Records don’t reflect importance of Stilly Cup

Published 11:32 pm Thursday, September 27, 2007

Tradition is a powerful influence.

So what if the two teams have a combined record of 2-6, tonight’s Stilly Cup is a very important contest.

The Stanwood-Arlington football rivalry is a classic. Small-town pride is on the line. Seniors on both sides yearn to complete their high school football careers with a win over their arch-rival.

I’m sure fans for both sides will pack Arlington’s Larson Stadium to overflowing tonight. Not the usual crowd a game between two 1-3 squads would typically attract. And their emotions will rise and fall on each play.

That kind of passion by everyone involved is just cool.

Here’s a look at the Stilly Cup game and the rest of the weekend schedule:

Stanwood at Arlington

When: 7 p.m. today

Where: Larson Stadium

Records: Stanwood is 1-3 in the Wesco North and overall. Arlington is 1-2, 1-3.

Last year: Stanwood running back Ryan Norman carried 12 times for 98 yards and scored both Stanwood touchdowns to give the Spartans a 14-6 win, their first Stilly Cup victory in three years. Brandon Gunter, now the Arlington quarterback, had eight catches for 44 yards.

Last week: Stanwood QB Michael McCune threw a 2-yard, fourth-quarter TD pass to Steve Williams for the Spartans’ only touchdown in a 27-9 loss to Marysville-Pilchuck. M-P held the Spartans to 159 total yards.

Arlington RB Jerad Barber scored on a 9-yard run in overtime to give the Eagles a 27-21 win over Everett. Gunter ran 19 times for 107 yards and a TD and completed 11 of 26 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown.

Players to watch: Norman and Waylan Kelly give Stanwood a 1-2 rushing punch. Gunter is a double-threat for Arlington.

Breaking down the game: Stanwood relies almost completely on its running game and defense and when an opponent figures out a way to stop its ground game — as M-P did last week — the Spartans are in trouble. Arlington has gotten its offense in gear the past two weeks, but its defense is yielding an average of 26 points a game.

John McDonald’s pick: Arlington 21-17.

Mike Cane’s pick: Arlington 20-14.

Tom Lafferty’s pick: Arlington 24-14.

Lake Stevens at Marysville-Pilchuck

When: 7 p.m. today

Where: Quil Ceda Stadium

Records: Lake Stevens is 3-0 in the Wesco North, 4-0 overall. M-P is 2-2, 2-2.

Last year: Lake Stevens RB Isaac Molstre carried 22 times for 237 yards and three TDs in a 35-17 Vikings’ victory.

Last week: After falling behind 13-0, Lake Stevens scored on an 80-yard halfback pass from Molstre to Dustin Adams, then Daniel Russum returned a fumble recovery 33 yards for a go-ahead score in a 28-19 win over Cascade.

M-P RB Travis Sanderson ran for 97 yards and two TDs in a 27-9 victory over Stanwood.

Players to watch: Molstre is the second-leading rusher in the division with 640 yards on 77 carries. Adams is the No. 2 receiver in the North with 11 catches for 271 yards and five TDs. M-P has a slew of rushers among the top backs in the division, led by QB Denay Stell (47 carries, 304 yards). Stell is not one-dimensional. He has nine completions in 30 attempts for 180 yards and three TDs.

Breaking down the game: This is M-P’s chance to stage an upset and move from mediocrity to contention. First-year coach Brandon Carson already has the Tomahawks poised to win more games than last year (two). But Lake Stevens may be too big of a mountain to climb. The Vikings, runners-up in the division to state champion Oak Harbor last season, appear headed for a clash of unbeatens with the Wildcats on Oct. 12.

John McDonald’s pick: Lake Stevens 35-28.

Mike Cane’s pick: Lake Stevens 27-24.

Tom Lafferty’s pick: Lake Stevens 38-17.

Shorecrest at Meadowdale

When: 8 p.m. today

Where: Edmonds District Stadium

Records: Shorecrest is 1-3 in the Wesco South and overall. Meadowdale is 1-2, 1-3.

Last year: Tristan Gordon blocked a Shorecrest field-goal try and Calum Gordon scored the game-winning TD on a 27-yard pass from Matt Johnson with 3:20 to play in Meadowdale’s 25-24 victory.

Last week: Shorecrest QB Lars Swenson carried 13 times for 109 yards and a TD in a 22-10 loss to Jackson.

Sam Werner scored all of Meadowdale points in a 49-17 loss to Mariner. He had three carries for 79 yards, including a 58-yard TD run; a 15-yard TD catch; a 32-yard field goal, and two extra-point kicks.

Players to watch: Swenson is the third-leading rusher in the South with 62 carries for 486 yards and six TDs. He is also one of the division’s top passers with 22 completions in 54 attempts for 379 yards and five TDs. Meadowdale’s top ballcarrier, Nick Montanari, went down with an injury on the first play from scrimmage last week, and the Mavericks’ No. 2 back, Tonna Njoku, did not play because of injury. If they’re still out, Meadowdale may rely more heavily on Werner and QB Matt McDonagh (20-for-47, 220 yards, two TDs).

Breaking down the game: This game has 3A postseason significance. The top 3A teams from each division — based on league winning percentage — advance to the district playoffs, so when you get a chance to deal another 3A team a defeat, you must seize the opportunity.

John McDonald’s pick: Meadowdale 21-17.

Mike Cane’s pick: Meadowdale 24-17.

Tom Lafferty’s pick: Meadowdale 21-14.

Snohomish at Mariner

When: 7 p.m. today

Where: Goddard Stadium

Records: Both teams are 3-1 overall.

Radio: KRKO (1380 AM)

Last year: Mariner drove 63 yards in 39 seconds to tie the score on a 37-yard pass from Tyler Tuiasosopo to Michael Johnson. Then Tuiasosopo scored on a 3-yard run in overtime and the Marauders stopped Snohomish on downs to win 27-21. Tuiasosopo was 10-for-22 for 178 yards and two TDs. Snohomish RB Derek Jones carried 25 times for 136 yards and a TD.

Last week: Jones carried 19 times for 158 yards and a TD in a 38-10 loss to Oak Harbor.

Mariner RB Shaundell Burns carried nine times for 188 yards and two TDs, Chhaylee Khat had 15 carries for 89 yards and two TDs, and Tuiasosopo was 5-for-8 for 98 yards and three TDs in a 49-17 win over Meadowdale.

Players to watch: Burns has 28 carries for 388 yards and four TDs, Tuisasosopo is 26-for-47 for 357 yards and five TDs and Michael Johnson has eight catches for 104 yards and a TD. Jones is the leading rusher in the North with 99 carries for 747 yards and five TDs.

Breaking down the game: Both team’s lone loss has been to a division leader: Edmonds-Woodway in Mariner’s case, Oak Harbor in Snohomish’s. A non-conference game, it will have no bearing on the postseason, but no one likes to lose, and that’s particularly true in Snohomish’s case. Last year, Mariner was Snohomish’s second straight defeat in what became a five-game losing skid.

John McDonald’s pick: Mariner 28-21.

Mike Cane’s pick: Mariner 35-24.

Tom Lafferty’s pick: Mariner 27-21 OT.

Other games tonight

Wesco North: Monroe (0-3, 0-4) vs. Cascade (2-2, 2-2) at Everett Memorial Stadium, 5 p.m.; Everett (1-3, 1-3) at Oak Harbor (3-0, 4-0), 7 p.m.

Wesco South: Mountlake Terrace (1-2, 1-3) vs. Edmonds-Woodway (4-0, 4-0) at Edmonds District Stadium, 5 p.m.; Kamiak (3-0, 4-0) vs. Shorewood (0-4, 0-4) at Shoreline Stadium, 7 p.m.; Lynnwood (2-2, 2-2) vs. Jackson (1-2, 1-3) at Everett Memorial Stadium, 8 p.m.

Cascade Conference: Sultan (2-0, 2-2) at Cedarcrest (1-1, 3-1), Granite Falls (0-2, 2-2) at Coupeville (0-2, 2-2), King’s (0-2, 0-4) at South Whidbey (2-0, 4-0), Lakewood (1-1, 1-3) at Archbishop Murphy (2-0, 4-0), all 7 p.m.

Northwest 2B: Orcas Island (0-1, 0-4) at Concrete (1-0, 2-2), 5 p.m.; La Conner (0-1, 0-4) at Darrington (1-0, 4-0), 7 p.m.

Non-conference: Mansfield at Lopez Island, 5:30 p.m.

Games Saturday

Non-conference: Taholah at Lummi, 2 p.m.

Prep Writer Mike Cane was 3-1 on his picks last week. Prep Editor John McDonald and KRKO broadcaster Tom Lafferty were 2-2. Cane is 14-2 on the season. McDonald and Lafferty are 12-4.