4A preview: Kentwood vs. Capital

Kentwood Conquerors

Coach: Tom Ingles, 104-37 in 13 years at Kentwood.

Season snapshot: 12-1 overall, 7-1 in South Puget Sound League North Division (2nd). Riding 12-game win streak after 22-20 season-opening loss to Kentridge. Won back-to-back overtime games against Woodinville and Snohomish to reach quarterfinals, where they upset No. 1 Bethel, 20-7.

Scouting report: Conquerors have played crushing defense the past two weeks and must continue the trend against an explosive Capital team that scored 40 or more points five times. Also must pass effectively to keep the Cougars from loading up against run.

Three to watch: RB Will Thompson (5-4, 150, Jr.), transfer from Mount Rainier who didn't play football last year, rushed for 1,638 yards in 10 games and scored 15 TDs; LB Tahj Bomar (6-2, 210, Sr.), a Washington signee, led team in tackles the past two seasons and has 122 this year (76 solo); LB Ryan Conwell (6-5, 210, Sr.) has 12-1/2 sacks and 10 other tackles for loss.

Numerology: 36 quarterback sacks by Kentwood. Eleven players have at least one.

Playoff pedigree: Won first state football title last year by beating Pasco, the defending champion, after runner-up finishes in 1999, 1989 and '88. Kentwood is tied with South Kitsap for most playoff victories in Class 4A with 27.

Quick kick: "I want one."

— Thompson, on the championship rings players from the 2001 title team wear.

Inside slant: Ingles, who guided Liberty of Issaquah to the Class AA (now 3A) title in 1988, is only the second football coach in the history of Kentwood, which opened 1980 with Dave Lutes (now Kent School District athletic director) at the helm.

Capital Cougars

Coach: Wayne Sortun, 111-59 in 17 years at Capital.

Season snapshot: 10-2 overall, 5-2 in Narrows League Bay Division (tie for 2nd). Cougars from Olympia started league games 3-2, then won final four to win a three-way playoff with Lincoln of Tacoma and Olympia to advance to opening round of state playoffs. Edged KingCo champion Bothell in quarterfinals, 24-21, then went two overtimes to eliminate Walla Walla in semifinals, 34-28.

Scouting report: Cougars' wing-T offense must establish a running game and try to keep Kentwood's defense off-balance with some misdirection and passing. They can't afford turnovers.

Three to watch: WB Jordan Carey (6-0, 198, Sr.) Oregon signee is all-around threat with 2,421 all-purpose yards and 25 TDs; QB Jon Oatman (5-8, 165, Sr.) is 80-of-134 passing for 1,249 yards, 18 TDs, 9 INTs; FB Ben Tolman (5-8, 180, Jr.) has 156 carries for 1,205 rushing yards, 16 TDs.

Numerology: 160 points scored in two games. Capital beat Stadium 78-13 and Mount Tahoma 82-21.

Playoff pedigree: Won 3A titles in 1996 and '98, then jumped to 4A in '99 and lost to Kentwood in semifinals.

Quick kick: "I think it's going to come down to defense."

— Sortun, on 4A final.

Inside slant: This will be Capital's ninth straight road game. Sortun is an Anacortes grad who was a senior starting guard for UW when QB Sonny Sixkiller was a sophomore.

— Sandy Ringer