ARLINGTON – John Boitano felt that numbers, not words, best summed up his team’s performance Friday night.
“I’m not going to say much because that says it all,” said Boitano, head coach of the Arlington Eagles football team, as he pointed to the scoreboard with his players circled around him at midfield.
Not highly regarded when the season began, Arlington further proved it’s a genuine rising power with a 26-7 Western Conference North Division victory over the Lake Stevens Vikings.
Running back Jake Webb ran for 113 yards and a touchdown, quarterback Kenny Gunter rushed for 77 yards and two scores and the Eagles defense forced five turnovers in a decisive performance for Arlington (3-0 in league and overall).
“That’s gotta be one of the finest wins I’ve ever had,” Boitano told his players. “You guys are for real. That was a great game, and we are on our way.”
Gunter gave Arlington a 13-7 lead late in the first quarter on a unique QB keeper. On third and 12 from his own 31-yard line, he dropped back and then had the ball ripped loose as he approached the line of scrimmage. With no defenders nearby, Gunter scooped up the ball and raced 69 yards up the left sideline for what turned out to be the game-winning score.
The play worked just like Gunter planned it, right?
“I just wanted to spice it up a little bit,” Gunter said, smiling.
Placekicker Matt Tilton’s point after made it 14-7, a lead that held up, keeping Arlington undefeated and on top of the world.
“This game is like the turning point of the season,” said Webb, whose 5-yard TD run made it 20-7 with 36 seconds to go in the third. “We’re not a fluke.”
Arlington has a good chance to improve to 4-0 next week when it travels to Mount Vernon (0-3, 0-3). But Oct. 1 the Eagles will receive another big test when they face Stanwood (3-0, 3-0) in the annual Stilly Cup game.
Quarterback Ricky Bargreen ran for a TD and passed for 121 yards for Lake Stevens (1-2, 1-2). However, after completing each of his first five passes Bargreen connected on just two of his next nine, including two interceptions in the second quarter.
Arlington scored first when Gunter plowed up the middle from one yard out at 5:28 in the first. Gunter’s plunge capped a seven-play, 58-yard drive; Tilton made it 7-0. The big play of the series was Taylor Brown’s 28-yard tackle-shredding spurt up the left sideline.
Thanks in large part to Bargreen’s hot passing, Lake Stevens tied it at 7-7 with 1:57 to go in the first. Bargreen was 3-for-3 for 64 yards on the drive before he snuck in from 1 yard out for a TD. Coyt Ferrucci nailed the point-after kick.
There was a 10-minute delay early in the second half when lightning forced officials to halt play. As soon as play resumed, Arlington rolled on a 17-play, 72-yard scoring drive.
If anyone else doubts the Eagles now, they haven’t been paying attention.
“We’ve known what we’ve had the entire time,” Gunter said. “It’s just a matter of proving it.”
Mission accomplished, Mr. Gunter.
At Arlington
Lake Stevens7000-7
Arlington14066-26
Arlington-Gunter 1 run (Tilton kick)
LS-Bargreen 1 run (Ferrucci kick)
Arlington-Gunter 69 run (Tilton kick)
Arlington-Webb 5 run (kick failed)
Arlington-Brown 7 run (kick blocked)
Records-Lake Stevens 1-2 in league, 1-2 overall. Arlington 3-0, 3-0.
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