways to neutralize Kolb, Brockway and Cooper behind a big offensive line, it might end up being a long afternoon.
Pick: Mossyrock, 51-38.
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(Featured photo by Alisha McMillan)
