Arlington falls, season is over

By CHRIS McMULLEN

Herald Writer

STANWOOD – The Mount Vernon Bulldogs football team is headed to the state playoffs for the first time since 1984, but to get there, they had to overcome a stifling Arlington defense.

Mount Vernon pulled off a 14-7 victory in Tuesday’s Class 3A Northwest District playoff game.

Heading into the game, Arlington and Mount Vernon had combined to beat their opponents 498-226.

There would be no such domination is this game.

Arlington coach John Boitano was very disappointed after the loss. He met with his players on the field and shook all of his senior players hands, congratulating them on a great season.

“It was an outstanding football game. I am very disappointed that we lost, but the consolation is that Mount Vernon is a great football team over there,” he said.

“This is a great group of seniors, they made it very fun to be around, but we wanted to play some more football.”

Things certainly started well for Arlington.

It took the Eagles just four plays to go 59 yards for the opening score. Quarterback Kevin McCormack threw 49 yards to a wide-open Tom Newell for the touchdown.

That 7-0 lead would stay on the board until 11:01 remaining in the fourth quarter when Mount Vernon running back Kurt Van Selus ran in from 1 yard out. The Bulldogs would not be denied.

It takes a bit of luck to win eight games in a high school football season, as Arlington did this year. The luck may have run out for the Eagles in the second quarter.

Arlington wide receiver Nick Yoney caught a swing pass and rumbled for a 12-yard gain, dragging a couple of Bulldog tacklers in the process.

This is where the bad luck occurred. Yoney came up limping and spent the rest of the first half icing his right hip. He never returned to action.

Arlington went into halftime with the 7-0 lead, but it could easily have been 21-0.

After the Arlington defense forced a fumble, the Eagles were driving again. McCormack had a fourth and 5 from the Bulldog 21 and found a wide-open Joe Boitano for what looked like another touchdown. Boitano was too wide open, dropping the potential touchdown and ending the drive.

Arlington had yet another chance to increase its lead. Facing a third and 5 from the Bulldog 11-yard line with 1:25 left in the half, McCormack again saw a wide open Boitano in the end zone. This time, Bulldog defensive back Andy Tweedle came out of nowhere and intercepted the pass in the end zone.

The Arlington defense held tough for much of the game. Forcing three fumbles and recovering two, the Eagles looked like they would not be scored on all game.

The fourth quarter was magical for the Bulldogs.

With 9:02 remaining in the game, a punt gave Mount Vernon the ball at the Eagle 41-yard line.

Mount Vernon, smelling the victory, handed it off to Van Selus and he took it the whole 41 yards himself, busting the run up the gut for the eventual game-winner.

Arlington finishes with a record of 8-2.

“I really regret that loss to Lake Stevens now. I know I will regret this one too,” coach Boitano said.

When asked how much losing Yoney affected his team, Boitano added, “That was big, real big.”

The Bulldogs (9-1) will play Saturday against a team yet to be determined.