The Mariner football team’s season hasn’t quite gone according to script.
Before the season began, Marauders players were talking about making the playoffs for the first time in their careers at Mariner all while helping teammate KeiVarae Russell rewrite the school record books.
So far
that hasn’t happened. Russell has battled injuries and Mariner has stumbled to a 3-3 record that has seen them visit many lows, including last week’s 44-7 loss to Eastlake.
“We have to move forward and try to get better each day,” said Mariner head coach John Ondriezek. “We have to learn from losses like that. Playing competition like (Eastlake) makes you better as a team.”
For a look at who Aaron Swaney and Tom Lafferty picked this week, click here.
Russell, who missed the season opener against Arlington with a concussion, also missed last week’s game against Eastlake due to an ankle injury he suffered in Mariner’s win over Cascade the week before. Ondriezek said that Russell has been rehabbing all week and ran through a light practice on Thursday and will play tonight against Kamiak.
“He can score from anywhere on the field and anytime so that makes him an impact player,” said Ondriezek. “That opens up opportunities for other players to contribute.”
Two of those players are Kiante Ahmad-Woods and Dominique Law. Law carried the ball seven times for 101 yards after Russell left Mariner’s win over Cascade on Sept. 30 and Ahmad-Woods led the way last week, racking up 79 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries against Eastlake.
Despite missing essentially three games, Russell still leads all Wesco 4A ballcarriers with 810 yards and 10 touchdowns.
With Edmonds-Woodway locking up at least a share of the Wesco South title and Jackson sitting at 2-1, Mariner and Kamiak are battling for the elusive third playoff spot in the South, making tonight’s game key for both teams.
Like Mariner, Kamiak’s season has been a disappointment. After starting the season with a win over Stanwood, the Knights fell in heartbreaking fashion to Lake Stevens in Week 2. Since then the Knights have lost four straight, including league losses to Jackson and Edmonds-Woodway.
Tonight something has to give and whoever wins will be in the driver’s seat for the South’s final playoff berth.
My pick: Kamiak 27, Mariner 21
Marysville Pilchuck at Lake Stevens
7 p.m. at LSHS Football Field
For the second season in a row, the Tomahawks were upended by a struggling Snohomish team. Unlike last year, thought, it may cost them a spot in the playoffs this year.
With Lake Stevens (3-0 in Wesco North) and Arlington (2-1) and Monroe (2-1) sitting ahead of them, the Tomahawks are in desperate need of a win tonight against the No. 10 team in the state. The Vikings continue to fly high, having won all six of their games this season, including last week’s 33-7 pasting of the Bearcats.
To win tonight, MP must limit its turnovers on offense and shut down Jake Nelson on defense. The first is doable, the second … well, no one has done it yet.
My pick: Lake Stevens 37, MP 22
Monroe at Arlington
7 p.m. at John C. Larson Field
There’s a lot more than second place up for grabs to this matchup. The Eagles were suprised in Monroe last season by an upstart Bearcats squad and you can bet there’s some feeling of payback in order tonight.
Arlington gets Monroe at home this year and, as Stanwood found out last week, an angry Eagles team isn’t one to mess with on the gridiron.
My pick: Arlington 42, Monroe 16
Everett vs. Meadowdale
5 p.m. at Edmonds Stadium
With star running back Blake Williams returning to the fold, Everett showed how explosive its offense can be in a win over Marysville Getchell last week. But Meadowdale is a tiger of a different stripe entirely. The Seagulls will have to play the best defensive game of the season to have any chance in this one.
My pick: Meadowdale 36, Everett 28
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