Prep football picks: Experts make their Week 1 predictions
Published 7:57 am Thursday, September 3, 2026
And here we go!
The long wait is over, and football is back.
Few forms of entertainment these days provide more fun for your entertainment dollar than going to a high school sporting event. Though our panel of local high school football experts may know — for the most part — who’s going to win, it’s still worth finding your way off the couch and into a local high school football stadium to see it for yourself.
These picks are just for fun. As KRKO Radio and Everett AquaSox public address announcer Tom Lafferty says during between-inning contests: No wagering.
Tune in to KRKO 6:30 p.m. on Friday for the live broadcast of a matchup of state powers as Graham-Kapowsin visits Lake Stevens.
Here are the picks for Week 1 of the high school football season from the experts:
Aaron Coe | Herald Sports Editor
Auburn over Snohomish
Archbishop Murphy over Bellingham
Lake Stevens over Graham-Kapowsin
Glacier Peak over Skyview
Mount Si over Arlington
Stanwood over Edmonds-Woodway
Mountlake Terrace over Lakewood
Monroe over Jackson
Ferndale over Everett
Shorecrest over Mariner
Cascade over Marysville Pilchuck
Marysville Getchell over Lynnwood
Cedarcrest over Shorewood
Mount Vernon over Meadowdale
Nanakuli (Hawaii) over Granite Falls
King’s over Annie Wright
Lynden over Sultan
Neah Bay over Darrington
Lincoln (Tacoma) over Kamiak
Tom Lafferty | KRKO Radio
Snohomish over Auburn
Archbishop Murphy over Bellingham
Lake Stevens over Graham-Kapowsin
Glacier Peak over Skyview
Mount Si over Arlington
Edmonds-Woodway over Stanwood
Mountlake Terrace over Lakewood
Monroe over Jackson
Ferndale over Everett
Shorecrest over Mariner
Marysville Pilchuck over Cascade
Marysville Getchell over Lynnwood
Cedarcrest over Shorewood
Meadowdale over Mount Vernon
Nanakuli (Hawaii) over Granite Falls
King’s over Annie Wright
Lynden over Sultan
Darrington over Neah Bay
Lincoln (Tacoma) over Kamiak
Steve Willits | Co-Host Prep Sports Weekly
Auburn over Snohomish
Archbishop Murphy over Bellingham
Lake Stevens over Graham-Kapowsin
Glacier Peak over Skyview
Mount Si over Arlington
Stanwood over Edmonds-Woodway
Mountlake Terrace over Lakewood
Monroe over Jackson
Ferndale over Everett
Mariner over Shorecrest
Cascade over Marysville Pilchuck
Lynnwood over Marysville Getchell
Cedarcrest over Shorewood
Mount Vernon over Meadowdale
Nanakuli (Hawaii) over Granite Falls
King’s over Annie Wright
Lynden over Sultan
Neah Bay over Darrington
Lincoln (Tacoma) over Kamiak
2025 champion: Steve Willits
