Washington high school football: A look at West Sound's top returning prep players in 2023
Every high school football program has them. Impact players. The ones you see consistently performing on Friday nights.
Maybe it's the quarterback slinging passes all around the field, or the running back chewing up yardage on every carry. Maybe it's the hulking lineman putting opponents on their back, or the linebacker who tackles everything in sight.
With preseason football practice set to kick off Aug. 16, here's a look at the names to know in West Sound who figure to be impact players for their respective teams this fall:
Oliver Christian, Bremerton
The senior was a beast on both sides of the ball last season. At running back, he carried the ball 108 times for 802 yards and nine touchdowns. At linebacker, he led the Knights with 92 tackles while adding 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
Cole Edwards, North Kitsap
Edwards wasn't even a full-time starter at quarterback heading into Week 1 of the 2022 season, but the junior earned the spot and finished with 1,850 passing yards and 22 passing touchdowns while leading the Vikings to second place in Class 2A.
DeQuan Freeland, Olympic
The 6-foot-4, 310-pound junior will join senior Ben Cardot (6-3, 300) and sophomore Sawyer Williams (6-2, 290) to provide the beef along the Trojans' offensive line.
Prep football schedule: West Sound's Week 1 matchups for the 2023 season
Tristan Hall, Central Kitsap
The senior receiver finished tops among Cougar wideouts last season with 35 catches, 419 yards and five touchdowns. Expect to see those numbers go up this fall.
Boden Harvey, South Kitsap
Harvey rushed for 717 yards last season as a sophomore while playing wing-back in South Kitsap's flexbone offense. With new head coach Sean Banks opting for a different offensive scheme, Harvey will shift to slot receiver.
Jorden Lee, South Kitsap
Lee is moving from running back to quarterback as the Wolves look to get the ball in the dynamic senior's hands as often as possible. He finished tied for eighth in the South Puget Sound League 4A last fall with 871 all-purpose yards.
Cole McCormick, North Mason
The Bulldogs graduated top cornerback Dakota Filer, so the senior McCormick will be counted upon to be a veteran presence in North Mason's secondary.
Carson Moore, Klahowya
Winning a state title with Klahowya's baseball team in the spring, Moore earned All-Nisqually League 1A first-team honors at receiver and defensive back during his sophomore football season. He caught 42 passes for 735 yards and seven touchdowns, while adding 107 rushing yards and three scores.
Luke Silva, Olympic
The senior receiver saw his 2022 campaign cut short after seven games due to a sprained ankle, but he still amassed 32 catches for 479 yards and eight touchdowns. He's an important red-zone target in the passing game.
Camden Singer, Kingston
The senior led the Buccaneers' defense with 82 tackles last season. Also proved to be a steady rusher with 775 yards and 11 touchdowns. Will be an important piece for new head coach Ethan Goldizen.
Logan Sloman, North Kitsap
Last season's Kitsap Sun football player of the year set numerous single-season receiving records (71 catches, 1,008 yards, 14 touchdowns) while earning Olympic League 2A most valuable player honors. The senior also impressed at cornerback, finishing with a West Sound-best eight interceptions.
Logan Sweeny, Bainbridge
New Spartans head coach Dan Schoonmaker said the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder has been working his tail off this summer. He'll man the tight end position on offense and expect Sweeny to accumulate a ton of tackles at linebacker.
EJ Vailolo, North Kitsap
Since Sofian Hammou graduated, the 6-foot-3, 265-pound Vailolo is now the main man on the Vikings' defensive line. The senior finished with 47 tackles and 4.5 sacks last season.
This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Washington prep football: West Sound's top returning players
