New look: NPSL football headed to three divisions

New look: NPSL football headed to three divisions

Change made for the sake of competitive balance

  • By Kevin Hanson Senior Writer
  • Wednesday, January 31, 2018 2:59pm
  • Sports

Change is coming to local high football schedules next season as the North Puget Sound League 4A expands from two to three divisions.

The league’s athletic directors supported the change – in the name of competitive balance – and it became official Jan. 22 when school principals gave their blessing.

Presently, the NPSL’s 16 member schools are equally divided into Olympic and Cascade divisions. Enumclaw sits in the Olympic with the three Auburn schools and the three Federal Way schools (Federal Way High, Thomas Jefferson, Decatur and Todd Beamer). The Cascade Division includes Hazen, Kennedy Catholic, Mount Rainier, Tahoma and the four Kent schools.

Beginning with the 2018-19 school year – and for football only – there will be three divisions and new alignments for fans to follow.

• The Mountain Division will be made up of Enumclaw, Kentwood, Todd Beamer, Auburn Riverside, Kennedy Catholic and Tahoma.

• The Valley Division will include Auburn Mountainview, Hazen, Auburn, Federal Way and Kentlake.

• The Sound Division will have Kent-Meridian, Decatur, Thomas Jefferson, Mount Rainier and Kentridge.

The three-tiered approach was promoted by Dave Lutes, commissioner of the NPSL and athletic director for the Kent School District. Phil Engebretsen, athletic director at Enumclaw High School, explained that the goal is to make the entire league more competitive by linking together teams of similar strengths.

Engebretsen reported that Enumclaw voted against the change but will support the majority decision. He said Enumclaw’s desire was to see athletes in all sports playing in the same leagues, rather than separating football from the rest.

Also opposing the idea was the man in charge of the Enumclaw football program.

“If it was up to me, I wouldn’t have done it,” coach Mark Gunderson said. He points out the goal of a three-tiered approach is to provide some balance, but the Hornets’ third game next fall is against Decatur. The Gators are in the weakest of the three divisions, coming off a 2017 in which they won just three of 10 games.

Gunderson also is no fan of the schedule that gives the Mountain Division’s top two teams a Week 9 bye. While it might be viewed as a reward for success, he said, “you take a Friday night away from the kids.”

The NPSL’s 16 schools were divided not for reasons of geography, travel or traditional rivalries. Rather, the goal was competitive balance. Engebretsen said football records were considered for the past two seasons and the three divisions were crafted based upon on-field success. Enumclaw, coming off an 8-2 campaign that included a league championship, is in the toughest of the three divisions. The Valley Division is a step down, and the new Sound Division includes teams that have struggled in recent years.

The numbers show the sorting-out process worked as anticipated. The six teams now making up the Mountain Division combined last season to post an impressive cumulative record of 44-18 and all had winning records; the five teams now comprising the Valley Division were a bit better than break-even at 26-25; and the five schools the will initially make up the Sound Division went 8-41 last fall, all with losing records.

The idea is that pairing teams of similar talent will improve competition, meaning fewer lopsided outcomes.


Talk to us

Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.

To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website http://kowloonland.com.hk/?big=submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.

More in Sports

Mason St. Louis battles for a loose ball. Ben Ray / The Reporter
Kentwood boys basketball keeps hot streak alive

Conks are winners of seven of their last eight games this season.

Sebastian Arius brings the ball up the floor for Auburn Mountainview in a Dec. 17 game vs. Federal Way High School. Ben Ray / Sound Publishing
Holiday sports: Here’s what I’m watching | Bench Talk with Ben Ray

The NBA slate of games was the thing to watch on Christmas. But now the NFL wants some of the action, with two games on the docket Christmas Day.

Seattle Thunderbirds defenseman Sawyer Mynio is part of the Canada National Junior Team competing in the IHHF World Junior Championship Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Ottawa, Ontario. COURTESY PHOTO, Brian Liesse, Seattle Thunderbirds
Kent-based Thunderbirds’ Sawyer Mynio makes Canada National Junior Team

Team competes Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in World Junior Championships

Graphic provided by Kent School District.
Kent Reporter Athletes of the Week: Kentwood

Dayna Vi (Jr.) wrestling and Brandon Tagle (Jr.) basketball take home this weeks awards.

Kentwood’s Jessica Ajayi dribbles the ball up the floor. Ben Ray / The Reporter
Kentwood girls basketball drops fourth straight

Team falls to Riverside for first time since 2017. Head Coach Jordan Nero: ‘We’ll find a way, we always do.’

t
Hundreds participate in Kent Christmas Rush run/walk

Seattle’s Nathan Morrisson wins 10K; Kent’s Travis Houser captures 5K

Graphic provided by KSD.
Kent Reporter Athlete of the Week: Kentridge

Genesis Miller (Flag Football) and Gio Moimoi (Basketball) take home this weeks award.

Veronica Garcia gives an interview after winning the 2A girls 400-meter final at the 2024 Washington State Championships at Mt. Tahoma High School in Tacoma. (Screenshot from Runnerspace.com video)
Proposals seek new rules for transgender athletes in WA schools

Other proposals target student-athlete transfer rules and girls flag football.

Tyanna Sims drives to the basket against Auburn in the loss. Ben Ray / The Reporter
Trojans sweep aside Kentwood in doubleheader

Both boys and girls basketball teams lose to Auburn in NPSL opening play.

Senior running back Antoine Lee avoids a Trojan defender early in the game against Auburn. Ben Ray / The Reporter
4A NPSL all-league football teams announced

Kentwood’s Antoine Lee named Offensive Player of the Year.

Photo provided by Kent School District.
Kent Reporter Athletes of the Week: Kentridge

Addison Stendera and Riley Tricas take home this weeks awards.

Makenna Bennett in action against Tahoma back on Oct. 22 at Kentridge. Ben Ray / The Reporter
Kentridge girls soccer advances to state

Chargers make state for second consecutive year, take on Wenatchee.