SNOHOMISH — There’s no telling who Glacier Peak quarterback Ayden Ziomas might distribute to.
That’s the beauty of the Grizzlies’ potent offensive attack.
On Friday, the Glacier Peak football team featured seven different pass-catchers, and four different ball carriers accounted for four or more attempts. Mix in a defense that grounded Monroe’s typically high-powered offense, and the Grizzlies came away with a decisive 42-10 Wesco 4A win over the Bearcats on Friday at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
The win marked the sixth time Glacier Peak (7-1, 5-1 Wesco 4A) has scored 36 or more points in a game, and the 10 scored by Monroe (3-5, 3-3) was a season low.
“On a team if you only have one or two guys, then it’s easy for defenses to kind of shut them down,” Ziomas said, “but on our offense we have so many weapons all over the field that it’s just hard for defenses to be right. I just love having so many weapons at different positions.”
Ziomas, a four-year starter who didn’t play last week during the Grizzlies’ 28-13 win over Mariner to rest and give others playing time, operated Glacier Peak’s offense with the utmost precision. He completed 24-of-32 passes for 279 yards, threw three touchdowns and had no interceptions. Ziomas also ran for 34 yards and a score.
Grizzlies sophomore wideout Trevor Meldrom caught a game-high eight passes for 91 yards and a touchdown and also recorded a first-half interception. Corbin Ferrie paced Glacier Peak’s backfield with 67 yards on nine carries, and Caelan Briggs added 65 rushing yards and a score.
Glacier Peak raced out to a 14-0 first-quarter lead, scoring both times after interceptions from Monroe quarterback Gio Fregoso, who didn’t play the second half after being put in concussion protocol.
Two more second-quarter scores pushed the Grizzlies’ lead to 28-3 at half before a 78-yard touchdown pass from backup Bearcats quarterback Bryce Blankenship to Trey Lane trimmed Glacier Peak’s lead to 28-10 early in the third.
But a 23-yard touchdown reception by Meldrom and a Ziomas 2-yard rushing score put the game well out of reach.
IMPACT
Glacier Peak has secured a district playoff spot and has a big game next week against Mount Vernon to determine the second seed out of Wesco 4A. Despite the loss, Monroe figures to be Wesco 4A’s No. 4 seed in the district playoffs following a final regular season game against Cascade next week.
TOP PERFORMERS
Ayden Ziomas, Glacier Peak — Ziomas showed no rust after resting last week. He completed 75 percent of his passes (24 for 32) for 279 yards and accounted for four touchdowns.
Trevor Meldrom, Glacier Peak — Meldrom was one of two Glacier Peak underclassmen pass-catchers that made a difference. The sophomore hauled in eight passes for 91 yards, scored on a 23-yard touchdown reception and also had an interception.
Trey Lane, Monroe — The sophomore wide receiver offered a bright spot for the Bearcats. He only had one touch, but he made it count, taking a short pass 78 yards for a touchdown early in the third quarter.
QUOTABLE
“Coach (Shane) Keck and the defensive staff has done a phenomenal job of getting these guys ready, whether it be through film study or scouting reports and things like that. It gets to the point where kids feel so good that sometimes it feels like the kids are calling the offensive plays before the offense is even called. The kids keep making plays, and it’s a swarming defense, which I love to see.” — Glacier Peak coach Nick Bender on GP’s defensive performance
“The main thing that I wanted to make sure going into this game was, one, that we are still progressing mentally and physically and just showing a competitive spirit. The scoreboard might not show that, but the second half they could have just rolled over and gave up. We knew they were a good team. They got 25 seniors or something like that. They are rolling.” — Monroe coach Michael Bumpus
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