HS Football: Kennedy Catholic with statement win in NPSL 4A over Kentwood

9/26/2025

Kennedy Catholic 49, Kentwood 14

(Kent, WA) The showdown for early control of the NPSL 4A league was on display at French Field with 2-1 Kentwood hosting 1-2 Kennedy Catholic. Both teams were 1-0 in league play and the Conks had lost to Emerald Ridge in their opener and beat Spanaway Lake in week 2. In their league opener they put up 63 on Auburn Riverside. So the Conks were coming in with 2 wins and scoring an average of 42 points a game.

Kennedy Catholic chose to face a couple of really tough non-league opponents opening against Bothell losing 33-28 then getting shut out by 4a defending champs Sumner 28-0. The Lancers bounced back with a dominating 42-17 win over Tahoma. Although 1-2, going into this game if you thought K-C was down you’d be mistaken.

Kentwood ready to show they’re to be considered one of the top programs in the NPSL got bad news as their quarterback Brandon Tagle was dealing with an illness and could not play. Coach Quincey Davison said sophomore Caleb Erickson would get the start and they expected to run their full offense.

After a couple of possessions, Kennedy Catholic began to find their roll and boy did they. As they got to the 15 of Kentwood with a 3rd and 10 the Lancers ran the counter out of their Wing T offense and wing back Brayden Seiber took the handoff from Nikko Lecksiwilai and found a huge hole over the left scooting in for 6 with about 3 minutes to go in the opening quarter. Maximo Rivera hit the PAT and it was 7-0 K-C,

Erickson and the Kentwood offense could not get anything going and it was not all because of Erickson, the offense couldn’t get anything going and after 3 possessions the Conks had run 9 plays and had 2 yards of offense.

The Lancers were taking advantage and would score on 5 straight possessions. On their 2nd touchdown, QB Danta Saladino found a streaking Jordan Noel for a 36-yard strike. They followed that up with 37 Saladino to Noel connection to go up 21-0. Lecksiwilai would pound in the score from the 2 yard line and it was 28-0 with 6:55 to play in the half.

Kentwood then made a change at QB bringing in Chance Savini. Savini and the Conks took over on their own 28 with 6:42 to play. After a big 25 yard run from Marquise Jones the Conks worked their way to the 7 yard line where Savini found a big hole over the left side and walked into the end zone for 6. Rocco Miceli added the extra point and it was 28-7.

Kennedy Catholic wasted little time in answering on the 3rd play of the drive from the 55 yard line, Saladino once again found his favorite target Jordan Noel in the flat just trying to pick up the 2nd and 5 but instead Noel popped it for 59 yards and the score to push the Lancer lead back to 28, 35-7.

Kentwood wasn’t finished though and it was the Conks turn to score a 59 yard touchdown. Savini dropped back and found Romeo Cabangsag III on a crossing route. Cabangsag then turned up field found and hole and finished it 59 yards later with the PAT cutting the deficit back to 21 points. That’s how it would go to the half with Kennedy Catholic up 35-14 but the Conks with 2 late scores and a little momentum heading into the 2nd half and they would get to start with the ball.

As the 2nd half started it was all about whether or not Kentwood cold further dig into that lead and if they could score on the 2nd half opening drive cutting the lead to 35-21 then it would be interesting.

Instead the K-C defense led by the front big guys in Derek Colman-Brusa, Jaylinn Haywood and linebacker Kael Copeland put the squeeze on the Conks shutting down their running game and pressuring Savini. Kennedy Catholic would score on their 1st possession of the 2nd half making it 42-14 and that would be it for Kentwood. The Lancers added a final score late with their reserves in the game.

K-C’s kicker Maximo Rivera went 7-7 in PAT’s and Miceli hit both of his for Kentwood so combined the kickers were perfect 9-9.

Our Sumner Holiday Inn Express MVP of the game went to Jordan Noel with consideration to Dante Saladino and Derek Colman-Brusa. Had Kentwood made the miraculous comeback Chance Savini would have led our considerations.

Kennedy Catholic left the field with a pretty big statement that the NPSL will go through the Lancers and claimed their spot tied with Stadium at the top of the standings both at 2-0. K-C is 2-2 overall and will travel to Auburn next Thursday.

Kentwood will hope to get Tagle back next week and likely try to forget this game as quickly as possible. They have a chance to stake their claim again when they travel to Stadium next Saturday afternoon at 1pm. The Conks are now 2-2 on the season and 1-1 in league play.

Stats

Kennedy Catholic
Total Yards: 439
Rushing 215
Lecksiwilai 14/79 td, Copeland 8/47 td, Seiber 2/14 td, Hammer 3/53, Saladino 2/-15, Fitzgerald 2/13, Anderson 2/8, Lapsa 4/10, Marshall 1/6 td
Passing 222
Saladino 8/11 222 3td int
Receiving
3 Noel 4/142 3td, Seiber 1/-5, Fitzgerald 1/38, Copeland 1/47

Kentwood
Total Yards: 187
Rushing 96
Savini 6/25 td, Jones 7/44, Williams 4/26, Moaalii 3/-2, Erickson 3/-3, Mayfield 1/6
Passing 91
Savini 4/8 76 td, int
Erickson 3/6 15 int
Receiving
20 Cabansag III 1/59 td, Mayfield 3/15, Jones 1/5, Miceli 1/0