SNOHOMISH — Rory Rosenbach isn’t quite ready to name the Bellevue Wolverines Glacier Peak’s biggest rival.
But after ending the Grizzlies’ season for the fourth time in the last seven seasons, it may be hard to find another team Glacier Peak likes less.
Bellevue continued its winning ways against the Grizzlies with a 35-14 win over Glacier Peak in a 3A state quarterfinal game Saturday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
“I tell you what, we’ve got to get them once before it becomes a rivalry,” Rosenbach said. “I think rivalries have to have a back and forth. We gave them everything we had. It just wasn’t enough tonight.”
After forcing a three and out on Bellevue’s initial drive, Glacier Peak got on the scoreboard first with a 36-yard touchdown pass from freshman Ayden Ziomas to senior Justin Guffey.
But it was all Wolverines after that.
Bellevue scored the next 35 points and the Wolverines’ defense clamped down on the Grizzlies, whose offense could not get back in the end zone.
Glacier Peak added a late score on a 43-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Zach Argue late in the game.
“We felt great. We stopped them, we went down the field and scored,” Rosenbach said. “Give credit to their coaching staff. They made really good adjustments, which is something they haven’t done, really, to us. They’ve just said, ‘We’re going to come out and play you.’ I think it’s a testament to our kids and how well they played them the first time. They did stuff we’d never seen. They ran that quarterback a ton and that hurt us in the first half.
“We just couldn’t get anything going on offense. We battled our butts off but in the end they beat us tonight. … I thought our (offensive line) battled their butts off against the best (defensive line) I’ve ever seen at the high school level. It’s tough. A lot of those guys just played their last football game. It’s a bunch of seniors that are just grinders. They fricken fought for four years and gave everything they had tonight.”
Both of Glacier Peak’s (10-2 overall) losses this season came to Bellevue (10-1), which also won 24-6 in a non-conference game on Oct. 2. The two teams have played six times since 2009 with the Wolverines winning all six matchups.
“There’s about five (Division-1) kids over there,” Rosenbach said. “You just have to be perfect. Every little mistake you make they attack and they’re all over it. It’s tough. We just have to play perfect football to play with them and we just weren’t quite good enough tonight.”
“They’re a great team,” Glacier Peak senior wide receiver/defensive back Justin Guffey said. “Of course they’re a great team. We just made more mistakes than they did and they beat us.”
Bellevue head coach Butch Goncharoff said the Grizzlies are a team that always scare Bellevue.
“They’re really well-coached,” Goncharoff said. “It just shows. They make adjustments. They make changes. Rory does a great job. We hate playing these guys. To be quite honest, it’s been a battle and it’s been a struggle every time we play them.”
Bellevue senior quarterback Justus Rogers accounted for four touchdowns in the first half as Bellevue built a 28-7 halftime lead. Rogers finished the game with 100 yards rushing on 14 carries and three touchdowns on the ground. The Washington State-bound Rogers added 105 yards passing and another touchdown on 3 of 5 pass attempts for the Wolverines, who advance to play Bishop Blanchet in 3A semifinals next weekend at the Tacoma Dome.
“That’s been our question since he’s been here: Why do they not run him against us? He’s a load,” Rosenbach said. “He’s a big, strong, fit, Division-1 kid. We battled. We did our best. We slowed it down in the second half but it was just too much in the first half.”
“We tried to take what they gave us a little bit,” Goncharoff said. “They played a defense where they kind of sold out on everybody. We had to take advantage of some of the things we had. The unaccounted for guy was the quarterback and we ran him as much as we could and he showed up tonight.”
Bellevue finished with 227 yards rushing and 332 yards of total offense. The Wolverines’ defense held Glacier Peak to 110 yards of offense — 45 yards rushing and 65 passing yards by Ziomas (9 of 20).
“I think Ayden played a really good game, the freshman. He stood in there,” Rosenbach said. “That last play he took that big shot. He stands in there and throws it knowing he’s going to get lit up by some guy who’s got him by 150 pounds and he’s got the courage to stand in there and do that. The sky’s the limit for that kid. I’m super excited about him.”
Unlike Ziomas, Guffey played his last game at Veterans Memorial Stadium. The senior praised his teammates and wished the Grizzlies’ journey could have continued a little longer.
“I love all of them,” Guffey said. “The things I would do to have some more Friday Night Lights. I would do anything. I love all those guys. It’s just been such an honor and a great ride.”
With a two-year cycle ending, Glacier Peak doesn’t know when the next time it faces Bellevue will be. It may not be for two years if Bellevue moves up to 4A.
Or, it could be again next season if Glacier Peak moves up as well.
“It’ll be a new cycle so we don’t know what’s going to happen,” Rosenbach said. “Rumor is they might go up. And we might too, so we may end up seeing them again, anyway.”
At Veterans Memorial Stadium
Bellevue 14 14 7 0 —35
Glacier Peak 7 0 0 7 —14
GP—Justin Guffey 36 pass from Ayden Ziomas (Kevin Ramsey kick)
B—Justus Rogers 44 run (Thomas Monaghan kick)
B—Rogers 2 run (Monaghan kick)
B—Rogers 1 run (Monaghan kick)
B—Tyson Penn 25 pass from Rogers (Monaghan kick)
B—Isaiah Ifanse 4 run (Monaghan kick)
GP—Zach Argue 43 fumble return (Ramsey kick)
Records–Bellevue 10-1 overall. Glacier Peak 10-2.
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