It's The Tumwater -- Pressure And Franklin Pose Biggest Challenges To Thunderbirds' Bid For Third Straight Class AA Championship

Pressure.

It's the name of Tumwater's first football opponent this season.

Pressure.

It will remain on the schedule all season, on the side of every team the Thunderbirds face.

Pressure.

It grows with every victory Tumwater adds to its state-best 26-game winning streak, with every day Tumwater adds to its 1,021 consecutive days without a football loss.

This is the year the Thunderbirds can win an unprecedented third straight Class AA state championship. It would be their fourth in five years and mark the fifth straight year they have advanced as far as the state semifinals.

A new opponent joined the chase for the AA title when Metro-League Franklin, a Class AAA semifinalist last year, brought its football power to the newly aligned 15-team, all-AA Metro League.

But an old nemesis remains.

"You can't get away from the pressure that's involved, with the previews coming out and the rankings," Coach Sid Otten said. "But we've had some of that pressure over the past few years anyhow, and our past teams have done a good job handling the pressure and shutting out the distractions.

"Certainly that's a key. Can our '91 club do that, too?"

Tumwater, which returns four starting offensive linemen, starting quarterback Chris Doelman and 1,495-yard rusher Kevin Clark, is The Seattle Times' choice to win a third straight state championship - something no Class AAA or AA team has ever done.

The T-Birds also return Kevin's brother, Keith Clark, a two-year starter and major-college prospect, in the defensive secondary.

The team most likely to challenge Tumwater for the title is Franklin, which returns quarterback Corey Sampson, who also isone of the state's top defensive backs. Another strong Franklin line is anchored by senior Futi Talaga.

"I'd take Franklin in a heartbeat over Tumwater," said Ed Crafton, head coach of Metro rival Eastside Catholic. "Defensively, I don't think Tumwater could score. They (Quakers) have athletes that run and hit. And I don't think Tumwater's seen that kind of speed."

Franklin survived the first round of the playoffs last year with a 26-20 overtime victory over Port Angeles, then out-hit the hard-hitting wishbone of perennial power Kentwood for a 7-0 quarterfinal victory.

"I can't really tell you much about them (the Quakers), other then they certainly competed well in AAA," Otten said. "Where we saw speed last year was when we played Renton. They had some kids who could really fly."

Final score of that state quarterfinal game last year: Tumwater 54, Renton 13.

Perhaps not even Franklin can stop the T-Birds. Perhaps nothing can.

Perhaps only Pressure.

"The biggest roadblock is if we start thinking playoffs right now," Otten said.

Otten is not alone as he preaches patience, focus and the value of ignoring the forecasters.

In one year, two teams will try to do what no other has done in Class AAA or AA football.

Bob Lucey's Curtis Vikings, returning last year's Kingbowl player of the day, quarterback Brian Jensen, and their top two receivers, will fight pressure and league opponents in the toughest division in the state as they try for their third straight AAA title.

Despite losing nine two-year starters on defense to graduation, Tacoma's Curtis of the South Puget Sound League is the Times' pick to win again.

"I think the pressure is sometimes when you allow expectations from the outside to make you start to feel those expectations," Lucey said. "I think what you have to try to do is deal with your own expectations, your own goals.

"This team has it's own identity to establish. It isn't like we're the San Francisco 49ers coming back with the same personnel. It's a different team, a new makeup of people and new challenges."

In addition to Jensen, the Vikings return their top two receivers, seniors Jay Dumas and Justin Sundquist. Key linemen James Bunch and Brian Westcott also return.

"This year's team has shown a lot of maturity. They seem like they do understand it's a journey rather than a final attainment of that goal," Lucey said. "Ideally, you win the league, get in the playoffs and win the state championship, in that order."

He ought to know.

Tomorrow: State's best prep football players.

. TIMES' PRESEASON FOOTBALL POLLS. . -- Times staff reporter Gordon Wittenmyer rates the state's Top 10 Class AAA and AA high-school football teams heading into the 1991 season:. . CLASS AAA. . School 1990 Record. .

1. Curtis 12-1 # . .

2. Gonzaga Prep 4-4. .

3. Lakes 10-2. .

4. South Kitsap 9-2. .

5. Cascade 8-2. .

6. Newport 12-1. .

7. Kennewick 4-4. .

8. Kelso 6-3. .

9. Mead 10-1. . 10. Inglemoor 7-2. . Teams to watch (alphabetical order): Auburn (8-2), Bellarmine Prep (8-2), Bremerton (10-3) # # , Columbia River (6-4), Kentwood (9-2), Lake Washington (2-7), Pasco (7-2), Richland (11-1), Shorewood (7-3), Snohomish (5-4).. .

# -two-time defending Class AAA champion..

# # -played in Class AA in 1990..

. CLASS AA. . School 1990 Record. .

1. Tumwater 13-0 # . .

2. Franklin 10-1 # # . .

3. Aberdeen 7-2. .

4. Hazen 6-3. .

5. Anacortes 7-3. .

6. Cheney 11-1. .

7. West Valley-Yakima 7-3. .

8. Kennedy 6-3. .

9. O'Dea 9-1. . 10. Enumclaw 4-5. . Teams to watch (alphabetical order): Battle Ground (7-1), Clarkston (2-6), East Valley-Spokane (6-3), Franklin Pierce (5-4), Monroe (7-3), Peninsula (5-4), Prairie (5-5), Renton (9-2), Seattle Prep (8-2), Shelton (6-3).. .

# -two-time defending Class AA champion..

# # -played in Class AAA in 1990..