For the third year in a row, the Napavine Tigers were in the 2B state title game, and once again, quarterback Ashton Demarest was one of the best dual-threat options in all of 2B.
Demarest capped his stellar high school career with another spectacular season en route to earning All-Area MVP, throwing for 2,248 yards and 30 touchdowns while also leading the team on the ground, where he ran for nearly 1,000 yards and another 17 touchdowns.
Across his three years as the starter at Napavine, Demarest led the Tigers to a 36-3 record, and he never lost more than two games in a single season under center. When asked what came to mind when reflecting on his high school career, he had a simple answer.
“Winning,” Demarest said. “We didn’t lose much … We faced adversity even though sometimes it didn’t show. It was great to have that team throughout my high school career.”
While the Tigers fell just short of repeating as state champions a few weeks ago in Seattle, Demarest got the football experience of a lifetime when he took the field at Husky Stadium.
“It was something I’ve never experienced before,” Demarest said. “I mean, I sat in Michael Penix’s locker. I sat there the whole time. It was awesome. One in a million for sure.”
Demarest had his fair share of remarkable performances to help the Tigers get to Seattle.
Against PWV, he accounted for nearly 300 all-purpose yards and six total touchdowns. In two games against Onalaske, he threw for over 550 yards and accounted for nine touchdowns, including four in the state semifinals.
On three separate occasions this season, he threw and rushed for more than 100 yards, and in 11 of the Tigers’ 13 games, he scored at least one touchdown with both his arm and his legs.
Demarest’s high school football career is now in the rear view mirror, and he didn’t shut down the possibility of playing football at the next level.
While he’ll always cherish the 2022 state championship, he’ll also appreciate the bond he has made with his teammates over the years.
“It’s gonna be lifetime,” Demarest said.
The Chronicle’s 2023 all-area football team
Quarterback
Kayden Mozingo, Onalaska
The area’s leading rusher wasn’t even a running back this year; Mozingo racked up a mind-boggling 2,294 yards and 32 touchdowns under center for Onalaska, and came through when it mattered most, setting a single-game program record with 447 yards in the Loggers’ state quarterfinal win over Kalama.
Easton Kolb, Mossyrock
Mossyrock’s junior quarterback threw for 1,277 yards and 17 touchdowns with a completion percentage over 61%, and also accounted for 829 rushing yards and and a third of his side’s touchdowns on the ground, despite barely ever seeing the fourth quarter.
Running Back
Rodrigo Rodriguez, Onalaska
The other head in the Loggers’ two-headed monster might have been the most decorated “second option” in the state, hitting 2,024 yards on the ground and scoring 22 touchdowns as a junior.
Ethen Carver, Toledo
Carver shined in his first — and only — full season as the Riverhawk’s true workhorse tailback, going for 1,726 yards and 19 touchdowns as a senior.
Tate Quarnstrom, Rochester
It’s hard to pick just one Rochester tailback after four shared the load pretty evenly in a resurgence year for the Warriors. But Quarnstrom had the bulk of the big plays, with 14 touchdowns and 1,127 yards on 190 carries.
Kooper Clark, Tumwater
Tumwater’s leading tailback racked up 1,212 yards and 19 touchdowns on just 121 carries on the season, and starred in the T-Birds’ two-point semifinal win over North Kitsap, scoring all three of their touchdowns and going for 250 yards.
Michael Vassar, Tenino
One of two first-team all-leaguers for Tenino this fall, Vassar led the Beavers with 806 yards on the ground and scored nine touchdowns.
James Cusson, Winlock
Cusson took a couple games to really get going, but starting with a 366-yard performance against Sound Christian, had one of the best second halves of the season in the area, finishing with 1,340 yards.
Wide Receiver
Connor Coleman, W.F. West
With Gage Brumfield moved over to quarterback, it was time for another athletic sophomore to step up out wide for the Bearcats. Coleman slid into that role, leading W.F. West in catches (30) and receiving yards (422), and also proved to be a threat in the kick return game.
Karsen Denault, Napavine
Even having to sit out five games with a shoulder injury, Denault still led Napavine with 26 catches, 554 yards and 10 touchdowns, and earned first-team all-league honors in the C2BL North yet again.
Daniel Rodas, Oakville
Only so much of Rodas’ insane numbers can be chalked up to 8-man football; simply put, nobody caught the ball more. The senior led the area with 62 receptions for 1,238 yards and 11 touchdowns, and also came down with five interceptions on defense.
Gavan Muller, Adna
One of two first-team all league offensive players for the Pirates, Muller brought in eight catches and 346 yards on 24 receptions.
Blaine King, PWV
The only all-league wide receiver from the C2BL North who doesn’t go to Napavine, King racked up 769 yards on four receptions as one of the most productive area pass-catchers in the 11-man game.
Tight End:
Jack Ellison, Black Hills
A first-teamer on both sides of the ball for the Wolves as a senior, Ellison scored five touchdowns and logged 424 yards on 28 receptions as one of the most-used tight ends in the area.
Offensive Line:
Rylan McGraw, Onalaska
Onalaska’s rise back to the upper echelons of the 2B world had a lot to do with a resurgent offensive line, and McGraw had a whole lot to do with that improvement, leading the Loggers as a senior.
Jaden Nichols, Rochester
You don’t rack up 3,900 rushing yards as an offense without some big guys putting in work up front, and Nichols led the way week in and week out, playing every single snap this season at left tackle for the Warriors.
Nico Acosta, Toledo
The first-team all-C2BL South lineman helped anchor Toledo’s run-heavy offense, and also forced four fumbles and recovered another on defense.
Brady Larson, Tumwater
The biggest body on Tumwater’s offensive line made it onto the 2A EvCo all-league first team, blowing open holes for a T-Bird offense that set a program record for total yards gained in a season.
Jack Nelson, Napavine
The Napavine offensive line, like just about every other unit for the Tigers this season, was a dominant one, and Nelson led everything from the front, earning first-team all-C2BL South honors.
Defensive Line
Andrew Penland, W.F. West
W.F. West’s standout in the trenches logged 73 total tackles, finishing the season with eight tackles for loss and a sack.
Malijah Tucker, Tumwater
The 6-foot, 250-pound juniors ate up opposing backs in the trenches, finishing with 85 tackles — 18 of which were for loss — and eight sacks.
Tucker Land, W.F. West
There aren’t a ton of defensive linemen who also play slot receiver on the other side of the ball, but Land used his quickness to his advantage, logging 13.5 tackles for loss and four sacks.
Bayron Rodridguez, Toledo
The all-C2BL South lineman had a standing reservation in the opposing backfield, with 85 tackles and eight sacks. He also forced five fumbles, and took two back for touchdowns.
Dorien Cano, Rainier
The C2BL East/West Defensive Player of the Year had 76 tackles for Rainier and also logged five sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery.
Linebacker:
Nick Rushton, Onalaska
Rushton nabbed a spot on the C2BL south all-league first team after leading from the middle on a defense that pitched two shutouts and held two more opponents to single digits.
Marcus Miller, Centralia
One of two second-team all-EvCo selections for the Tigers, Miller logged 63 tackles — seven for loss — two sacks and a fumble recovery over the course of his senior season.
Cael Stanley, Napavine
The anchor in the middle of Napavine’s defense — and the most expressive player on the field at all times — earned first-team all league honors after leading a unit that held opponents under 15 points in nine games.
Cody Strozyk, PWV
One of two Titans on the C2BL North first-team defense, Strozyk racked up 84 tackles to lead Pe Ell-Willapa Valley.
Beckett Wall, Tumwater
The 2A EvCo first-team linebacker’s numbers are quite frankly a little insane: 123 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, nine sacks, two blocked kicks and an interception for good measure.
Cash Short, Tumwater
Wall’s partner in the middle of the Tumwater defense posted 101 tackles — 15 for loss — and three sacks, and also logged three interceptions as a linebacker.
Defensive Back
Cooper Lawrence, Onalaska
Onalaska’s front gets most of the attention, but Lawrence, a first-team all-C2BL South defensive back, held things down on the back end with seven interceptions.
Gage Brumfield, W.F. West
Brumfield stepped into a greater role for the Bearcats on offense, but still maintained his role as one of the best DBs in the 2A EvCo, logging 43 tackles and a pick.
James Grose, Napavine
The first-team all-league defensive back came away with four interceptions in the postseason alone for the Tigers, while also catching eight touchdowns on offense.
Eli Weeks, Toledo
Toledo’s sophomore on the outside came down with five interceptions — including a 99-yard pick-six against Rainier — and earned first-team all-C2BL South honors.
