Prep football forecast: Frontrunners zero in on playoff berths
Published 7:01 pm Thursday, October 23, 2008
Tonight several Wesco and Cascade Conference teams have the opportunity to nail down postseason playoff berths.
Marysville-Pilchuck can secure its spot in the 4A quad-district with a win or an Oak Harbor loss. Lake Stevens moves on (and gives M-P a boost) by beating the Wildcats. Snohomish can clinch the third spot from the Wesco North with a Lake Stevens win and a win of its own.
In the South, Jackson earns a berth with a win. In the unlikely event Mariner loses to Kamiak, the Edmonds-Woodway-Cascade winner advances.
Shorecrest can grab a 3A quad-district spot with a win and a loss by Meadowdale. However, Meadowdale is playing winless Lynnwood and Shorecrest could have its hands full with Everett, another playoff contender.
The Archbishop Murphy at South Whidbey outcome should decide the top 2A seed from the Cascade Conference to the District 1 playoffs. Murphy advances with a win. South Whidbey needs a win and losses by Cedarcrest and Granite Falls.
Here’s a look at the weekend schedule:
Edmonds-Woodway vs. Cascade
When/where: 7 p.m. tonight at Everett Memorial Stadium
Records: Both teams are 3-1 in the Wesco South. E-W is 5-2 overall. Cascade is 4-3.
Quick slants: E-W has won three straight games since suffering its only division loss to Jackson on Sept. 26. Cascade’s Aaron Frye has had three straight 200-plus yards games (247 vs. Shorewood, 280 vs. Snohomish, 271 vs. Mountlake Terrace) since switching from quarterback to running back.
Mike Cane’s pick: E-W 17-14
John McDonald’s pick: E-W 21-14
Tom Lafferty’s pick: Cascade 14-10
Archbishop Murphy at South Whidbey
When/where: 7 p.m. today at South Whidbey H.S.
Records: Archbishop Murphy is 5-0 in the Cascade Conference, 7-0 overall. South Whidbey is 4-1, 6-1.
Quick slants: South Whidbey RB Hunter Mead has already surpassed 1,000 yards rushing to lead the Conference. Ten Murphy backs have combined for almost 1,500 yards rushing and the Wildcats two QBs — Austin VanderWel and Jake Downs — have combined for 1,156 yards passing.
Mike Cane’s pick: Murphy 35-14
John McDonald’s pick: Murphy 47-6
Tom Lafferty’s pick: Murphy 44-20
Oak Harbor at Lake Stevens
When/where: 7 p.m. tonight at Lake Stevens H.S.
Records: Oak Harbor is 2-2 in the Wesco North, 3-4 overall. Lake Stevens is 3-1, 5-2.
Quick slant: Oak Harbor’s top three yardage producers — RBs Donovan Hunt and Stephen Lewis and QB James Jordan — don’t even come close to Lake Stevens QB Nick Baker, who will by by 2,000 yards passing in this game.
Mike Cane’s pick: Lake Stevens 38-21
John McDonald’s pick: Lake Stevens 35-14
Tom Lafferty’s pick: Lake Stevens 35-7
Kamiak at Mariner
When/where: 7 p.m. tonight at Goddard Stadium
Records: Kamiak is 1-3 in the Wesco South, 1-6 overall. Mariner is 3-2, 4-3.
Quick slant: Looking at Kamiak’s record, you might think this isn’t going to be a competitive game. But this is a rivalry contest and a closer inspection shows Kamiak has played a grueling schedule. The combined record of the six teams to have defeated the Knights — all of which are .500 or better — is 30-11.
Mike Cane’s pick: Mariner 28-14
John McDonald’s pick: Mariner 21-20
Tom Lafferty’s pick: Mariner 28-21
Other games tonight
Wesco North: Snohomish (3-1, 5-2) at Arlington (1-3, 4-3), Monroe (0-5, 2-5) at Marysville-Pilchuck (4-0, 7-0), 7 p.m.
Wesco South: Jackson (4-0, 6-1) vs. Mountlake Terrace (1-3, 3-4) at Edmonds District Stadium, 8 p.m.
Wesco 3A: Meadowdale (1-1, 3-3) vs. Lynnwood (0-3, 0-7) at Edmonds District Stadium, 5 p.m.; Everett (1-1, 4-3) vs. Shorecrest (2-0, 4-3) at Shoreline Stadium, 7 p.m.
Cascade Conference: Cedarcrest 3-2, 4-3) at Coupeville (0-5, 0-7), Granite Falls (3-2, 4-3) at King’s (2-3, 4-3), Lakewood (2-3, 2-5) at Sultan (1-4, 1-6), 7 p.m.
Northwest 2B: La Conner (1-2, 1-6) at Darrington (2-1, 5-2), 7 p.m.
Non-conference: Stanwood (2-4) at Ferndale (7-0), Shorewood (0-7) vs. Glacier Peak (3-4) at Snohomish Veterans Memorial Stadium, 7 p.m.
KRKO radio broadcaster Tom Lafferty was 3-0 on his picks last week. Herald Writer Mike Cane and Prep Editor John McDonald were 2-1. Lafferty is 17-9 for the season. Cane is 16-10. McDonald is 15-11.
