Been a while since you’ve attended a high school football game in your backyard?

If you live in Okanogan, Chelan, Douglas, Kittitas, Grant, Yakima or Klickitat counties, VarsityWA can help by identifying 10 exciting players at programs nearby to follow during the fall season.

To cover more ground, only one player per school in leagues such as the 4A CBBN, 2A CWAC, 1A Caribou Trail, 1A SCAC, 2B EWAC, 2B Central Washington and 1B Central Washington is being listed.

Editor’s note: Players selected don’t necessarily correlate with the VarsityWA preseason 100 or the preseason positional, classand classificationrankings published in July.

10 CENTRAL WA PLAYERS TO WATCH

1. RB Dax Jenks, Royal, sr. (1A)

Showed last season he rises in biggest moments, especially against elite programs.

2. ATH Max Grindy, Almira-Coulee-Hartline, sr. (1B)

If you’re new to eight-man football, this all-state MVP will give rousing introduction.

3. LB John Rainey, Moses Lake, jr. (4A)

Looks the beastly part getting off bus — and plays the part halting CBBN ball carriers.

4. QB Greyden Paz, Liberty Bell, sr. (2B)

Former 1B champion has dazzled 11-man defenses, too, with special dual-threat skills.

5. RB Tatum Gunn, Okanogan, jr. (2B)

Bulldogs always have a power back defenses don’t want to tackle, and he is that guy.

6. WR Dalton Hargraves, West Valley of Yakima, sr. (4A)

CBBN receiving leader as a junior, he just has a knack on how to get open anywhere.

7. RB Maverick Myers, Zillah, jr. (1A)

Zillah has nifty pass-game operation, but his presence as physical runner sets it all up.

8. QB Julian Villanueva, Sunnyside, sr. (4A)

He’s bouncy, elusive and courageous — and that has led to plenty of big off-script TDs.

9. RB Jayce McMahon, Cashmere, soph. (1A)

Has dominated at every level he’s played — and now it’s time to create varsity magic.

10. RB Calen Wuitschick, Selah, sr. (2A)

Workhorse ran it, caught it and returned it for nearly 1,500 all-purpose yards in 2025.

Honorable mention: RB Austin Zelinski, Eastmont, jr. (4A); RB George Seubert, Kittitas-Thorp, sr. (2B); WR Jose Acevedo, Wahluke, sr. (1A)

PREVIOUS LISTS

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