A way-too-early look at the prep football season: Weeks 5-6

With the 2019 high school football season less than two months away, The Herald continues its way-too-early look at some of this season’s key matchups involving local teams.

Below is a look at the most intriguing local matchups for Weeks 5 and 6.

In the first two installments of this four-part series, The Herald previewed key matchups for Weeks 1-2 and Weeks 3-4. Check back later for the final portion, which will look at Weeks 7-9.

WEEK 5

MONROE at MOUNT VERNON

When: 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4

Where: Mount Vernon H.S.

The lowdown: Monroe experienced some growing pains last season, going 4-6 after graduating numerous key players from its historic 2017 state-quarterfinal team. But after bringing back the vast majority of last year’s squad, the older and more experienced Bearcats appear primed for a return to Wesco 4A’s upper echelon. Monroe is led by a large and talented senior class, highlighted by Eastern Washington-bound receiver/defensive back/special-teams returner Efton Chism III, quarterback Gio Fregoso and two-way standout Blake Rybar. Mount Vernon, meanwhile, looks to continue its success under Nic Vasilchek. The third-year coach quickly transformed a struggling program that suffered back-to-back winless campaigns in 2015 and 2016, guiding the Bulldogs to an eight-win season last year and their first state appearance since 2007. However, similar to Monroe’s challenge last season, Mount Vernon now has to replace a slew of graduated talent. The Bulldogs won last year’s matchup 45-34, prevailing in a back-and-forth contest filled with big plays.

SHORECREST at SNOHOMISH

When: 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4

Where: Veterans Memorial Stadium

The lowdown: This Wesco 3A South clash is a rematch of Snohomish’s tense 33-27 overtime win over Shorecrest last season. The Scots rallied from a 21-0 first-quarter deficit in that game and forced overtime on a 40-yard field goal as regulation expired, but the Panthers prevailed on standout tailback Tyler Massena’s game-winning 1-yard touchdown run in the extra period. For eventual Wesco 3A champion Snohomish, it began a nail-biting stretch of four one-possession wins in five games. The Panthers graduated Massena and four starting offensive linemen from last year’s powerful rushing attack, but will look to build on their first state appearance since 2007 in coach Joey Hammer’s second season at the helm. Shorecrest also aims to keep making strides, coming off back-to-back 5-5 campaigns that matched the program’s most wins in a season since 2005.

SEHOME at MOUNTLAKE TERRACE

When: 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4

Where: Edmonds Stadium

The lowdown: This will be Mountlake Terrace’s first Northwest 2A Lake Division game under Tony Umayam, who is back for a second run as the Hawks’ head coach. During his previous 11 years at the helm, Umayam led Mountlake Terrace to some of its best seasons in program history before stepping down in 2015. Last year, these two teams were part of a three-way tie with Bellingham atop the Lake Division, the lower of the district-wide Northwest 2A league’s two competitively balanced tiers. The Hawks won last season’s matchup 19-16, but Sehome later went on to upset Archbishop Murphy in a winner-to-state game. However, the Mariners graduated more than half of their varsity roster from last year’s state-playoff squad. With just four teams in the Lake Division this season — and thus just three league games for each team — every division contest carries significant weight in terms of postseason qualification and positioning.

WEEK 6

LAKE STEVENS at GLACIER PEAK

When: 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11

Where: Veterans Memorial Stadium

The lowdown: Last year, these two teams squared off in a showdown of unbeatens that ultimately decided the Wesco 4A title. Glacier Peak provided a rare wire-to-wire conference test for eventual Class 4A state runner-up Lake Stevens, which had won 25 consecutive league games by double digits, dating back to 2014. But a first-quarter end-zone interception proved costly for Glacier Peak, and the Vikings prevailed for a 24-21 victory en route to their sixth consecutive Wesco 4A crown. With the Vikings returning a slew of talent — headlined by three-star cornerback/receiver Kasen Kinchen — they should once again be the odds-on favorites in Wesco 4A. Glacier Peak has a strong core of seniors to replace from last year’s 8-2 team, including the talented trio of Washington State-bound lineman Ma’ake Fifita, four-year starting quarterback Ayden Ziomas and Central Washington-bound two-way standout Evan Mannes.

ARLINGTON at OAK HARBOR

When: 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11

Where: Oak Harbor H.S.

The lowdown: These two Wesco 3A North rivals have quite the recent history of down-to-the-wire finishes. Three years ago, Oak Harbor blocked a punt in the final minute, then scored a touchdown and 2-point conversion to rally for a 22-21 win. Two years ago, the Wildcats prevailed in a wet and windy defensive slugfest for a 13-7 triple-overtime victory. And then there was last year’s wild and wacky finish, when Arlington kept Oak Harbor from running out the clock by literally pushing a Wildcats ball-carrier into the end zone for a touchdown. That gave the ball back to the Eagles, who then tied the game with a late touchdown and 2-point conversion before scoring the game-winning touchdown in overtime for a stunning 48-42 win. Could more late-game drama be in store this time?

MARYSVILLE PILCHUCK vs. MARYSVILLE GETCHELL

When: 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11

Where: Quil Ceda Stadium

The lowdown: Marysville Pilchuck looks to continue its Berry Bowl dominance, while Marysville Getchell aims for its first-ever win in the crosstown rivalry. The Tomahawks have won all seven editions of the Berry Bowl by at least 21 points, including a 33-3 rout last season. This year’s matchup features two teams seeking to build on the strides they made last fall. Marysville Pilchuck is coming off a 7-3 campaign, which marked a five-win improvement from the previous year and ended a string of three consecutive losing seasons. The Tomahawks have to replace several key pieces from their powerful Wing-T ground attack — including leading rushers Trenton Hurst and Bryan Sanders, and standout offensive linemen Cade Tucker and Ashton Whitney-Bajema. Marysville Getchell is coming off a 5-5 campaign, which topped its win total from the previous two seasons combined and matched the most wins in its eight-year program history.

SNOHOMISH at EDMONDS-WOODWAY

When: 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11

Where: Edmonds Stadium

The lowdown: This is another rematch of a Snohomish overtime victory. In last year’s contest, the Panthers erased a 14-point second-half deficit with 21 straight points before Edmonds-Woodway scored a late touchdown to force overtime. Massena then ran for the game-winner in the extra period, scoring his second walk-off touchdown in as many weeks to lift Snohomish to a wild 41-35 triumph. The back-and-forth affair featured a combined 779 yards rushing between the two teams, including 351 yards and four touchdowns from Edmonds-Woodway star Capassio Cherry. For the Warriors, this near-upset of the eventual Wesco 3A champions was part of a second-half turnaround of sorts, as Edmonds-Woodway rebounded from an 0-4 start to close its first losing season in more than a decade by winning four of its final six games. But to continue that late momentum into this season, the Warriors will have to overcome the graduation of Cherry, The Herald’s reigning Offensive Player of the Year.