Gulls’ Challman too much for Monroe

Everett fullback totals 245 yards, four TDs in win

By JOHN McDONALD

Prep Editor

MONROE — Ben Challman, Ben Challman, Ben Challman, Ben Challman.

From the first play to the last, the big Everett fullback dominated the Seagulls’ 27-12 Western Conference 3A victory over the Monroe Bearcats Monday at Monroe Stadium.

The first time the 6-foot-2, 202-pound senior got his hands on the football, he ran 87 yards for a touchdown. He got his hands on the ball 25 more times after that and amassed 245 yards rushing. He also added scoring runs of 4, 5 and 2 yards as he accounted for all four Everett touchdowns.

"We ran inside the tackles all right," Challman said. "All our plays were working tonight."

Fellow back Brian Price almost got 100 yards, settling for 90 on 14 carries, and four other rushers totaled 47 yards, giving Everett, which threw just one incomplete pass, 382 total yards.

Everett improved to 2-0 in league, 3-1 overall as it kept pace with Wesco 3A co-leader Lake Stevens.

A scrappy Monroe (0-2, 0-4) team answered each of the first two Everett touchdowns with Josh Carswell field goals and demonstrated its never-say-die spirit by completing a 31-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Cody Armstrong to wide receiver Andrew Darnelle with 40 seconds to go in the game.

The game’s sub-plot was the fact they were playing it Monday. Originally scheduled for Friday, the game was postponed because the officials association failed to assign referees to the contest and no one noticed the oversight in time.

"It was weird," said Everett coach Paul Lawrence. "I didn’t think it would be that bad, but it was hard to get ready to play a critical game on Monday and not think ahead to Friday, which is another critical game."

Both teams play again this week. Everett is at Meadowdale and Monroe is at Stanwood.

"We’ll probably have a short practice tomorrow so the guys can get their legs back," Lawrence said. "But we’ll go in full gear and think about Meadowdale, not Monroe. Normally, we’d watch tape and grade the game. But tomorrow will be different emotionally. We can’t savor Monroe, we’ve got to get ready for Meadowdale."

Everett got a big lift, scoring on its first offensive play, but Monroe kept the game close until the Seagulls took the second-half kickoff and drove to a 21-6 lead.

"I credit our defense," Lawrence said. "We had four sophomores on the field at one time. I told them at halftime to give up two field goals, I have no problem with that."

Everett took the second-half kickoff and scored in six plays from its own 36. The big run was a 35-yarder by Price, which led to a 5-yard touchdown run by Challman.

Everett held Monroe to a three-and-out, but turned the ball over on downs. After causing another three-and-out, the Seagulls, aided by a 14-yard Challman run on fourth down, drove 67 yards in 12 plays to a 2-yard TD run by Challman.

After allowing one first down, the Seagull defense stopped Monroe at its own 46, forcing a punt which the Bearcats downed at the Everett 13. On Everett’s first play from scrimmage, Challman burst off right tackle on a counter trap and raced down the right sideline for a touchdown. Jared Reme’s conversion kick gave Everett a 7-0 lead.

But Monroe responded to the shock with a 10-play drive from its own 36 to the Everett 11, where Everett held and Josh Carswell kicked a 29-yard field goal.

After an exchange of punts, Everett began at its own 33 and drove in 10 plays to a 4-yard touchdown run by Challman. Reme’s PAT kick gave Everett a 14-3 lead. Challman carried for 47 of the 67 yards.

On Monroe’s first play from scrimmage after the kickoff, Carswell broke a 40-yard run to the Everett 25. Seven plays later, Carswell kicked a 32-yard field goal.


Everett7776—27

Monroe

3

3

0

6

12


Everett—Challman 87 run (Reme kick)

Monroe—FG Carswell 29

Everett—Challman 4 run (Reme kick)

Monroe—FG Carswell 32

Everett—Challman 5 run (Reme kick)

Everett—Challman 2 run (kick failed)

Monroe—Darnelle 31 pass from Armstrong (pass failed)

Records—Monroe 0-2 in league, 0-4 overall. Everett 2-0, 3-1.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Sports

Silvertips forward Shea Busch participates in the Florida Panthers development camp at Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on July 1, 2025. Florida selected Busch in the fourth round of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft on June 28. (Photo courtesy Shea Busch)
Shea Busch experiences whirlwind NHL Draft week

The Florida Panthers selected the Silvertips forward in the fourth round on June 28.

Late Mystics surge dooms Storm as stars struggle

Seattle dropped to 13-9 after shooting 36.2% from the field.

Rome Odunze scans the field in a scrimmage at his youth football camp at Archbishop Murphy High School on July 10, 2025. The former University of Washington star is entering his second NFL season with the Chicago Bears. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
Odunze ‘gives back’ in Everett youth football camp

The former University of Washington star hosts a single-day camp at Archbishop Murphy on Thursday.

The New York Yankees' Aaron Judge, top right, celebrates with teammates after hitting a walk-off sacrifice fly ball during the 10th inning against the Seattle Mariners at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, July 10, 2025, in New York. (Justin Casterline / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Yankees walk off Mariners on Judge’s sac fly for series sweep

Seattle blows 5-0 lead after Bryan Woo takes no-hitter into eighth inning.

Raleigh says Munoz tipped pitches during Yankees’ comeback

The Yankees had a bead on Seattle Mariners closer Andrés Muñoz. That’s… Continue reading

Midfielder Christian Soto dribbles up field during Snohomish United's 5-1 win against the Tacoma Stars at Stockers Fields on July 9, 2025 (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
Snohomish United keeps playoff hopes alive in home finale

With 5-1 win against Tacoma, the USL2 club’s focus on local talent keys success in inaugural season.

Silvertips forward Carter Bear fields questions after the Detroit Red Wings selected him 13th overall in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft in Los Angeles on June 27, 2025. (Photo courtesy Natalie Shaver / CHL)
Two weeks after Draft, Silvertips’ Bear still can’t believe it

The Red Wings’ first-rounder reflects on draft night and his experience at Detroit’s development camp.

AquaSox down Devils for consecutive wins

The AquaSox were on a 2-10 stretch coming into the series.

Cam Schlittler’s strong debut freezes Mariners

The Mariners fell to the Yankees, 9-6, on Wednesday night.

Storm flies too close to the Sun, loses in an upset

Connecticut snapped a 10-game losing streak to beat Seattle 93-83 on Wednesday morning.

Giancarlo Stanton of the New York Yankees flips his bat after hitting a three-run home run in the sixth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in New York. (Evan Bernstein / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Raleigh, Judge heat up homer race at Yankee Stadium

In the battle of baseball’s biggest sluggers, Aaron Judge… Continue reading

Seattle Seahawks linebackers Derick Hall (58) and Boye Mafe (53) celebrate a defensive play during the 2024 season. (Rio Giancarlo / Getty Images / The Athletic)
Season to reveal long-term plans for Seahawks linebackers

The Seattle Seahawks selected edge rusher Boye Mafe with… Continue reading

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.