Kent’s best earn accolades

Two explosive teams. One big night.

Few Kent-area high school football games played this season could match the wild one between Kentridge and Kent-Meridian on Oct. 4.

The teams combined for 122 points and 1,230 yards of total offense.

It also showcased two of the area’s best quarterbacks.

Natano Woods ran for 199 yards and four touchdowns and passed for 270 yards and three more TDs as the Chargers erupted for a school record for points scored in a game, outlasting rival Kent-Meridian 71-51 in a North Puget Sound League Sound Division game at French Field.

The Royals’ Isaac Cordova threw for 595 yards and eight touchdown passes, both school records.

The win clinched the NPSL’s Sound Division title for the 7-2 Chargers, who reached the district playoffs under the guidance of Woods, a 6-foot-5, 225-pound senior.

For his season under the sun, coaches chose Woods as the Sound Division’s Offensive Back of the Year.

“He’s really turned into a dedicated leader this year, and his leadership really turned him into a special player,” said Kentridge coach Brett Ogata said. “He has the belief system, that confidence. … It’s really cool to see him over the year grow into this really top-flight player.”

Cordova, a 6-2, 210-pound senior who led the much-improved Royals to a 4-6 season, was nominated as one of the division’s top eight players to the NPSL All-State Game.

In other postseason honors for Kentridge, senior Jeremy Banks, a punt and kick returner, was chosen the division’s Special Teams Player of the Year. Jacob Crumb, a 6-3, 270-pound junior, was the Sound’s Offensive Lineman of the Year.

The Chargers’ Jaron Gonzales, a senior running back and linebacker, was an All-State Game nominee.

For Kent-Meridian, Tua Areta, a 6-4, 315-pound senior, earned the division’s Offensive Lineman of the Year honor, and 6-3, 230-pound senior linebacker Aaron Tulloch was the Defensive Back of the Year.

For leading turnaround seasons for their programs, Ogata and K-M’s Justin Callander were selected Head Coaches of the Year for the division.

Elsewhere

Several Kentwood players received All-NPSL Mountain Division honors. The group included: first-teamers’ Wyatt Hanson (junior, lineman), Alphonse Oywak (junior, wide receiver and defensive back) and Dominique Pope (senior, special teams); second-teamers’ Gabe Johnson (junior, running back) and Derek Kersey (senior, offensive lineman), Luke Klein (senior defensive lineman) and Dyllon Daniels (junior, defensive back) and honorable mention performers Jalin Church (sophomore, quarterback); Conner McArthur (senior lineman), Trevon Erickson (junior linebacker) and Tidane Sow (senior, wide receiver).

Kentlake players who earned All-NPSL Valley Division honors included first-teamer’s Hudson Potts (senior quarterback and defensive back), Dashaun Leon (senior running back), Sam Morasch (junior, wide receiver), Carson Lucas (senior, tight end and linebacker), Timothy Engstrom (junior, offensive lineman), X-Zavier Thomas (junior defensive lineman) and Tyler Hopp (senior, punter); second-teamers’ Kadin Salisbury (senior, offensive lineman) and Max Bolton (senior linebacker); and honorable mention performers Sean Hicks (sophomore, defensive lineman), Blake Peterson (sophomore, wide receiver and linebacker), Ryan Roller (junior, offensive lineman), Kupono Planesi (sophomore, defensive lineman), Jalen Taylor (junior defensive back) and Morasch (defensive back).

Potts was chosen Defensive Back of the Year.

Taylor, a kick returner, was one of five Special Teams Players of the Year for the division.