Prep football playoff capsules: Lynnwood ends postseason drought
Published 8:01 pm Thursday, November 3, 2016
BOTHELL — The Lynnwood football team’s 21-year postseason drought is over.
After two decades of futility, the Royals will make their long-awaited return to the playoffs with a Class 3A winner-to-state quad-district game against ninth-ranked Garfield at 7 p.m. Friday at Memorial Stadium in Seattle.
It’s Lynnwood’s first postseason game since 1995, which also was the last time the Royals reached the state playoffs. Lynnwood is aiming to end that drought, too.
“It means a lot,” third-year Royals coach Keauntea Bankhead said of Friday night’s game. “Our players had the goal of reaching the playoffs. And now that they’ve made the playoffs, I think they want more. And they deserve more and they should expect more. I’m happy for this program.”
After going 13-123 from 2000 to 2013, Lynnwood has steadily progressed under the direction of Bankhead. The Royals were 2-8 in 2013 before improving to 4-6 the next season and going 6-4 last year. Lynnwood then took the next step this fall, compiling a 7-2 regular-season record and punching its ticket to the postseason with a third-place finish in the Wesco 3A South.
Bankhead attributes the program’s rise to hard work and continuity, both among the players and the coaching staff.
“It’s been a grind,” Bankhead said. “It’s definitely been challenging, but it’s all worth it at the end of the day. We get to play for the playoffs and hopefully we get to win tomorrow and take this team to state.”
Class 4A
No. 5 Lake Stevens (9-0) vs. Federal Way (6-4)
When: 7 p.m., Saturday
Where: Lake Stevens High School
Lake Stevens: 1st in Wesco 4A
Federal Way: T-5th in NPSL Olympic
Lake Stevens has won every game this season by at least 30 points, including last week’s 42-3 rout of previously unbeaten Monroe that earned the Vikings a fourth consecutive Wesco 4A title. Junior quarterback Conor Bardue (38 touchdown passes and four interceptions) and a prolific receiving corps highlight a high-octane Lake Stevens offense that’s averaging nearly 50 points per game. Not to be outdone, the Vikings’ smothering defense is allowing less than 10 points per contest. Fifth-ranked Lake Stevens is seeking its fifth trip to the Class 4A state playoffs in the last six seasons.
Herald pick: Lake Stevens
Monroe (8-1) vs. Auburn Riverside (6-3)
When: 7 p.m., Friday
Where: Monroe High School
Monroe: 2nd in Wesco 4A
Auburn Riverside: T-2nd in NPSL Olympic
Monroe is playing for its first trip to the state playoffs since 1991. The Bearcats are coming off their first loss of the season, a 42-3 drubbing to Lake Stevens in last week’s de facto Wesco 4A title game. That’s been the only blemish in an otherwise dominant year for Monroe, which is averaging 40.3 points per game and yielding just 11. Bearcats senior running back JJ Jerome has rushed for 1,677 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns.
Herald pick: Monroe
Mariner (6-3) vs. Kennedy Catholic (7-2)
When: 5 p.m., Saturday
Where: Highline Memorial Stadium (Burien)
Mariner: 3rd in Wesco 4A
Kennedy Catholic: T-2nd in NPSL Cascade
Standing in the way of Mariner’s first trip to the state playoffs since 2007 is Kennedy Catholic, a perennial Class 3A power that moved up a classification in the offseason. The Lancers are averaging 38.1 points per game, led by the senior duo of quarterback Ben Gaoteote and receiver Jared Thurber. Mariner senior quarterback JJ Walker threw a season-high four touchdown passes in last week’s win over Jackson that secured the Marauders a district playoff berth.
Herald pick: Kennedy Catholic
Glacier Peak (5-4) vs. No. 2 Sumner (9-0)
When: 7:30 p.m., Friday
Where: Sunset Chevrolet Stadium (Sumner)
Glacier Peak: 4th in Wesco 4A
Sumner: 1st in SPSL
Glacier Peak faces a tough test in second-ranked Sumner, which claimed the South Puget Sound League 4A title and handed fourth-ranked Graham-Kapowsin its only loss of the season. The unbeaten Spartans are averaging 42.8 points per game, led by senior running back and University of Washington commit Connor Wedington. Glacier Peak sophomore quarterback Ayden Ziomas (25 touchdown passes and just three interceptions) has guided the Grizzlies to the postseason in their first year as a Class 4A program.
Herald pick: Sumner
Class 3A
Edmonds-Woodway (6-3) vs. Lakes (5-4)
When: 6 p.m., Friday
Where: Edmonds Stadium
Edmonds-Woodway: T-1st in Wesco 3A South
Lakes: T-3rd in Pierce County League
Edmonds-Woodway finished tied with Meadowdale atop the Wesco 3A South and is seeking its first trip to the state playoffs since 2011, which was the program’s only appearance in the last eight seasons. E-W senior quarterback Kameron Krall threw five touchdown passes in last week’s win over Everett, matching his season total coming into the game. Lakes was a Class 3A state semifinalist last year and has won four of its last five games, the only loss being a 14-7 defeat to No. 6 Bonney Lake.
Herald pick: Lakes
Meadowdale (7-2) vs. Lakeside (2-6)
When: 7 p.m., Saturday
Where: Edmonds Stadium
Meadowdale: T-1st Wesco 3A South
Lakeside: T-11 in Metro League
Meadowdale finished tied with Edmonds-Woodway atop the Wesco 3A South and is seeking its third state playoff berth in the last four years. The Mavericks’ only league loss came against Snohomish in last week’s regular-season finale, after Meadowdale had already clinched the the South’s top seed. The Mavericks are averaging 36.4 points per game, while Lakeside is managing just 18 per contest. Lakeside advanced to the district crossover round by beating Bainbridge in a tiebreaker mini-game on Oct. 25.
Herald pick: Meadowdale
Lynnwood (7-2) vs. No. 9 Garfield (8-1)
When: 7 p.m., Friday
Where: Memorial Stadium (Seattle)
Lynnwood: T-3rd in Wesco 3A South
Garfield: T-2nd in Metro League
Lynnwood took the next step this season under third-year head coach Keauntea Bankhead by earning the program’s first postseason berth since 1995. The Royals are led by senior dual-threat quarterback Alton Hammond, who converted from running back to quarterback last season. Both Lynnwood and Garfield are averaging 36 points per game. Garfield’s lone loss was to top-ranked O’Dea.
Herald pick: Garfield
Oak Harbor (7-2) vs. No. 10 Timberline (8-1)
When: 7 p.m., Friday
Where: South Sound Stadium (Lacey)
Oak Harbor: 3rd in Wesco 3A North
Timberline: 1st in South Sound Conference
Oak Harbor took third place in the rugged Wesco 3A North, with its only two losses coming to third-ranked Squalicum and fifth-ranked Ferndale. The Wildcats are averaging 37.2 points per game behind a dynamic ground attack that features senior running back Princeton Lollar, who has rushed for 1,798 yards rushing and 26 touchdowns. Timberline captured the inaugural South Sound Conference title with a win over eighth-ranked Peninsula and suffered its only loss in a three-point defeat to sixth-ranked Bonney Lake.
Herald pick: Timberline
Snohomish (7-3) vs. No. 1 O’Dea (9-0)
When: 5 p.m., Saturday
Where: Memorial Stadium (Seattle)
Snohomish: T-3rd Wesco 3A South
O’Dea: 1st in Metro League
Snohomish’s hopes of advancing to state for the first time since 2007 run through top-ranked O’Dea, which beat second-ranked Eastside Catholic and ninth-ranked Garfield on its way to the Metro League title. Snohomish has won four straight games, including a 37-33 comeback victory over Arlington in a district play-in contest on Tuesday. The Panthers are averaging 47.9 points per game, led by the star trio of senior quarterback Brandon Jodock, senior receiver Josh Johnston and junior running back Keegan Stich. Snohomish’s high-powered offense will face its toughest test of the season against O’Dea, which is yielding just 11.1 points per game.
Herald pick: O’Dea
Class 2A
No. 1 Archbishop Murphy (9-0) vs. Burlington-Edison (7-2)
When: 1 p.m., Saturday
Where: Archbishop Murphy High School
Archbishop Murphy: 1st in Cascade Conference
Burlington-Edison: 3rd in Northwest Conference 2A
Due to five opponent forfeits, Archbishop Murphy’s only game since mid-September was a 48-0 rout of Olympic on Oct. 22. The top-ranked Wildcats were dominant in the four games they did play, steamrolling their opponents by a combined 218-0. Murphy returns to action against Burlington-Edison, whose only two losses came to fourth-ranked Lynden and 10th-ranked Sedro-Woolley.
Herald pick: Archbishop Murphy
Granite Falls (4-5) vs. No. 4 Lynden (8-1)
When: 7 p.m., Saturday
Where: Civic Stadium (Bellingham)
Granite Falls: T-3rd in Cascade Conference
Lynden: 1st in Northwest Conference 2A
Granite Falls faces a tough test in fourth-ranked Lynden, which went unbeaten in league play to claim the Northwest Conference 2A title. Led by senior dual-threat quarterback Jacob Hommes, Lynden’s offense is averaging 37.3 points per game. The Lions’ defense has been even more impressive, stifling opponents to just 16.6 points per contest. Lynden beat 10th-ranked Sedro-Woolley and suffered its only blemish in a last-minute loss to Ferndale, which is ranked fifth in 3A. Granite Falls dual-threat junior quarterback Camden Landrum has accounted for 20 total touchdowns.
Herald pick: Lynden
Class 1A
No. 8 King’s (6-2) vs. Meridian (4-5)
When: 7 p.m., Saturday
Where: King’s High School
King’s: 2nd in Cascade Conference
Meridian: T-2nd in Northwest Conference 1A
Reigning Class 1A state runner-up King’s is seeking its eighth consecutive trip to the state playoffs and has five straight wins since a mid-September loss to 2A’s top-ranked Archbishop Murphy. The eighth-ranked Knights are averaging 38.6 points per game and are led by senior running back Caleb Perry, who has rushed for 1,169 yards and 18 touchdowns. Meridian advanced to the district crossover round by beating Nooksack Valley in a tiebreaker mini-game on Tuesday. The Trojans are highlighted by junior quarterback Simon Burkett, who was selected last summer to participate in January’s U.S. Army National Combine.
Herald pick: King’s
Sultan (6-3) vs. No. 2 Mount Baker (9-0)
When: 4:30 p.m., Friday
Where: Civic Stadium (Bellingham)
Sultan: T-3rd in Cascade Conference
Mount Baker: 1st in Northwest Conference 1A
Sultan will face Mount Baker in the district crossover round for the second straight year, looking to earn the program’s first state berth since 2000. The second-ranked Mountaineers are averaging 47.9 points per game, led by a high-powered rushing attack that features the dynamic running-back duo of senior Jed Schleimer and junior Carson Engholm. Schleimer rushed for 2,511 yards last season, the third-most in Class 1A state history.
Herald pick: Mount Baker
