The last time Marysville Pilchuck and Lake Stevens played a meaningful (i.e. conference) football game was 2011.
However, the two teams still consider their annual non-conference get-together “important.”
The Tomahawks and Vikings are no longer in the same league, but have continued to play each other even after Marysville Pilchuck left the Wesco 4A North following the 2011-12 school year.
“It’s certainly an important game for us,” Lake Stevens head coach Tom Tri said. “We’re trying to build momentum and get us ready for league games the following week. Add the fact that it’s a rivalry game and they beat us last year and, yeah, it’s an important game for our guys. This is a rivalry game, or as close to a league game as it can be.
“Our kids still get excited about playing Lake Stevens,” said Brandon Carson, the Marysville Pilchuck head coach. “I know when we were league foes, it was a pretty big rivalry. It’s a little different now because that outcome doesn’t mean as much as it used to, but being neighboring communities, a lot of kids know each other.”
Marysville Pilchuck won last season, 37-24 at home. Lake Stevens beat the Tomahawks 45-21 the season before and 38-7 in 2011, the last conference game between the teams.
This year each team is ranked in the Associated Press top 10. Marysville Pilchuck is the third-ranked team in the state in 3A and Lake Stevens checks in at No. 9 in the most recent 4A poll.
“It’s a great test for us, just because it’s going to be such a challenging game. Our guys are going to have to really rise up,” Tri said. “I think in the long run, that’s going to help us get ready for league games. There’s going to be some adversity on Friday night and I think that’s when you grow as a player.”
Tri and his Vikings are looking to stop the Tomahawks’ strong running game. Led by star running back Austin Joyner, who ran for 258 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries in Marysville Pilchuck’s Week 1 win over Kamiak, the Tomahawks employ a rush-heavy offense that also looks to running backs JJ Valencia, Killian Page and Hunter Trueax. The Tomahawks tallied 458 rushing yards against the Knights.
“They have three or four running backs that all run the ball well and are fast and are very elusive,” Tri said. “We’re going to have to tackle well in the open field.”
Marysville Pilchuck, meanwhile, will look to slow down Lake Stevens quarterback Jacob Eason. Eason, a junior who verbally committed to Georgia in the offseason, completed 25 of 40 passes for 294 yards and three touchdowns in a season-opening victory over Meadowdale.
The Vikings also saw the emergence of junior running back Andrew Grimes, who ran 26 times for 218 yards and a touchdown.
“We’ve got to stop their run game. They had their back go for over 200 yards and he looked really good on film,” Carson said. “We’ve got to contain their quarterback too, which is easier said than done. He has a big-time arm and five good guys who can catch to throw it to.”
The contrasting styles should make for an exciting contest.
“They’re a wing-T style team on offense and they want to run the ball on first (down) — and second and third,” Tri said. “And they try to throw it if they catch you sleeping. They’re style of play is more different than ours. We want to spread it out and throw the ball downfield. It really is just two different styles of teams.”
Both coaches said taking care of the ball will be key, and whichever team wins the turnover battle should have the upper hand on the scoreboard.
Tri and Carson both expect a battle.
“I really don’t know how it’s going to go down,” Carson said. “They’re pretty sound defensively and they can be explosive offensively. I just hope we win. I’ll take a 2-0 game.”
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