Key Week 8 prep football games: League title at stake for Oak Harbor
Published 1:30 am Thursday, October 18, 2018
Oak Harbor has been one of the area’s more successful prep football programs in recent years.
But despite winning more than 80 percent of their conference games since 2011, it’s been more than a decade since the Wildcats last won an outright league title.
Oak Harbor has a chance to achieve that feat Friday night when the seventh-ranked Wildcats host Squalicum in a de facto Wesco 3A North title game. Both teams enter the regular-season finale at 6-1 overall and 4-1 in league play.
“It’d be great for the kids,” Oak Harbor coach Jay Turner said of winning the league crown. “It’s been their goal since day one. We have a really great group of senior leaders, (and) I would love for them to have that opportunity to get that league championship.”
Oak Harbor shared the Wesco 3A North crown with Marysville Pilchuck in 2014 and has finished second in its league five of the past seven seasons. The Wildcats haven’t won an outright league title since claiming back-to-back Wesco North championships in 2006 and 2007.
“We’re just really excited to go out and let the chips fly tomorrow and see what happens,” Turner said.
Similar to years past, Oak Harbor is relying on a strong Wing-T rushing attack and stingy defense this season.
“That’s what we kind of pride ourselves on is being able to run the ball,” Turner said, “and we’re fortunate to have some good players.
“Defensively, we’re not the biggest team in the world,” he added. “But we do try to stress the importance of flying around, getting 11 guys to the football (and) kind of playing a swarming type of defense.”
Squalicum, meanwhile, is seeking its second Wesco 3A North title in three seasons since moving from the Northwest Conference to join Wesco as a football-only member. The Storm are anchored by a big line on both sides of the ball.
“They’re very big and very physical,” Turner said. “… They’re playing really well right now, and that size up front is a nice attribute to have. They have some real nice players on both sides of the ball.”
Oak Harbor beat Squalicum last year, scoring a game-tying touchdown and go-ahead extra point with less than two minutes remaining to earn a 21-20 comeback win.
SQUALICUM at No. 7 OAK HARBOR
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Where: Oak Harbor H.S.
What’s at stake: The winner claims the outright Wesco 3A North title.
Squalicum: 6-1 overall, 4-1 Wesco 3A North; beat Stanwood 42-10 last week
About the Storm: After a six-point loss to Marysville Pilchuck in Week 3, Squalicum has won four straight games by double digits. The Storm allow just 11.7 points per game and have held every opponent to 21 points or less.
Oak Harbor: 6-1 overall, 4-1 Wesco 3A North; beat Marysville Getchell 42-14 last week
About the Wildcats: After an overtime loss to Arlington two weeks ago, Oak Harbor bounced back with a rout of Marysville Getchell. Senior standout Dorian Hardin has rushed for 839 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 8.9 yards per carry to lead a three-headed Wing-T rushing attack that’s totaled more than 2,500 yards. Hardin also has a team-high 313 yards receiving and five touchdown catches. In addition, the do-everything senior has four interceptions on defense for an Oak Harbor team that allows just 15.4 points per game.
Herald pick: Oak Harbor
ARLINGTON at MARYSVILLE PILCHUCK
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Where: Quil Ceda Stadium (Marysville Pilchuck H.S.)
Radio: KRKO 1380 AM
What’s at stake: The winner earns either the No. 2 or 3 seed in the Wesco 3A North, depending on the Oak Harbor-Squalicum result. If Arlington wins, the Eagles would be the No. 2 seed with a Squalicum victory and the No. 3 seed with an Oak Harbor victory. If Marysville Pilchuck wins, the Tomahawks would be the No. 2 seed with an Oak Harbor victory and the No. 3 seed with a Squalicum victory. Arlington already has clinched a top-four Wesco 3A North finish and a Week 9 playoff berth, but Marysville Pilchuck still needs either a win or a Ferndale loss to Stanwood to secure a postseason spot.
Arlington: 5-2 overall, 3-2 Wesco 3A North; beat Everett 49-28 last week.
About the Eagles: Senior quarterback Anthony Whitis has led Arlington to three late-game comeback victories this season, including a thrilling overtime win over Oak Harbor two weeks ago. Whitis has thrown for 1,726 yards, 19 touchdowns and nine interceptions in six games, and also has rushed for 278 yards and six scores. His favorite targets are seniors Griffin Gardoski (530 yards receiving and 10 touchdown catches) and Joey Stretch (518 yards and five touchdowns).
Marysville Pilchuck: 5-2 overall, 3-2 Wesco 3A North; lost to Ferndale 42-21 last week
About the Tomahawks: Marysville Pilchuck’s four-game winning streak ended with last week’s loss to Ferndale. Senior running back Trenton Hurst has rushed for more than 850 yards and seven touchdowns to lead the Tomahawks’ ground attack.
Herald pick: Arlington
MONROE at No. 10 GLACIER PEAK
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Where: Veterans Memorial Stadium (Snohomish H.S.)
Webcast: STSPN.com
What’s at stake: This matchup factors significantly into the race between Glacier Peak, Mount Vernon and Monroe for the No. 2 seed in Wesco 4A. The league’s top two seeds receive home-field advantage in the Week 10 playoffs.
Monroe: 3-4 overall, 3-2 Wesco 4A; beat Kamiak 48-13 last week
About the Bearcats: After starting 0-3 during a challenging opening stretch, Monroe has routed Mariner, Jackson and Kamiak to win three of its last four games. Junior standout Efton Chism III leads the Bearcats with 718 yards receiving, 12 touchdown catches, four interceptions on defense and two kickoff returns for scores. Junior quarterback Gio Fregoso has completed 73 percent of his passes for 1,741 yards, 19 touchdowns and five interceptions. Blake Rybar, a junior, has totaled 969 yards and 13 touchdowns as both a running and receiving threat out of the backfield.
Glacier Peak: 6-1 overall, 4-1 Wesco 4A; beat Mariner 28-13 last week.
About the Grizzlies: Glacier Peak standout senior quarterback Ayden Ziomas didn’t play in last week’s win over Mariner (Grizzlies coach Nick Bender said he wanted to give sophomore backup Ryan Kinney playing time). Glacier Peak rushed for 253 yards in the victory and shut out the Marauders for the first three quarters. In six games, the dual-threat Ziomas has completed 73 percent of his passes and accounted for 1,910 total yards and 30 touchdowns. Evan Mannes, a senior, leads the Grizzlies with 568 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns catches. Glacier Peak averages 43 points per game and allows just 15.3.
Herald pick: Glacier Peak
