SNOHOMISH — No one expected Connor Bovard to be the star of the Arlington football team’s win over Snohomish on Friday night.
The junior receiver is normally outshined by senior wideout Max Gray, but on this night it was Bovard who boosted the Eagles’ struggling offense to a 17-0 victory at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
“It was different,” Bovard said. “Usually it goes to Max because he’s a really, really, really good receiver, but tonight I guess it was just my night.”
Bovard wore the number 87, which didn’t match the roster and left the stadium announcer scrambling early in the game to find out who was making all those plays. Five catches and 117 yards later, it was hard to miss Bovard.
His biggest play of the game came with 1:22 remaining in the third quarter. With the Eagles clinging to a 3-0 lead, they faced fourth-and-less-than-one at the Snohomish 48-yard line. Arlington coach Greg Dailer called timeout to design a play.
“We drew it up in the huddle,” Dailer said. “Max Gray said, ‘Are we going to do something fun?’ And I said, ‘Sure, why not?’”
With quarterback Cam Scrimgeour under center the play looked like a deep toss sweep to Jared Alskog, but the senior running back, who would have been stuffed by three charging Panthers, pulled up and passed to a streaking Bovard for a 38-yard gain. On the next play, Noah Andal hauled in a 10-yard Scrimgeour pass to make the score 10-0.
Bovard also set up the game’s final score — a 1-yard run by Alskog — with a 37-yard catch in the fourth quarter.
With the exception of those few big pass plays, the Snohomish defense stood up to the Arlington offense, holding Alskog to just 69 yards on 21 carries. But Snohomish’s offense was almost nonexistent, with 91 yards on the ground and 64 passing.
“We’ve got to be able to score some points,” coach Kai Smalley said. “Our kids (on defense) paid attention to the game plan this week, but we’ve got to find a way to keep the defense off the field.”
Snohomish wanted to start Wesco 4A North play with a bang and went with an onside kick to open the game, but the ball didn’t travel 10 yards and the Eagles started in prime position. Back-to-back false start penalties and a sack stalled the Arlington drive after it reached the Panther 13.
Snohomish quickly gave the ball back with a three-and-out. The teams traded punts before the Eagles drove into Panther territory again only to give the ball up with a fumble early in the second quarter.
The Panthers mounted their best drive of the half on the back of Tristan Baus, who carried four times for 43 yards during the series. Snohomish reached the Eagles’ 1-yard line, but a false-start penalty backed up the Panthers five yards.
Alskog then killed the threat by intercepting a pass in the end zone.
Snohomish next-best scoring chance came in the fourth quarter and led to a missed 47-yard field-goal attempt
After an 0-2 start to the season, Arlington sits atop the conference standings with a 2-0 record. The Eagles face the Lake Stevens Vikings next week.
“(Going) 2-0 kind of puts us in the drivers seat, so we are right where we wanted to be,” Dailer said. “It was tough starting 0-2, but this team really responded to adversity. If we get it going on offense a bit better, we are going to be tough to beat.”
Even for the Vikings.
“(The games) are all big,” the Eagles coach said. “But we have a special place in our heart for Lake Stevens.”
Arlington 0 3 7 7—17
Snohomish 0 0 0 0—0
A—Anthony Parra 28 field goal
A—Noah Andal 10 pass from Cam Scrimgeour (Parra kick)
A—Jared Alskog 1 run (Parra kick)
Records: Arlington (2-0 league, 3-2 overall); Snohomish (0-1, 0-5)
At Snohomish H.S.
Arlington 0 3 7 7 — 17
Snohomish 0 0 0 0 — 0
A—Anthony Parra 28 field goal
A—Noah Andal 10 pass from Cam Scrimgeour (Parra kick)
A—Jared Alskog 1 run (Parra kick)
Records: Arlington (2-0 league, 3-2 overall); Snohomish (0-1, 0-5)
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