EVERETT — For several years now, the Jackson Timberwolves and Glacier Peak Grizzlies have possessed two of the most exciting offenses to watch in Snohomish County.
Both coaches run the spread offense and have no shortage of skill position players to help them do it at the highest level.
Last year, both teams lost just one regular season game and advanced to the first round of the state playoffs in their respective classifications. The two teams meet tonight at Everett Memorial Stadium and the Timberwolves aren’t likely to forget that their one regular-season lost last year came at the hands of the Grizzlies.”
“There’s been a little talk of that,” Jackson coach Joel Vincent said. “Each coach has tried to remind them that this isn’t last year, this is this year, but the kids talk about it.”
Grizzlies head coach Rory Rosenbach isn’t surprised that last year’s game has come up.
“I think anytime you are on the second year of a cycle and a team got you last year, you want to get them back,” he said. “Especially when it was the only loss they had.
“They got a lot of guys back from that team,” Rosenbach added. “As a coach you definitely use that as a motivating factor. It would be for us.”
Tonight’s game is the final nonconference tune up for both teams before entering their respective league schedules. As usual, the Grizzlies and the Timberwolves have high aspirations for the season and playing each other should only help to accomplish those goals.
“It’s a chance for us to play a real quality opponent,” Vincent said. “We’ve got a lot of respect for what Glacier Peak has done and from what we’ve seen so far, we think they’re a really good football team. This is a good test as we get ready to enter that league season.
“This will be a good barometer of where we are at and how we’ve progressed so far and what we’re going to have to improve going ahead based on what happens (tonight).”
The offenses of both teams are explosive and they proved it a year ago when they combined to score 80 points. The styles of each team haven’t change much, making another shootout likely. But Vincent said nothing would surprise him.
“Doing this as long as I have, I kind of understand anything can happen on a Friday,” Vincent said. “Does this have the likelihood to turn into another track meet? Sure. But I’m not going to be wholeheartedly shocked if it turns into being a low-scoring affair either.”
High-scoring or low-scoring, the Timberwolves must solve one problem from last year if they expect to win — turnovers.
“You can’t play a team the caliber of a Glacier Peak and give the ball away four times because more often than not, you’re not going to win,” Vincent said.
And for the Grizzlies, in order to knock off Jackson for a second straight season, they will have to be able to keep up with the Timberwolves.
“They’re fast,” Rosenbach said. “That’s the hard thing is preparing for that speed. If you don’t somebody that can emulate the speed that those guys go at than it’s hard to prepare for. That’s obviously the concern for us. I don’t think that’s any secret. They’ve got guys on the edge that can run pretty well. So you want to kind of keep them from doing the damage that they can do and taking it 80 yards to the house on you.”
Aaron Lommers covers prep sports for The Herald. Follow him on twitter @aaronlommers and contact him at alommers@heraldnet.com.
Glacier Peak vs. Jackson
When: Today, 5 p.m.
Key players: Glacier Peak—Branson Corwin, QB; Matthew Darling, RB; Austin Hines, WR; Trey Chambers, WR; Kaianoa Wong, WR/DB. Jackson—Alex Cheesman, QB; Travante Robinson, WR/DB; Keynan Foster, WR/DB; Alek Baumgartner, WR; Nick White, RB/LB; Jake Miles, LB.
Radio: KRKO, 1380 AM
Webcast: stspn.com
Twitter: @swaney_aaron79
Edmonds-Woodway vs. Meadowdale
Where: Edmonds Stadium
When: Today, 8 p.m.
Breakdowns: This is a battle of maybe the two best defenses in Wesco. Edmonds-Woodway has yet to give up a point this season and Meadowdale is coming off of a shutout win over Inglemoor. Both teams also like to run the football. E-W has Wesco 4A-leading rusher Junior Opoku-Mensah, while the Mavs counter with Malik Braxton, whose 283 yards rushing leads all Wesco 3A South ballcarriers. Meadowdale has transitioned nicely to the spread offense under new coach Mike Don and a late fourth-quarter drive may be the difference in this rivalry.
Webcast: mltnews.com
Twitter: @heraldnetpreps
Arlington vs. Stanwood
Where: Bob Larson Stadium, Stanwood
When: Today, 7 p.m.
Breakdown: The Stilly Cup has been a one-sided affair the past two seasons. Arlington beat Stanwood 59-0 in the two schools’ annual grudge match in 2011 and then did itself one better a year later, beating the Spartans 60-0. But Stanwood, led by first-year head coach Dave Telford, may be a shade better than it was a year ago. Arlington, meanwhile, is off to an 0-2 start for the second consecutive season, but Skylor Elgarico, who took over behind center in Week 3 and led the Eagles to a three-game win streak, has graduated. It’ll be interesting to see what changes Arlington head coach Greg Dailer makes tonight to right the ship.
Radio: KKXA, 1520 AM
Twitter: @krueger_david
Everett vs. Cascade
Where: Everett Memorial Stadium
When: Today, 8 p.m.
Breakdown: The Battle for Broadway is seemingly a contest between two teams going in opposite directions. Two years ago, heavy favorite Everett had to come from behind to knock off Cascade, which finished the season winless. Last year an up-and-coming Cascade team beat Everett, which won only one game in its 2012 campaign. But a rivalry is a rivalry and anything can happen in this game. On paper Cascade would be the heavy favorite this time around with stars like Josh Smith, KJ Brady and Randin Crecelius. But again this game won’t be played on paper and don’t be shocked if Everett can keep this close against one of its alums (Cascade coach Joe Cronin is a Seagull).
Radio: KRKO, 1380 AM
Twitter: @aaronlommers
Oak Harbor at L. Stevens
Where: LSHS Football Field
When: Today, 7 p.m.
Breakdown: A pair of disjointed efforts has the Vikings staring at an 0-3 start if they lose this one to another Wesco 3A power. In the opener it was too many turnovers in a loss to Glacier Peak; last week it was too many dropped passes and missed tackles that led to a loss to the third-ranked Tomahawks. This week Lake Stevens gets an Oak Harbor team that rushed for 454 yards in a come-from-behind win over Arlington. One guarantee: Don’t expect Lake Stevens coach Tom Tri to go to 0-3 without a huge fight.
Webcast: soundsportsnet.com
Twitter: @jonsap
Monroe vs. Mariner
Where: Goddard Stadium
When: Today, 7 p.m.
Breakdown: This is a battle of two teams that have played strong opponents in the first two weeks and are trying to avoid falling to 0-3. Monroe has given up more than 100 combined points in its two losses to Jackson and Juanita, while the Marauders lost to Getchell by three touchdowns in Week 1 and were shutout by Woodinville last week. It’s also a battle between contrasting styles as Monroe’s new spread offense takes on Mariner’s ground-and-pound attack.
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