Arlington stays unbeaten, shuts out Cascade 21-0

Published 9:00 pm Friday, September 14, 2001

Herald staff

EVERETT – After two weeks in their new conference, the Arlington Eagles football team is making sure everyone knows who the new kid is on the block.

Easily defeating Cascade 21-0 Friday night, Arlington, last season’s Western Conference 3A runnerup, is now 2-0 in the new Wesco North Division and tied with fellow Wesco 3A transplant Lake Stevens for first place.

With the loss, Cascade dropped to 0-2 in the Wesco North.

Arlington’s defense dominated most of the game, but early on Cacade’s running game looked unstoppable. Cascade running back Andrew McGuire, who ended the first quarter with 38 yards on five rushes, helped lead Cascade into Eagle territory on the Bruins’ first two possessions.

Cascade came up empty both times because of penalties and turnovers. Cascade ended the game with 10 penalties accounting for 90 yards.

The Bruins’ first possession of the ballgame ended in disaster. After two incomplete passes led to a third-and-nine from the Arlington 44-yard line, Cascade fumbled an inside double-reverse handoff and Arlington senior Joseph Boitano scooped up the football and scampered 56 yards for the game’s first score.

Behind McGuire’s running, Cascade entered Eagle territory again on its next drive. But penalties stalled the drive and punter Mike Skoor was called on to pin the Eagles deep in their own territory. Skoor did just that pinning Arlington on the 11-yard line.

The Eagles, however, pieced together an 89-yard, 19-play drive that was capped off by a Boitano 1-yard run into the end zone for his second score of the day. The key play of the 9-minute drive came on a fourth-and-10 pass completion from quarterback Kevin McCormack to wide receiver Michael Kline for 18 yards to the Cascade 8-yard line.

After halftime McCormack showcased his prolific arm in leading Arlington to their third score. On a first-and-10 from the 41-yard line McCormack hit Boitano for a 26-yard gain and two plays later connected with Kline for a 12-yard touchdown strike to increase the Eagles’ lead to 21-0.

McCormack finished the game 9-for-14 for 164 yards, while Boitano and Kline combined on seven catches for 138 yards.