Steve Dion and Steve Willits breakdown the 3A WesCo-North League. Who are the top teams coming out of this tough conference?
Is there a new crop of teams on the rise to challenge perennial powers? We’ll break it down for you!
Be sure to visit SoundLiveSportsNetwork.com and follow Steve’s high school football coverage all season long!
Listen to Steve Willits’ team preview of the Everett Seagulls by clicking on play button below.
Football Preview: Everett Seagulls- Steve Willits from Sound Live Sports Network
9-1-16
Listen to the Wesco Hoops Preview with Steve Willits from Sound Live Sports Network by clicking on play button below
Hoops Preview: 4A/3A Wesco- Steve Willits from Sound Live Sports Network
11-13-15
3A State Finals Preview, Bellevue vs. Eastside Catholic Round 3
By Colin Caruso
The Bellevue Wolverines have won 67 straight games, a streak that goes back to 2010 when Mat Taylor’s Skyline Spartans topped them in a regular season contest. They routinely schedule games against the top teams out of state, this year against Serra (CA), and routinely pull off convincing victories. They are dominate, fast, big and strong. The Wolverines are in search of their 7th consecutive state title, and standing in their way is the Eastside Catholic Crusaders.
Eastside showed their grit last year in advancing past the O’Dea Fighting Irish to the state finals, to meet the Wolverines in a 425 clash. The game wasn’t much of a contest, coinciding with the Wolverines season, and ended in a 52-20 route. This year will prove to be much closer than that. One of the states finest running backs, Brandon Wellington, is now a junior and is playing the best football of his life. Junior quarterback Harley Kirsch is also a year older, more mature, and is prepared for a matchup against one of the finest teams in the nation.
The big question at hand, are the Wolverines vulnerable? They showed hints of vulnerability last week against Marysville-Pilchuck. Can the Cru’ end the streak? I don’t think it’s in the cards just yet, but hey, it has to happen sometime, right?
| Friday | Nov. 28 | 2014 | 3A | Boys | Football | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tacoma Dome | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Marysville-Pilchuck | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 10 | |
| Bellevue | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 20 | |
Game Recap below
Wolverines Advance, Pilchuck’s Memorable Season Ends
By Steven Dion
Bellevue is no stranger to the Tacoma Dome and the juggernaut from the east side of Lake Washington will play in the Gridiron Classic for the 11th time in the last 13 seasons. To reach December football, Goncharoff’s guys would square off against Marysville-Pilchuck. The Tomahawks have overcome major adversity on and off the field these past few months so this game was emotionally charged in many ways. The sea of red on the MP sideline was enormous and the support was felt by everyone at the Tacoma Dome. But there was a game to be played, how did it shake out?
The smothering defense of Bellevue made a statement early by stuffing Marysville on their first few possessions. Likewise, the Tomahawks stuffed a run-heavy attack of BHS and helped keep the contest scoreless after one quarter. However, the first play of the second was a one-yard touchdown run by Sam Richmond to close a long drive for Bellevue. Pilchuck found their offensive groove by eating away a huge chunk of the frame by moving the chains and setting up Sebastian Navar for a 24 yard field goal. In the waning moments of the half, Bellevue drove quickly and efficiently down the field to retain their seven point lead as Kian Khodamorad knocked home a field goal from 28 yards out to close the first half of play. At the break, M-P head coach Brandon Carson told his team, “24 minutes, lay it on the line.”
Pilchuck’s ability to keep the score within one possession and feeding off the crowd helped take their defensive effort to another level. Bellevue was held scoreless in the third quarter. Meanwhile, the Pilchuck offense came alive as Austin Joyner and Killian Page barreled through defenders to keep a long drive going into Wolverine territory. Drew Hatch who finished with 11 tackles on defense was the recipient of a 14 yard strike from Erik Lind to tie the ballgame at ten apiece. The Pilchuck sideline erupted as their resilient squad was battling toe-to-toe with the best. With one quarter left, the game was up for grabs.
The Bellevue coaching staff gathered the team together to refocus and they responded accordingly. BHS quarterback Justus Rogers found success in running the football later in the contest and set his team up for another redzone opportunity. Richmond rumbled through defenders en route to a two yard touchdown run despite the ball popping loose at the end of the run. Down a score, Pilchuck needed a response. Their offense stalled and were forced to punt. Bellevue drove down the field quickly, but were stopped from recording a likely back-breaking touchdown. Khoadamorad set up for a field goal. Off the post!
But wait, a flag was down! Running into the kicker. The Wolverines would knock it home this time to go up by ten. In the final moments of desperation, MP fumbled the ball and Bellevue would hold on to win. Incredible support by both sides as the entire Bellevue team saluted the Marysville faithfaul. Asked what Carson was going to tell his team after the game…”I love them.”
The FinalScore – Bellevue 20, Marysville-Pilchuck 10.
Top Performers:
Bellevue
Sam Richmond- 29 carries, 99 yards, 2 touchdowns
Marysville-Pilchuck
Austin Joyner- 16 carries, 90 yards
theFinalScore.TV
3A State Football Rankings
By Steven Dion
Marysville-Pilchuck has been on everybody’s mind. The Tomahawks took on Meadowdale with a packed house looking on, they got the win. We have broken down the top 10 Washington State 3A Classification Teams for you.
1) Bellevue 8-0, 6-0 League
The Wolverines rattle off another undefeated regular season. They have a great chance to raise the hardware in December once again.
2) Eastside Catholic 8-1, 4-0 League
Undefeated against teams from Washington and 1-1 out of state record. This may be Thielbahr’s best chance to capture a state title.
3) O’Dea 8-1, 4-1 League
Monte has rested the best tailback in the state through the latter half of the season. Myles Gaskin and the veteran lineman from the Irish have a playoff run in them.
4) Marysville-Pilchuck 7-1, 4-0 League
The community has rallied around this team in the wake of tragedy and they are responding by playing great football heading into the postseason.
5) Lincoln 9-0, 7-0 League
An undefeated regular season gives the Abes another crack at the best 3A has to offer. Will Kitna be able to make another step and overtake the elite teams in the postseason?
6) Peninsula 8-1, 7-0 League
After losing a one-point game in the season opener against Gig Harbor, the Seahawks have won eight straight en route to a 3A SPSL title run.
7) Auburn-Mountainview 8-1, 6-1 League
The Lions have plenty of talent at the skill positions to make some noise in the playoffs, but a push to the Tacoma Dome will be a tall task for a team with limited postseason experience.
8) Oak Harbor 6-1, 4-0 League
Hats off to the Wildcats for awarding the 3A Wesco League title to Marysville-Pilchuck. That game projected to be great measuring stick for Oak Harbor, but the circumstances rightfully took priority.
9) Kennedy Catholic 7-0, 4-0 League
Spotless record for the Lancers with only 30 points allowed all season. The Seamount did not present any great obstacles, but Bourgette’s boys will not back down from any playoff challengers.
10) Mount Spokane 7-2, 5-1 League
The Wildcats’ two losses were by a total of 10 points by Sandpoint (ID) and Gonzaga Prep. Beating several 4A teams throughout the season earns this Greater Spokane League squad the tenth spot.
On the Bubble
Meadowdale 6-1, 5-0 League
Bishop Blanchet 7-2, 2-2 league
Capital 7-2, 6-1 league
| Friday | Sept. 19th | 2014 | 3A | Boys | Football | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Seattle Stadium | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Marysville-Pilchuck | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 | |
| O'Dea | 7 | 6 | 21 | 0 | 34 | |
Game Recap below
Irish Prove Too Much for Joyner-Less Pilchuck
By Steven Dion
Week three of the high school football season featured a non-league matchup of top dawgs in 3A O’Dea of the Metro League and Marysville-Pilchuck of Wesco. Both teams were capable to running the table in league play, but this would put a blemish on the record of one of the teams in this game. The Tomahawks would be without their elite playmaker on both sides of the ball in Austin Joyner. M-P had their work cut out for them if they were to defeat the powerhouse O’Dea.
The Tomahawks would draw first blood as an errant snap by O’Dea resulted in a turnover and eventually a 39 yard field goal by Sebastian Navarro. This lead would not last long as explosive tailback Myles Gaskin broke off an electrifying 79-yard scamper for six. Davarea Proctor also found himself in the endzone before the first half concluded on a 8 yard run. The Irish brought a 13-3 lead into the locker room.
Gaskin broke the game wide open in the third quarter as 19 and 56 yard rushing touchdowns in addition to a 46 yard punt return score put the game out of reach for Marysville-Pilchuck. The running game of the Tomahawks held their own as a Killian Page score gave the Tomahawks their first touchdown and the final points of the game. O’Dea moves to 3-0 with the 34-10 victory.
Top Performers:
O’Dea
Myles Gaskin- 4 TD’s 3 rush (19, 56, 79) 1 punt return (46)
| Friday | Sept. 12th | 2014 | 3A/4A | Boys | Football | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Stevens High | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Marysville-Pilchuck | 14 | 7 | 0 | 19 | 40 | |
| Lake Stevens | 0 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 28 | |
Game Recap below
A Strong Fourth Quarter Leads Marysville-Pilchuck over Lake Stevens
By Colin Caruso
The top of 4A Wesco faced the top of 3A Wesco in this battle between the Lake Stevens Vikings and the Marysville-Pilchuck Tomahawks. Both teams wanted to prove that they were the top of the conference, no matter the classification.
When these two teams face off, the offensive skill position players take center stage. For Marysville-Pilchuck, look no further than their running backs Killian Page, JJ Valencia, and WSU commit Austin Joyner. For the Vikings, Jacob Eason steals the show.
Eason, a Georgia commit as a junior, threw for 2941 yards last year and 23 touchdowns. The Vikings thrive on his legs and incredible arm, and at 6’5 215 he can sling the ball all over the field.
Joyner put a stamp on this contest early for the Tomahawks. He scored two touchdowns in the first quarter, giving the Tomahawks an early 14-0 lead. His 100 yards on the ground in the first half led all rushers.
But Eason responded in the second and third quarter for the Vikings. He led three touchdown drives to tie the game late in the third at 21.
But Joyner was not done. He ran for two more scores in the fourth, and Page added another for the Tomahawks, to win 40-28.
Top Performers:
Marysville-Pilchuck
Austin Joyner – 13 carries for 197 yards and 4TD
Killian Page – 22 carries for 120 yards and 2TD
Lake Stevens
Jacob Eason – 35/51 for 377 yards and 2TD
| Thursday | March 6th | 2014 | 3A | Boys | Basketball | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tacoma Dome | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Stanwood | 15 | 7 | 13 | 8 | 43 | |
| Bellevue | 18 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 61 | |
Bellevue Cruises over One Loss Stanwood
By Colin Caruso
3A state basketball heated up in the quarterfinal matchup between the Bellevue Wolverines and the one loss Stanwood Spartans. Bellevue, regarded as one of the top teams in the state, came into this contest at 20-4, with big wins over O’Dea and Lincoln down the stretch. Stanwood experienced their only loss of the season just two weeks ago against Shorecrest, but took down Foss in the round of 16 to advance to the dome.
Stanwood jumped out to a frantic pace and an 11-2 first quarter lead. The early lead did not phase the Wolverines, who remained calm and capitalized off Stanwood turnovers. The Wolverines closed the first quarter on a 16-4 run to take an 18-15 lead into the second.
The Wolverines scored the first 10 points to extend their 16-4 run to end the first to a 26-4 run spanning both quarters. Lakeside transfer Zack Moore heated up for the Wolverines in the second quarter, scoring 10 of his team’s 15 points. Bellevue led by as many as 14 in the second and took a 33-22 lead into the third quarter.
Stanwood finally stayed even with the Wolverines in the third, with both teams playing scrappier basketball than the first half. The Wolverines capitalized on easy baskets, setting good back screens leaving their teammates wide open under the hoop. The Bellevue lead excelled to fifteen early in the fourth, and they stalled every Stanwood run by great offensive execution. Bellevue controlled throughout, and will advance to the state 3A semifinal on Friday.
Top Performers:
Stanwood
Drew Stang – 13 points, 4 rebounds
Bellevue
Sharif Khan – 14 points, 3 steals, 3 assists
Kyle Foreman – 9 points, 4 assists, 2 steals
| Sturday | March 1st | 2014 | 3A | Boys | Basketball | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kent Meridian High | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Stanwood | 15 | 14 | 21 | 23 | 73 | |
| Foss | 10 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 55 | |
Thayer Leads Stanwood Over Foss in Regional Matchup
By Steven Dion
Entering the month of March, Stanwood has twenty-two wins thus far. Their lone blemish on the season was the most recent game played, a District championship thriller against Shorecrest. With a trip to state at stake on Saturday against a sneaky Foss squad out of a tough Narrows league, the pressure was clearly on the Spartans in their storybook season. Their enormous fan base traveled for this game creating a sea of red in the bleachers. Regardless, the Falcons who are no stranger to postseason basketball were eager to earn their state berth to play in the Dome in their home city of Tacoma.
It was evident Stanwood spent some time in the film room preparing for Foss, especially their star guard and Seattle University commit Armond Davis. To counter the Foss scoring machine, the Spartans put their leader Josh Thayer as the defensive assignment to Davis. Armond took advantage of his half a foot of height advantage by draining several fadeaways, but credit Thayer to making the 6’5 slasher work for every point. The first half featured matching scores for both sides. The exceptional rebounding of Skout Roberson gave Stanwood a huge boost offensively throughout the contest. At the half, SHS led the Falcons by a score of 29-25.
It took less than one minute into the third quarter for Foss to tie up the ballgame at 29 apiece and push reset on the game. This is when the Spartan big man Drew Stang stepped up. His emphatic blocks on the defensive end led to his four buckets in the third frame. A pair of Thayer three-balls helped give the Spartans a five point advantage into the final frame. For Foss to win this ball game, either Davis would have to continue his precision shooting, or the Falcons would need contributions from more than the five starters whom comprised all of the Foss scoring thus far. Stanwood did not allow either as Stang and Brady Garcea aided in a 23 point fourth quarter to propel Sparty to a 73-55 win. Stanwood advances to the state tournament in 2014 after falling one game short of doing so in ’13.
Top Performers:
Stanwood
Josh Thayer – 19 points, exceptional defense effort
Skout Roberson – 21 points
Foss
Armond Davis, Sam Dabalos-McMahon, Olashawan Miller (all double digit scorers-20, 13, 10 respectively)
| Saturday | February 22nd | 2014 | 3A | Boys | Basketball | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson High | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Shorecrest | 13 | 9 | 19 | 22 | 63 | |
| Stanwood | 15 | 10 | 16 | 17 | 58 | |
Ghebremichael Shines As Scots Take Down Undefeated Stanwood
By Steven Dion
It is rare to be undefeated in late February as the state finals are right around the corner. For the Stanwood Spartans, part of a blemish-free record is the target on their backs every game and the pressure-cooker to keep the streak alive. With berths to the regional round already secured, the Scots from Shorecrest Senior High School were able to play with a “nothing-to-lose, everything-to-gain” mentality and challenge for a district title. The player responsible for deciding this game in the waning minutes would be completely unexpected.
When the teams took the floor, the similarities between the two squads were strikingly apparent. Both featured small guard corps as each team had three starters under 6’. The favorite Spartans jumped out to a quick 10-4 lead in the first quarter. Scots’ coach Brian Fischer called a timeout to rally the troops and calm his team down. They responded nicely by quickly closing the gap back up. The clash of centers Masamba Njadoe of ‘Crest and aptly named Drew Stans of Stanwood was intriguing as both players were the prominent forces down low. The Spartans took a 25-22 lead into the locker room as the final few minutes of the half turned into a track meet as the court opened up and the teams ran up and down it.
The third quarter started with a rainstorm in the form of Brady Garcia three pointers. This allowed Shorecrest to grab an early lead in the second half. The momentum carried to the defensive side for the Scots as well through a handful of highlight blocks by Njadoe. However, Stanwood’s leading scorer Josh Thayer started heating up and his fifteen points in the final sixteen minutes helped his team pick up a lead of six with only three points remaining. Enter Daniel Ghebremichael. A non-starter from the Shorecrest lineup finished this game in a fashion that it will be night he will never forget. After the timeout, he grabbed a steal, took it to the rim for a bucket and the foul. With a minute remaining and a tied ballgame, Ghebremichael spotted up for a contested three that went through the net flawlessly. Stanwood’s desperation shot to tie it up clanged off side-rim and was rebounded by Gheb who was promptly fouled. The Scot from the bench scored 13 points in the game, 11 of which came in the fourth quarter. The District 1 title goes to Shorecrest with a shocking 63-58 victory.
Top Performers:
Shorecrest
Daniel Ghebremichael-13 points off bench (11 in 4th quarter including game winning 3-pointer)
Masamba Njadoe-10 points, huge defensive impact
Stanwood
Josh Thayer-20 points (3/3 FT’s)
| Saturday | February 22nd | 2014 | 3A | Boys | Basketball | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson High | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Mountlake Terrace | 18 | 16 | 15 | 21 | 70 | |
| Marysville-Pilchuck | 16 | 14 | 16 | 7 | 53 | |
Mountlake Terrace Grabs Final Playoff Spot Against Marysville-Pilchuck
By Steven Dion
Jackson High School served as host for two playoff games for District 1 from the Wesco League. The first was the 3A contest between Mountlake Terrace and Marysville-Pilchuck. In a seemingly wide-open classification moving forward in the state tournament, the winner of this game has a fair shot of continuing their run in the next round. With a nice crowd on hand, everyone in the building was in for an exciting game.
Mountlake Terrace established their variety of scoring options early as six Hawk players scored in the first quarter alone. This was largely due to MP’s inability to contain the interior. Terrace had an advantage from the three to five positions on the floor as their trio of forward/post combos at 6’6 or bigger were matched with Pilchuck’s smaller centers at around 6’4. The Tomahawks were able to get a boost from nice shooting from their guards Bryce Juneau and Josh Bevan. The pair combined for 19 of Pilchuck’s thirty first-half points. With a four point lead after the first half, Mountlake Terrace’s ability to feed a seemingly unblocked Greg Bowman would set the tone for the rest of the game.
When play continued, the Hawks continued their trend of cashing in on offensive rebounds. Crashing the boards in the attacking zone provided many of Terrace’s buckets. Marysville-Pilchuck got their shooting rolling as Michael Painter and Juneau produced the majority of their team’s scoring. Bryce Juneau at 5’10 and only a sophomore showed senior-like poise in this game as he led his team with 20 points. Carrying only a three point lead into the final quarter, Mountlake Terrace opened the fourth with a 14-0 run to essentially dash any hopes of MPHS rallying back. Loren Lacasse played a large role in that impressive run down the stretch. At the end of regulation, Terrace walked away with a 70-53 victory.
Top Performers:
Mountlake Terrace
Four players in double figures-Greg Bowman (23), Loren Lacasse (20), Yoel Tekle (12), Gabe Altenberger (10)
Marysville-Pilchuck
Bryce Juneau-19 points
| Saturday | Dec 28th | 2013 | 3A-4A | Girls | Basketball | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juanita High | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Meadowdale | 11 | 8 | 15 | 18 | 52 | |
| Roosevelt | 8 | 15 | 13 | 9 | 44 | |
Meadowdale Lady Mavs Ride over Roosevelt in Rebel Challenge
By Steven Dion
The fifth of eight games on Saturday’s slate of the Rebel Challenge on the main court presented a clash of two 4A squads in Roosevelt and Meadowdale. The Lady Roughriders and Mavericks offer a similar skill set in prominent guard play and effective jump shooting. This game was up for grabs throughout and the team that was able to convert in critical possessions down the stretch earned the victory.
Meadowdale established their commitment to challenge Roosevelt early as they created ample scoring opportunities. However, eleven trips to the free throw line in addition to a shooting spree only resulted in eleven points for the Mavs. Roosevelt did not find their groove early, but eight points was enough to keep them within one possession heading into the second quarter. The scoring dropped off in the second quarter for Marcus Merrifield’s Mavericks as only one of nine free throws fell through. Conversely, Roosevelt dropped a pair of three balls en route to a fifteen point second frame. At the half, the Roughriders grabbed a 23-19 lead.
Meadowdale entered the second half rejuvenated and prepared to shore up efficiency issues experienced in the first half. The Mavericks drained three triples in a fifteen point third quarter where two of three free throws were good. Roosevelt stayed consistent in the third by notching thirteen points and taking a lead into the final period. This is where the Riders offense fell off in a big way. Their guard trio in Izzy Mason, Serena Toney, and Hannah Swanson account for all of Roosevelt’s nine points in the quarter. Meadowdale saved their best for last as six Mavs scored in the final eight minutes. Ciarra Hart knocked down her third three and Kearstin Franco netted seven in the quarter. MHS’s game-high eighteen point fourth quarter stole the lead and ultimately the win. Final score: Meadowdale, Roosevelt 45.
Top Performer:
Meadowdale
Ciarra Hart – 15 points (3-3 3-point FG’s, 4/10 FT’s)
| Saturday | Dec 21st | 2013 | 3A-4A | Boys | Basketball | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ShoWare Center | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Stanwood | 13 | 16 | 19 | 11 | 59 | |
| Jefferson | 6 | 16 | 11 | 12 | 46 | |
Stanwood Proves too much for Jefferson
By Colin Caruso
In the fourth game on the day at the ShoWare Center in Kent, in a non-league matchup, the Jefferson Raiders took on the Stanwood Spartans for bragging rights. Jefferson had a tough time finding the hoop in the first quarter, falling behind 13-7 after one. They were down as many as nine in the first half twice, but continued to battle back on spread out scoring from their starters. The Raiders cut the lead to just six at the half, despite shooting below 50% from the line and allowing two more made three pointers.
The Spartans came out of the locker room early, getting a few shots up prior to starting the second half. Jefferson came out after the halftime horn blew, giving them no shots and no touches on the ball during the half. This seemed to favor Stanwood, as they put together another strong quarter, exploiting the Jefferson 2-3 zone and converting on easy layups. Stanwood led 48-34 going into the fourth.
With a comfortable lead entering the fourth, the Spartans were able to slow the game down for the final eight minutes. Four Spartans scored in double figures, led by Josh Thayer with 17 and Drew Stang with 15. Only one Raider ended up in double figures, Xavier Scott, who scored all 12 of his points in the second half. Stanwood took the non-league contest 59-46.
Top Performers:
Stanwood
Skout Roberson – 14 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals
Josh Thayer – 17 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals
Jefferson
Xavier Scott – 12 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals
Cordae Mcafee – 8 points, 8 rebounds
| Saturday | Dec 14th | 2013 | 3A | Boys | Basketball | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highline CC | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Franklin | 10 | 16 | 11 | 21 | 58 | |
| Mountlake Terrace | 12 | 11 | 18 | 12 | 53 | |
With a Fourth Quarter Surge, Franklin Boys Top Mountlake Terrace
By Colin Caruso
Talk about a very evenly matched game with playoff implications, both of these teams will have a legitimate shot at playing late into February. With Highline Community College as the destination, the Franklin Quakers took on the Mountlake Terrace Hawks for out of conference bragging rights. Both teams returned strong players from last season, making this a great matchup.
The game was close throughout, with neither team taking more than a seven point lead. The matchup held 7 ties and 12 lead changes, with back and forth action from tip off to the final whistle. After a strong third quarter from the Hawks, Mountlake Terrace took a four point lead into the fourth quarter.
On the back of Eugene Artison Jr. and Keith Smith Jr., the Quakers started the fourth quarter with a bang and took a two point lead with just under two minutes to play. A couple of plays later, senior star Greg Bowman for the Hawks ran coast to coast for a game tying layup and he was fouled for an and one. Unfortunately, he missed the free-throw and the game was tied at 52. After the Quakers failed to convert on their next possession, they fouled Yonnas Tewolde of the Hawks who hit one of two from the line for a 1 point Hawk lead. The remaining 36 seconds in the game all belonged to Franklin.
A layup by Quaker Jamari Lewis and four free-throws for Smith Jr. after two costly Hawk turnovers gave the final six points to Franklin. This proved to be the difference in the game, as Franklin won 58-53.
Top Performers:
Franklin
Keith Smith Jr. – 29 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals
Eugene Artison Jr. – 14 points, 9 rebounds
Mountlake Terrace
Greg Bowman – 25 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals
| Saturday | Nov 23th | 2013 | 3A | Boys | Football | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memorial Stadium | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Meadowdale | 0 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 16 | |
| Eastside Catholic | 7 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 21 | |
The Crusaders Advance to Another State Semifinal
By Colin Caruso
On a cold autumn evening in Seattle, the Meadowdale Mavericks made the trip southward to take on the state runner-up from last year, the Eastside Catholic Crusaders. The Crusaders came into the matchup with two losses on the season, one to O’Dea, a team who had already punched their ticket into the state semifinal, and Eastlake, a team who lost in the 4A state quarterfinal to a juggernaut Camas club. Meadowdale essentially backed their way in, four losses on the season but a good win in the round of 16 over Lakes to clinch a quarterfinal birth.
Eastside Catholic began the scoring in the first quarter with a beautiful pass from Harley Kirsch to Devon Arbis-Jackson from 44 yards out. Jackson also added an interception on defense later in the first quarter. But the Mavericks would not take long to answer. Early in the second quarter quarterback Jeremiah Evans put his head down and ran 26 yards into the endzone. Unfortunately, the PAT was missed and the Crusaders held the slightest of leads, 7-6 at half.
Eastside Catholic got a good talking to from coach Theilbar at half and responded well in the third quarter. Outscoring the Mavericks 14-3 in the quarter on the back of a Kirsch pass to sophomore workhorse back Brandon Wellington and a rush from Elisha Pa’aga put this game away. Meadowdale responded with a touchdown midway through the fourth, but couldn’t capitalize and achieve another score.
Eastside Catholic will play their Metro football rival O’Dea in the state semifinal after a 21-16 win over Meadowdale.
Top Performers:
Meadowdale
Jeremiah Evans – 2 TD, 1 rushing of 26 yards and 1 passing of 13 yards
Eastside Catholic
Harley Kirsch – 2 TD passes of 44 and 69 yards
| Saturday | Nov 16th | 2013 | 3A | Boys | Football | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marysville-Pilchuck High School | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Eastside Catholic | 14 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 35 | |
| Marysville-Pilchuck | 7 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 28 | |
Two Years in a Row, Crusaders end Tomahawks Season
By Colin Caruso
Kryptonite to the Marysville-Pilchuck Tomahawks comes in the form of the Crusaders from Eastside Catholic. Last year the contest ended in a 64-35 Crusader rout. This year the contest was much, much closer, but still barely out of reach.
With such a highly anticipated game, both stands were completely full and people were spilling out to surround the stadium. The Crusaders broke the 0-0 tie early in the first with a 2 yard run from sophomore workhorse back Brandon Wellington, his first of three scores on the day. But MP was not phased by the Crusader score, and answered with a 39 yard pass from senior Jake Luton to classmate Chris Jones to tie the score at 7-7. Wellington would add his second touchdown later in the first to take a 14-7 Crusader lead into the second quarter.
Star junior Austin Joyner tied the game again for the Tomahawks, this time early in the second frame with an electrifying 47 yard touchdown run. Eastside Catholic answered with two more scores on a pass and a run by sophomore quarterback Harley Kirsch to take a strong 28-14 lead into half.
Marysville-Pilchuck put together their strongest quarter just after half after senior Deion Stell for the Tomahawks punched in two touchdowns. Eastside Catholic 270 lb back rumbled for one score in the third, but MP closed the gap to just seven points entering the final frame.
The fourth quarter saw back and forth action, but no points scored until the final minute of play. With 56.7 seconds left, Tomahawk Austin Joyner ran in from 10 yards on his second touchdown of the day to tie the game at 28. The MP sideline and fans went crazy, enough to make the grandstands start shaking uncontrollably.
But just 20 seconds later, on the Crusaders first play from scrimmage after the tie, Wellington caught a pass out of the backfield and bolted down the right sideline for a 75 yard score. An unbelievable turn of events for the home-side Tomahawks, who thought they were set on an overtime thriller. The Tomahawks were unable to score on a couple of late deep throws, and the Crusaders ended the MP undefeated season with a 35-28 victory.
Top Performers:
Eastside Catholic
Brandon Wellington – 3 total TDs, 2 rushing, 1 receiving
Harley Kirsch – 3 total TDs, 2 passing, 1 rushing
Marysville-Pilchuck
Austin Joyner – 2 TD runs of 47 and 10 yards
Deion Stell – 2 TD runs of 37 and 25 yards
4A:
1. Camas
2. Graham-Kapowsin
3. Skyline
4. Chiawana
5. Ferris
6. Union
7. Edmonds-Woodway
8. Curtis
9. Richland
10. Bothell
3A:
1. Bellevue
2. O’Dea
3. Marysville-Pilchuck
4. Mount Si
5. Shadle Park
6. Eastside Catholic
7. Lincoln
8. Mt. Spokane
9. Glacier Peak
10. Blanchet
2A:
1. Tumwater
2. Lynden
3. Sumner
4. Ellensburg
5. Lakewood
6. WF West
7. Lindbergh
8. Mark Morris
9. RA Long
10. Othello
| Friday | Nov 1st | 2013 | 3A | Boys | Football | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edmonds Stadium | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Oak Harbor | 0 | 13 | 0 | 14 | 27 | |
| Meadowdale | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 8 | |
Oak Harbor Improves Playoff Path With Win Over Meadowdale
By Steven Dion
A 3A Wesco showdown between the Mavericks of Meadowdale and Oak Harbor Wildcats carried significant playoff implications. This matchup on Friday night at Edmonds Stadium provided the winner with hosting Mount Si next week; the loser to travel to 3A juggernaut Bellevue to take on the Wolverines. Both teams got off to a slow start as no points were put on the board in the first quarter. The field position battle was evident early as big runs by Wildcat tailbacks Dejon Devroe and Julian Faralan and booming punts by Mavericks’ Taylor Linton neutralized one another. Meadowdale was credited with a safety after a Wildcat long snap rolled out of the end zone. However, Oak Harbor responded by turning a Savion Hollins-Passmore interception into a touchdown run by Faralan. Before half, O.H. found the end zone once more on a 52-yard strike from Clay Doughty to Dyllan Harris. Score at the break was 13-2 in favor of the visitors.
When play resumed, the Mavericks quickly brought the game back with one possession on a 1-yard run by Muhleak Braxton. Perhaps the most critical play of the game occurred minutes later and likely decided the victor. Meadowdale drove down the field after forcing a quick three-and-out after the Braxton TD. As a Maverick receiver was diving into the end zone, the ball was jarred loose and recovered by Oak Harbor. This play deflated a Meadowdale squad which began to capture the momentum of the contest. From that point on, the Mavs offense struggled as dropped balls hurt QB Jerremiah Evans’ confidence, who threw a pair of late interceptions. Oak Harbor capitalized on TD scampers by Princeton Lollar and Faralan for the second time. When the final buzzer sounded, the Wildcats walked away with a 27-8 victory.
Top Performers:
Oak Harbor
Julian Faralan – 2 rushing TDs of 6 and 17 yards
Meadowdale
Muhleak Braxton – rushing TD
| Friday | Oct. 4 | 2013 | 3A | Boys | Football | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Everett Memorial Stadium | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Mountlake Terrace | 7 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 28 | |
| Everett | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 13 | |
Mountlake Terrace Capitalizes on Turnovers and Tops Everett
By Colin Caruso
In a game that saw 11 turnovers, the Mountlake Terrace Hawks were able to defeat the Everett Seagulls by a final of 28-13. Everett received the opening kickoff and pulled a great reverse on their first play from scrimmage, getting deep inside Mountlake Terrace territory. The drive was capped off by a 4 yard touchdown scamper by running back Ahmed Kamagate to take the lead 7-0. Mountlake Terrace responded with a forceful drive of their own, marching down the field. With only one passing play on the drive, the Hawks punched in a short touchdown run by senior Chance Ragsdale to tie the game at 7. After a few fumbles and interceptions, Everett fumbled again on a pitch play and linebacker Toby Munnis picked it up for the Hawks and ran it back for a touchdown, taking a 14-7 lead. Mountlake Terrace capitalized on another Everett turnover on their next possession, and added another TD run to take the lead 21-7. However, Everett put together a great drive at the end of the first half and received a very favorable call on a passing touchdown from quarterback Griffey Lytle to Sam Loomis to go down at half by just 8, 21-13.
Mountlake Terrace dominated the line of scrimmage throughout the contest, and even more so in the second half. Everett did not score in the second half, and the Hawks held the Seagulls to 24 carries on the day for just 16 rushing yards. Everett was then forced to pass, and Terrace defenders made some incredible plays in the secondary to secure three interceptions and a 28-13 victory.
Top Performers:
Mountlake Terrace
Chance Ragsdale – 11 carries 36 yards, 2TD
Everett
Ahmed Kamagate – Rushing TD, Interception
Click here to Watch Live Tacoma Dome Coverage
Starting at 11am on Thursday
Girls 3A Scoreboard
| Thursday- February 28 | 3A Girls | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tacoma Dome – 9:00am | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Kamiakin | 9 | 10 | 16 | 4 | 39 | |
| Seattle Prep | 9 | 15 | 10 | 12 | 46 | |
Click here to Watch Live In-Game Coverage and Updates
| Thursday- February 28 | 3A Girls | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tacoma Dome – 10:30am | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Wilson | 15 | 8 | 13 | 12 | 48 | |
| Mercer Island | 11 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 37 | |
Click here to Watch Live In-Game Coverage and Updates
| Thursday- February 28 | 3A Girls | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tacoma Dome – 12:15pm | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Cleveland | 10 | 13 | 21 | 16 | 60 | |
| University | 17 | 6 | 12 | 15 | 50 | |
Click here to Watch Live In-Game Coverage and Updates
| Thursday- February 28 | 3A Girls | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tacoma Dome – 2:00pm | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Glacier Peak | 8 | 10 | 8 | 13 | 39 | |
| Bellevue | 9 | 11 | 6 | 24 | 50 | |
Click here to Watch Live Tacoma Dome Coverage
Starting at 11am on Thursday
Boys 3A Scoreboard
| Thursday- February 28 | 3A Boys | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tacoma Dome – 3:45pm | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Franklin | 17 | 14 | 31 | 2 | 64 | |
| Timberline | 11 | 15 | 15 | 7 | 48 | |
| Thursday- February 28 | 3A Boys | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tacoma Dome – 5:30pm | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Rainier Beach | 10 | 14 | 17 | 19 | 60 | |
| Seattle Prep | 16 | 10 | 9 | 17 | 52 | |
| Thursday- February 28 | 3A Boys | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tacoma Dome – 7:15pm | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Lincoln | 16 | 20 | 16 | 16 | 68 | |
| Mountlake Terrace | 9 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 47 | |
| Thursday- February 28 | 3A Boys | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tacoma Dome – 9:00pm | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| University | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 48 | |
| Lakeside | 19 | 21 | 21 | 8 | 69 | |
Stanwood comes back from 11 down to beat Glacier Peak, advances to Wesco District final
By Colin Caruso
| Saturday- Feb. 9 | -2013- | 3A | District | Semi-Final | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson High School | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Glacier Peak | 17 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 58 | |
| Stanwood | 6 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 62 | |
Both schools brought a strong student section, to make a great atmosphere in the second district one semifinal matchup between Glacier Peak and Stanwood. This was a rematch of their January 8th meeting where Stanwood irked out a 1 point win at home, 55-54.
Glacier Peak came out with relentless defensive intensity, forcing seven turnovers in the first quarter and only allowing six points. Dreu Vader led the offensive charge for the Grizzlies, scoring eight in the quarter to take a 17-6 lead into the second.
Stanwood cleaned up their offense in the second quarter, did not turn the ball over, and capitalized on five offensive rebounds. Ian Zipp of the Spartans had seven of his team’s 17 in the quarter, but was outmatched by Mitchl Pohrman’s ten for the Grizzlies. Stanwood cut the Glacier Peak lead to 10 going into the half, 33-23.
Stanwood posted another turnover-less quarter in the third, while forcing four and capitalizing on those opportunities. Junior Josh Thayer for the Spartans led all scorers in the quarter with eight, Stanwood was able to cut Glacier Peak’s lead to just five heading into the fourth, 47-42.
Both student sections remained electric throughout the contest, but they both picked up the energy in the fourth as the game came down to the wire. Stanwood cut the Glacier Peak lead to just one with 5:42 left in the game. The next three possessions resulted in turnovers, two for Glacier Peak, one for Stanwood. After the turnover barrage, Stanwood senior Mason Garcea knocked down a three to take the lead 52-50, their first lead of the ballgame.
Senior Dreu Vader answered for the Grizzlies, scoring four points in a row to re-claim the lead with 2:26 to play, 58-57. Stanwood junior Josh Thayer then responded with a driving layup to take the lead by one, 59-58.
On the next possession, Grizzly senior Ramsey Rosales elevated for a three-pointer and barely missed, the rebound going to Stanwood. Garcea was fouled and stepped to the line and made one of two, resulting in a two point lead for the Spartans with 22 seconds left to play. Glacier Peak’s next possession resulted in another three point opportunity that was right on target but missed short, the ball going out of bounds to Stanwood.
Stanwood senior Drew Sears was fouled on the inbound pass and made both free-throws, icing the game with a final of 62-58.
Stanwood and Mountlake Terrace face off next Saturday at 8:00 PM at Jackson High School for the District Championship.
Leading Scorers:
Glacier Peak
Dreu Vader (21)
Mitchl Pohrman (11)
Stanwood
Ian Zipp (16)
Josh Thayer (14)
Mountlake Terrace wins by 32, will face Stanwood in District One Championship
By Colin Caruso
| Saturday- Feb. 9 | -2013- | 3A | District | Semi-Final | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson High School | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Oak Harbor | 7 | 4 | 6 | 15 | 32 | |
| Mountlake Terrace | 26 | 20 | 8 | 10 | 64 | |
In a great atmosphere at Jackson High, the Mountlake Terrace Hawks faced off against the Oak Harbor Wildcats in a semifinal matchup of the Wesco district tournament. Mountlake Terrace jumped out to a quick 16-3 start in the first 4:19 of the quarter, controlling the offensive glass and the pace of play. The run was fueled by six points from junior Greg Bowman, who also added four rebounds in the quarter. Senior Marquis Armstead led the way for the Hawks, scoring 11 points in the quarter on 3 of 3 shooting from beyond the arc.
The second quarter wasn’t much better for the Wildcats. Mountlake Terrace controlled the offensive glass again, grabbing seven offensive rebounds in the quarter and finishing on easy put-back layups and dunks. The Hawks also forced 13 turnovers in the first half, eight of them in the second quarter, to take a 46-11 halftime lead.
Coming out of the break, the Wildcats did a better job of ball movement and began to run solid half court sets. Their aggressiveness put them in the bonus in the third, but they were unable to convert on their free-throw opportunities in the quarter. In a low scoring third, Mountlake Terrace took a 54-17 lead into the fourth.
Oak Harbor came out in the fourth with their best quarter of the game, but the lead was too great for the Wildcats to make any feasible comeback. They outscored the Hawks 15-10 in the quarter to lose 64-32.
The Hawks will face Stanwood next Saturday, right back here at Jackson High School for the District Championship at 8:00 PM.
Leading Scorers:
Oak Harbor
Dayne Herron (9)
Chris Hailer (8)
Mountlake Terrace
Greg Bowman (16 points, 14 rebounds)
Marquis Armstead (14)