2026 Bonney Lake Football Preview: New Era, Brutal League

Bonney Lake football enters 2026 with a brand-new coaching staff trying to turn the page on a rough 2025, and they're doing it in one of the toughest football landscapes in the state. The Panthers finished last season 3-6 overall and 1-4 in league play, good for 5th place in the SPSL South. That's the honest starting point for this year's story: not a rebuild from nothing, but a program looking to climb back up a stacked ladder.

The League Is Loaded, and Bonney Lake Caught a Break

The SPSL 4A South Division puts Bonney Lake alongside Bethel, Graham-Kapowsin, Olympia, Spanaway Lake, and Yelm. Graham-Kapowsin alone would make this one of the toughest divisions in the state, the Eagles made the state semifinals a season ago and return sophomore-turned-junior quarterback AJ Tuivaiave, a player who already holds offers from Washington, Oregon, Miami, BYU, Arizona State, and more, and still hasn't committed anywhere. His top target, Jayce Halasz, is a four-star receiver with offers from Alabama, Oregon, and USC. Add in Montana State commit Kase Betz, and the Eagles are stacked from top to bottom.

Here's the good news: Bonney Lake doesn't have to see two of the scariest teams in the SPSL this fall. Puyallup, the state's preseason No. 1 team, and Sumner, the Panthers' own district rival, both sit in the SPSL North, meaning the only way Bonney Lake crosses paths with either is deep in the playoffs.

And what a pair to dodge. Sumner enters the year defending back-to-back 4A state titles and chasing something no program has ever done in the classification's history, a third consecutive championship. Even without star receiver Braylon Pope, the state's consensus No. 1 recruit for 2027 and a Washington Huskies commit who's out for the season after shoulder surgery, the Spartans return enough talent to still be ranked No. 7 in the state. Puyallup, meanwhile, rolls out its own arsenal, quarterback Noah Smith, Boise State commit J'Isaiah Mitchell, running back duo Briytan Bailey and Malcolm Akuffo, and Washington commit Gecova Doyal up front. That's the level of talent the SPSL is producing right now, and Bonney Lake gets to watch it from the other side of the bracket instead of across the line of scrimmage.

A New Staff Building Something

Ashton Bruce takes over as head coach after spending last season as offensive coordinator at Orting. He brought two experienced hires with him: Gordon Elliott as defensive coordinator, a 51-year coaching veteran and 2014 Washington State Football Coaches Hall of Fame inductee, and Eric Jarvis as offensive coordinator, who coached quarterbacks under Bruce at Orting and also runs Bonney Lake's girls flag football program.

"The identity I want to build is one that is rooted in discipline, accountability, relentless effort," Bruce said. "We want to be a physical, tough, disciplined football team that plays with great energy and plays for each other."

Camp has been encouraging so far, according to Bruce, with a group that's responded well to a new system and a higher standard. "Guys are flying around, competing for spots, encouraging each other and refusing to quit on plays," he said. "We're nowhere near where we want to be yet, but I like the mentality I'm seeing."

Names to Know

Senior Colt Miller is one of this year's team captains, and he brings a track record to back it up. Miller led the Panthers in touchdowns a season ago, and after doing it from under center, he's back this year lined up at running back on offense and safety on defense.

Senior Aidan Samson, who also saw time at quarterback last season, steps into the full-time starting role this year, with freshman Austin Goodnight developing right behind him.

On defense, senior Cody Cano is a name worth knowing. A first-team all-league selection, Cano led the Panthers in tackles last season and returns as a proven leader on that side of the ball.

Bonney Lake also adds a new piece up front in junior Johnathan Cherney, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound defensive end who transferred in and has already made a strong impression. Coach Bruce says Cherney has been "super committed" since joining the program and projects as a leader on the defensive line.

Sophomore Xavier Wise is set to be a true two-way player, starting at wide receiver and cornerback while also handling punt and kick return duties, and senior Mason Weibl, by most accounts the strongest player on the roster at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, will anchor both the offensive and defensive lines.

Early buzz around the program also points to junior Asher Reynolds as a name to follow this year. He's set to play wide receiver and the dime spot on defense, and looks like a player Panther fans could be talking about a lot more by the end of the season.

The Schedule

Bonney Lake opens the season at home on Sept. 3 against White River, and this is no easy welcome. The Hornets went a perfect 10-0 in the regular season a year ago behind quarterback Chaz Strickland, the reigning 3A NPSL Offensive Player of the Year, who's back for his senior season. It's about as tough a season opener as the Panthers could draw.

From there, the Panthers hit the road for Timberline and Capital before returning home for a stretch that includes two teams that beat them a year ago: Bethel (Sept. 25) and a road trip to Yelm (Oct. 9). Both Bethel and Yelm rank inside the state's top 45 in MaxPreps' preseason poll, alongside Olympia, meaning three of Bonney Lake's five division opponents are quietly among the better teams in Washington, no marquee recruit required.

Spanaway Lake comes to Bonney Lake on Oct. 2, a rematch of a team the Panthers actually beat a season ago, 15-6. Senior Night falls on Oct. 16 against Olympia, the final home game for this year's graduating class and always one of the most emotional nights of the season. If you've never made it out to a Panther football game, this is the night to start.

The toughest test comes late. Last year's meeting with Graham-Kapowsin doubled as Bonney Lake's league opener, and the Panthers more than held their own for a half, trading scores with the eventual state semifinalist and trailing just 35-21 at the break behind a 73-yard touchdown from then-quarterback Colt Miller to Trey Rodde before Tuivaiave and the Eagles pulled away in the second half for a 61-34 win. This year the rematch falls near the end of the season instead of the start, on the road Oct. 23, a real measuring stick as Bonney Lake looks to carry momentum into a postseason push, with an SPSL North crossover game on Oct. 30 to close out the regular season.

Embracing the Challenge

Bruce isn't shying away from what's ahead. Sumner has built a championship program, Graham-Kapowsin has been one of the state's best year after year, and the SPSL as a whole is loaded from top to bottom.

"We're not going to run from the competition, we're going to embrace it," Bruce said. "You don't get better by avoiding great teams. You get better by preparing for them, competing against them and learning from those experiences."

Year one under a new staff is rarely about finished results. It's about building a standard the players can carry forward. If Bonney Lake plays disciplined, physical football and stays healthy through a brutal stretch of opponents, the Panthers believe they can give themselves a chance most Friday nights, keep the postseason picture alive deep into October, and start building something the whole community can get behind.

"This is year one, and we're building something together," Bruce said. "Come Build the Hill with us. Go Panthers!"