Here are 4 don't-miss stops around 2023 Washington high school summer football tour
After a whirlwind 2022 WIAA season, spring and summer football is underway and expected to have the state's best talent - team and individual - on display.
Here are four prominent summer-football events to monitor around Washington over the next couple of months:
AVERY STRONG COLLEGE SHOWCASE
Photo by Vince Miller
When: Sunday.
Where: Practice fields, Baker Stadium on University of Puget Sound campus, Tacoma
Schedule: Session I is offensive and defensive lineman, 9:30 a.m.-noon. Session II is running backs, tight ends and linebackers, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Sessions III is quarterbacks, wide receivers and defensive backs, 2 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Specialists have their own session from 12:15 p.m.-1:45 p.m.
Organizer/founder: Taylor Barton and Jeff Thomas.
Event debut year: 2023.
What to know: The Northwest's three-week "showcase circuit" - where recruits are able to performer in front of college coaches, at all levels, during the June evaluation period - kicks off Friday at Western Oregon, and eventually travels to Portland, Spokane and Parkland. But this inaugural event is expected to be the biggest one. Why? More than 500 athletes from 13 different states are expected to participate in front of coaches from UW, WSU, ASU, Texas and others. Some of the names expected to be in attendance include top 2024 recruits Jason Brown (O'Dea), Brayden Platt (Yelm), Hogan Hansen (Bellevue) and E.J. Caminong (Garfield); and top 2025 prospects T'Andre Waverly (Kamiak), Zaydrius Rainey-Sale (Bethel) and Jonathan Epperson (Auburn Riverside). But the biggest name attached to the event is Avery Huffman, daughter of 247Sports.com national recruiting editor Brandon Huffman, who died at age 7 from diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DPIG) - or fast growing brain tumors. The family set up a non-profit foundation in her name to raise money to help find a cure for this terrible disease.
---
PLU FOOTBALL SHOWCASE/11-on-11 PASSING TOURNAMENT
Photo by Vince Miller
When: June 17.
Where: Practice fields on Pacific Lutheran University campus, Parkland.
Schedule: The morning padded showcase is from 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m. The 11-v.-11 passing tournament is from 12:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.
Organizer/founder: Spencer Crace, Johnny DuRocher and Eric Kurle (brain trust).
Event debut year: 2018.
What to know: This is one of the stops from the aforementioned "showcase circuit" across the region. What makes this event so attractive to athletes, coaches and college recruiters is that both the individual workouts and 11-on-11 scrimmages are padded with helmets. "They get to see guys hit and play real football," Crace said. The afternoon competition has grown to 32 schools - featuring a host of returning state playoff programs (defending 3A champion Yelm, Emerald Ridge, Sumner, Graham-Kapowsin, Federal Way, Lincoln of Tacoma and possibly Eastside Catholic) and event newcomers (Skyline, Tahoma, Hanford, Snohomish, W.F. West). Expected to be in attendance are coaching staffs from UW, UCLA, Oregon State and California of the Pacific-12 Conference. Also, this year's extravaganza will partner up with the Steve Gervais Gridiron Football Camp (June 16-19), which will operate on campus and at nearby Washington High School.
---
THURSTON COUNTY TEAM CAMP
Photo by Vince Miller
When: June 23-24.
Where: Tumwater High School.
Schedule: First session of scrimmages each day are at 8:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 10:15 a.m., 11:15 a.m. and noon. Second session of scrimmages each day are at 2 p.m., 3 p.m., 3:45 p.m., 4:45 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Organizer/founder: Bill Beattie and Willie Garrow.
Event debut year: 2018.
What to know: Five years ago, former Thunderbirds coach Bill Beattie began reaching out to local programs he knew to gauge interest in having a round-robin series of scrimmages. Now, it has grown to a popular 16-school, two-day event. "Overnight team camps cost kids a lot of money," said Willie Garrow, the new Tumwater coach. "This is a lot more affordable." Two of the expected participants are schools that were in the WIAA semifinals last fall - Graham-Kapowsin in 4A, and Bellevue in 3A. Varsity programs will get up to six hour-long scrimmages over two days while junior-varsity and 'C' teams get 45-minute scrimmages.
---
LAKEWOOD COUGARS CHAMPIONSHIP 7-vs-7 PASSING TOURNAMENT
Photo by Steve Faber
When: July 29.
Where: Lakewood High School, Arlington.
Schedule: Games go from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Organizer/founder: Dan Teeter, Adam McShane and Dawn Taylor.
Event debut year: 2008.
What to know: The state's most prolific 7-on-7 passing tournament is back for another year - even if the leading voice is different. Dan Teeter founded this event 15 years ago, but stepped down as Lakewood football coach during the offseason. Adam McShane is the new coach and is now expected to take on the largest organizational role (although Teeter is still involved). "It's Dan's baby," McShane said. "He feels like it keeps this community on the map." The 24-team tournament still features the state's biggest hitters - two-time defending event (and 4A state champion) Lake Stevens, Kennedy Catholic, Bothell, North Creek and newcomer Eastlake, as well as 2A runner-up North Kitsap and state contender Anacortes. But this event is all about pure fun, too, with a multi-event "Lineman Challenge" where the big boys compete in running relays, a tug-o-war and tire-flip competitions. As McShane noted, "It's a a great way to wrap up the summer."
---
