Here’s The News Tribune’s Week 7 Game of the Week selection, with predictions for every game involving South Sound teams below.
GAME OF THE WEEK
Puyallup Vikings (6-0) vs. Sumner Spartans (6-0)
7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16 at Sunset Chev Stadium
Puyallup has had the score burned into the scoreboard at Sparks Stadium since the offseason: Sumner 42, Puyallup 35. The loss came in the Class 4A state tournament semifinals and was Puyallup’s only loss in the 2025 season. Sumner, of course, went on to beat Lake Stevens in the 4A state championship game behind the heroics of TNT state player of the year and running back Lance McGee, who’s now at WSU. Puyallup won the regular season meeting between the teams, 58-22, making Sumner’s win all the more impressive. This year, there’s no Lance McGee at Sumner, but the Spartans are tough as usual on the offensive line and senior Santos Hernandez-Ruiz (130 yards per game) has been the latest to thrive in Keith Ross’ run scheme. Puyallup, meanwhile, will look to air the ball out more than the Spartans with senior quarterback Noah Smith (1,656 yards, 29 TD), who has been torching defenses to the tune of 276 passing yards per game. Boise State commit J’Isaiah Mitchell (560 yards, 10 TDs) and senior Luke Parker (539 yards, 14 TDs) have been Smith’s top targets. Anything can happen in a rivalry game, but we have a tough time picking against this juggernaut Puyallup team.
TNT pick: Puyallup 35, Sumner 21
PREDICTIONS FOR EVERY SOUTH SOUND GAME
THURSDAY’S GAMES (OCT. 15)
4A SPSL
Olympia over Bonney Lake
Bethel over Spanaway Lake
3A PSL
Lincoln over Bellarmine Prep
Peninsula over River Ridge
3A NPSL
White River over Kent-Meridian
Enumclaw over Auburn Mountainview
2A SPSL
Franklin Pierce over Eatonville
Orting over Steilacoom
FRIDAY’S GAMES (OCT. 16)
4A NPSL
Tahoma over Kentridge
Stadium over Auburn
4A SPSL
Graham-Kapowsin over Yelm
Curtis over South Kitsap
Puyallup over Sumner
3A PSL
Gig Harbor over Silas
Lakes over Timberline
Mount Tahoma over Central Kitsap
Capital over North Thurston
3A NPSL
Federal Way over Decatur
2A SPSL
Washington over Foss
Fife over Clover Park
2A EVCO/GSHL
Tumwater over Aberdeen
W.F. West over Black Hills
SATURDAY’S GAMES (OCT. 17)
4A NPSL
Kentwood over Mount Rainier
1A NISQUALLY
Annie Wright over East Jefferson
Cascade Christian over Klahowya