Auburn Riverside football preview: Playing with a chip in 2026
Published 12:36 pm Wednesday, August 26, 2026
Last season, Auburn Riverside High School football was full of question marks.
How would first-year head coach Darrin Reeves run his program? How would the Ravens look at their second season in Class 4A football? Can the Ravens get over the hump and back to competing atop the 4A North Puget Sound League?
At just 2-8, it was really a season to forget. But now there is new hope for Auburn Riverside as the Ravens try to battle for wins in an extremely tough league.
In 2026, a full calendar year later Reeves’ picture of what he wants Riverside to look like is becoming clearer as the days go by.
“We are a year older, we have a lot more kids out here than last year which has really made the competition level in practice go up. You can’t take plays off, you can’t go through the motions and win your reps. If you do that, you’re going to look crazy. That’s how programs get better,” Reeves said.
A year ago, the Ravens won just two games and took three games to score their first points. This year the Ravens have increased their turnout and players, such as Rai Hampton and Emediong Ukpe, are taking the next steps in Reeves’ eye.
“I think he’s one of the best backs in the state, he’s underlooked. Game plan wise, I think he is going to be the top guy people are trying to stop. He has the potential to play high level football in college,” Reeves said.
Ukpe has put on some serious muscle, a payoff he has been working on since last season. His focus has been on finding a way to get better every day and the weight room was a serious portion of his improvement.
“I am excited to show everything, especially my physical attributes; my speed and strength. This offseason I was in the weight room a lot, I am hoping to showcase that,” Ukpe said.
Ukpe has seen a different energy and feeling around camp so far in his senior campaign.
“There’s a lot of energy from this group, definitely a lot more than last year. I feel like we just have that bond, we are all really close. I feel like we are going to have that chemistry that is going to help us throughout the year,” Ukpe said.
This year’s Ravens team has a definite chip on its shoulder. Reeves doesn’t need to work on any extra motivation because his kids have it. They are waiting for any chance to prove doubters wrong.
“I feel like we have a lot to prove this season. A lot of people have counted us out of everything because of our record last year. I feel like we should prove that we shouldn’t be counted out,” Ukpe said.
The last time the Ravens were over .500 was in 2023 under current Eastlake head coach Greg Herd. But the numbers are up, the energy is high and the kids are starting to buy in.
“One of the good things we did last year was we just kept playing, no matter how bad the game was. We just kept fighting,” Ukpe said.
“When you’re working with the youth, they have to know that they can trust us and believe in us and us as a staff that we are going to be here with their best interest in mind,” Reeves said. “They are really receptive to what we are doing and understand that we want them to be the best they can be.”
Last season eight freshmen started for the Ravens. Not many programs in the country can be successful with that level of youth and inexperience on the field.
“They are a year older, and naturally faster and stronger,” Reeves said.
In the 4A NPSL trench warfare is essential to success, if the continuity continues into this season there is a real chance the Ravens will compete in most of the games. Plus, all the starters will return next season, with no seniors in either starting group.
“I think the work they put in the offseason, I am excited to see,” Reeves said.
Last year was a rough year for the linemen, but they kept competing which was a really positive sign for Reeves.
“I told them last year, you guys are going against 18-year olds, there will be a learning curve. Now they are ready to play, I am excited to watch them compete because they put in the work,” Reeves said.
Auburn Riverside opens with Rogers at home on Sept. 4.