Preseason 3A All State 1st & 2nd Team – Defense

The Washington 3A Preseason All-State team is structured to highlight those individuals who project to be the most valuable on their individual teams. It is NOT a list with just the top recruits. Instead of honorable mention picks you will see extended 1st & 2nd team selections. Also referenced will be the Offensive & Defensive POY candidates.    Please note that this is not an all-conference breakdown, so it will be much more difficult to make this team when incorporating the entire state. Check it..           Defensive POY Candidates (#1-4)   1.[player_tooltip player_id='402799' first='Wassie' last='Lugolobi'] 26' LB Eastside Catholic   2.[player_tooltip player_id='652796' first='Liufau' last='Loumoli'] 27' LB Eastside Catholic   3.[player_tooltip player_id='284217' first='FA' last='Siale'] 26' DE O'Dea   4.[player_tooltip player_id='693729' first='Sage' last='Salopek'] 25' DB O'Dea            Defensively it's a phenomenal group of underclassmen, highlighted by Eastside Catholic's [player_tooltip player_id='402799' first='Wassie' last='Lugolobi'] and one of the nation's top LB's in [player_tooltip player_id='652796' first='Liufau' last='Loumoli']. Look for EC to be a title favorite largely because of their D. Lugolobi has a stock which is rising quickly with Loumoli being offered by the likes of Michigan, Ohio St, and Oregon.    O'Dea has an elite group of young guys as well. [player_tooltip player_id='284217' first='FA' last='Siale'] made a name for himself early with him and [player_tooltip player_id='402788' first='David' last='Schwerzel'] projecting as one the top D line combos in America for the 2026 class. Teammate [player_tooltip player_id='693729' first='Sage' last='Salopek'] has multiple D1 offers and is maybe the fastest player in Washington. Look for him to have an unreal senior campaign.    Don't be surprised if [player_tooltip player_id='987160' first='Damaad' last='Lewis'] ends up in the POY conversation with undersized D lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1136390' first='Johnny' last='O'Connor'] being one of the best overall defensive players in the state. LB [player_tooltip player_id='348143' first='Ryken' last='Moon'] had an outstanding junior year on D, making 51 tackles with 4 INTS. Bellevue is legit.    Other lineman to make note of include Idaho commit [player_tooltip player_id='656961' first='Cody' last='Thumlert'] who will be a leader for the Eastside D, with fellow Vandal commit [player_tooltip player_id='693723' first='Jaymar' last='Tasi'] looking like a problem for opponents on the interior. 2026 D line standout [player_tooltip player_id='1354431' first='Jeremiah' last='Nonu'] earned 1st team all-conference honors as a sophomore and showed flashes of dominance.    [player_tooltip player_id='693685' first='Dre' last='Sio-Fetaui'] returns after earning 1st team all-state honors last season at LB, with 6-4 rising prospect [player_tooltip player_id='348155' first='Joseph' last='Fuavai'] sitting with a handful of D1 offers.    Don't sleep on the underclass Lakes' kids with [player_tooltip player_id='726154' first='Ta'u' last='Mareko'] making 100+ tackles as a sophomore and adding a UW offer. His 2027 teammate [player_tooltip player_id='1188110' first='Michael' last='Pulalasi'] looks like the real deal, finishing with 74 tackles and 5 tackles for loss as a freshman.   DB [player_tooltip player_id='1165368' first='Elijah' last='Durr'] of Mount Tahoma should be considered one of the best in the West for his class. His 50+ tackles and 2 INTs as a sophomore, along with offers from the likes of Michigan St, Wisconsin, and UW speak to that. Other top defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='348140' first='D'Aryhian' last='Clemons'] will likely end up in the secondary at Washington.   [player_tooltip player_id='1136301' first='Bryce' last='Smith'] will project as the state's top safety although he can play the CB spot.            1ST TEAM ALL STATE DEFENSE       DL [player_tooltip player_id='284217' first='FA' last='Siale'] 26' O'Dea   DL [player_tooltip player_id='402788' first='David' last='Schwerzel'] 26' O'Dea   DL [player_tooltip player_id='656961' first='Cody' last='Thumlert'] 25' Eastside Catholic    DL [player_tooltip player_id='987160' first='Damaad' last='Lewis'] 26' Bellevue    DL [player_tooltip player_id='1136390' first='Johnny' last='O'Connor'] 25' Bellevue   DL [player_tooltip player_id='693723' first='Jaymar' last='Tasi'] 25' Roosevelt    DL [player_tooltip player_id='1354431' first='Jeremiah' last='Nonu'] 26' O'Dea   LB [player_tooltip player_id='402799' first='Wassie' last='Lugolobi'] 26' Eastside Catholic   LB [player_tooltip player_id='652796' first='Liufau' last='Loumoli'] 27' Eastside Catholic   LB [player_tooltip player_id='693685' first='Dre' last='Sio-Fetaui'] 25' Lincoln    LB [player_tooltip player_id='348155' first='Joseph' last='Fuavai'] 25' O'Dea    LB [player_tooltip player_id='726154' first='Ta'u' last='Mareko'] 26' Lakes    LB [player_tooltip player_id='1188110' first='Michael' last='Pulalasi'] 27' Lakes    LB [player_tooltip player_id='348143' first='Ryken' last='Moon'] 25' Bellevue    DB [player_tooltip player_id='693729' first='Sage' last='Salopek'] 25' O'Dea    DB [player_tooltip player_id='1165368' first='Elijah' last='Durr'] 26' Mount Tahoma   DB [player_tooltip player_id='348140' first='D'Aryhian' last='Clemons'] 25' Spanaway Lake    DB [player_tooltip player_id='1136301' first='Bryce' last='Smith'] 25' Bellevue    DB [player_tooltip player_id='693720' first='Rasaan' last='Thomas'] 25' O'Dea            2ND TEAM ALL STATE DEFENSE       DL [player_tooltip player_id='1165399' first='Tupu' last='Saleaumua'] 26' Lakes    DL [player_tooltip player_id='726149' first='Anthony' last='Mancao'] 26' Lincoln   DL [player_tooltip player_id='726167' first='Phillip' last='Riley'] 26' Auburn Mountainview   DL [player_tooltip player_id='945864' first='Jackson' last='Pidgeon'] 25' Bellevue     DL [player_tooltip player_id='1136386' first='Taysean' last='Taylor'] 25' Newport    DL [player_tooltip player_id='693690' first='Brennan' last='Sheppard'] 25' Monroe    DL [player_tooltip player_id='1087711' first='Makhi' last='Miller'] 25' Evergreen    DL [player_tooltip player_id='726158' first='Apela' last='Sarte'] 25' Lakes    DL [player_tooltip player_id='899871' first='Mathaias' last='Kalepo'] 26' Bellevue   DL [player_tooltip player_id='1136303' first='Paki' last='Crawford'] 25' Roosevelt   LB [player_tooltip player_id='1165346' first='Shan' last='Jones'] 26' Mount Tahoma    LB [player_tooltip player_id='348177' first='Mark' last='Williams'] 25' Evergreen    LB [player_tooltip player_id='348163' first='Carson' last='McKelheer'] 25' Eastside Catholic    LB [player_tooltip player_id='1136328' first='Dominique' last='Ervin'] 25' Mount Tahoma    LB [player_tooltip player_id='1136331' first='Cooper' last='Rodarte'] 25' Enumclaw    DB [player_tooltip player_id='1136369' first='Josiah' last='Alanis'] 25' Evergreen    DB [player_tooltip player_id='652802' first='Elias' last='Tulifua'] 27' Eastside Catholic   DB [player_tooltip player_id='1165459' first='Tyrone' last='Jones'] 26' Lincoln    DB [player_tooltip player_id='726174' first='Israel' last='Nabors'] 26' Rainier Beach    DB [player_tooltip player_id='1136403' first='Oliver' last='Farivar'] 25' Lake Washington   DB [player_tooltip player_id='945839' first='Jakai' last='Clardy'] 25' Evergreen    DB [player_tooltip player_id='693689' first='Jerimyah' last='Mitchell'] 25' Garfield    DB [player_tooltip player_id='1368334' first='Elijah' last='Carney'] 27' Lincoln   DB [player_tooltip player_id='693686' first='De'Arius' last='Hawkins'] 25' Spanaway Lake    DB [player_tooltip player_id='987166' first='Cassius' last='Culpepper'] 26' Rainier Beach