Royal tops 1A ranks in preseason AP poll

Reigning state champion Royal was the unanimous No. 1 ranked team for Class 1A in the Associated Press Washington High School Preseason Football Poll.

The Knights received 10 first-place votes, comfortably ahead of South Central Athletic Conference (SCAC) East rival Connell at No. 2.

Kaden Jenks is back at quarterback for the Knights and recently finished second at the Northwest 9 camp, trailing only Dylan Morris of Graham-Kapowsin.

Royal will be tested early with a season-opening tilt against perennial 2A power Ellensburg — ranked No. 4 — and an away game the next week against Zillah — ranked five spots behind Royal. Royal travels to Connell Oct. 14.

Almira/Coulee-Hartline (ACH) — the reigning Class 1B state champ — came in at No. 2. ACH trailed only Lummi Nation, the team the Warriors dispatched in the state title game. Life without all-state quarterback Dallas Isaak begins Sept. 2 with a home game against Republic.

Odessa-Harrington just made the 1B poll at No. 5

Lind-Ritzville/Sprague (LRS) received one first-place vote in the Class 2B poll and will start the season ranked No. 2 behind Napavine. The Broncos’ last two seasons have ended with losses to Okanogan in the state playoffs. However, the Bulldogs returned to the 1A ranks this season.

LRS will look to defend its Northeast 2B championship in perhaps the toughest league in the state at that level. Playoff team Asotin (No. 5) joins the NE2B, to go along with Northwest Christian (Colbert) (No. 4), Liberty (Spangle) (No. 6) and Davenport (No. 10).

Gonzaga Prep and Skyline held down the top two spots in Class 4A, respectively. The Bullpups received eight out of a possible nine first-place votes. Moses Lake — a state quarter-finalist last season — was left off the preseason poll, however, the Chiefs will have an opportunity to turn heads early with a Week 1 tilt against Chiawana and a Week 3 game against Coeur d’Alene.

Eastside Catholic — the two-time defending Class 3A champs — was a unanimous No. 1, followed by Mid Columbia Conference standout Kamiakin. Embattled Bellevue was ranked No. 4.

State runner-up Tumwater was ranked No. 1 in Class 2A, while reigning champ Prosser came in at No. 2.