Key Week 8 games: Monroe, GP set for televised Wesco 4A clash

It’s a rarity when high school athletes get to play on television.

Two local prep football teams get to live out the possible once-in-a-lifetime opportunity Friday night, when Monroe hosts Glacier Peak in a pivotal Wesco 4A clash that will be broadcast live across the region on ROOT Sports Northwest.

“It’s just really cool for the kids,” Grizzlies coach Shane Keck said. “It’s something they’ll be able to record and have for a long time. … It’s just a neat opportunity for the kids and both communities.”

The extra cameras and attention provide added excitement to an already pivotal matchup in the race for a Wesco 4A top-two seed, which guarantees home-field advantage for the winner-to-state Week 10 playoff round.

Top-ranked Lake Stevens is a virtual lock for the conference’s No. 1 seed, but Monroe (5-2, 4-1 Wesco 4A) and Glacier Peak (6-1, 4-1) are tied for second place with two weeks of league play remaining. Mount Vernon is fourth in the conference standings, one game behind both teams.

The Grizzlies close the regular season next week against Mount Vernon, while the Bearcats face fifth-place Cascade.

“It’s a big game, for sure,” Keck said of Friday night’s televised matchup.

Monroe averages 43.4 points per game behind a high-powered offense led by the senior trio of quarterback Gio Fregoso, tailback Blake Rybar and Eastern Washington University-bound receiver Efton Chism III.

Fregoso has completed 66.9 percent of his passes for 1,415 yards, 18 touchdowns and four interceptions. Rybar averages 8.2 yards per carry and has 948 yards from scrimmage and 13 total TDs. Chism III also is a threat both as a pass-catcher and runner, with 719 scrimmage yards and nine total TDs.

“They’re just really, really balanced, and so it makes it really difficult on a defense because you’ve kind of gotta pick your poison. Do you want to stop the run, or do you want to try and stop the pass?” Keck said. “And so I think we’ve got our work cut out for us.”

Glacier Peak, meanwhile, allows just 15.4 points per game and has forced multiple turnovers in each of its past three contests.

“They’re just really disciplined,” Monroe coach Michael Bumpus said. “You can tell they’re well-coached. They do exactly what they’re supposed to do. … They’re going to align correctly (and) assign correctly, so you’ve gotta be on point.”

GLACIER PEAK at MONROE

When: 7 p.m., Friday

Where: Monroe H.S.

TV: ROOT Sports

The skinny: If Monroe wins, the Bearcats clinch a top-two seed in Wesco 4A and home-field advantage for the winner-to-state Week 10 playoffs. Glacier Peak likely needs to beat Monroe and then defeat Mount Vernon next week to secure a top-two seed.

Glacier Peak: 6-1 overall, 4-1 Wesco 4A; beat Mariner 21-20 last week

About the Grizzlies: After falling 41-3 to top-ranked Lake Stevens in its first loss of the season two weeks ago, Glacier Peak rallied for a one-point victory last week over upset-minded Mariner. The Grizzlies forced two key fourth-quarter Mariner turnovers, the latter of which set up Tyson Lang’s game-tying TD pass to Reggie Valmonte and Brayden Corwin’s ensuing go-ahead extra point with 4:15 to play. Dylan Owen has rushed for 763 yards and seven TDs, including 728 yards over the past five games. Glacier Peak allows just 15.4 points per contest.

Monroe: 5-2 overall, 4-1 Wesco 4A; beat Kamiak 54-0 last week

About the Bearcats: Monroe opened the season by splitting a pair of one-point games against current 4A top-10 teams, beating No. 8 Eastlake in overtime and falling to No. 6 Woodinville. Then after a 73-28 loss to top-ranked Lake Stevens, the Bearcats bounced back to rout their past four opponents by a combined 214-28 margin. Monroe averages 43.4 points per game, led by the senior trio of quarterback Gio Fregoso, running back Blake Rybar and Eastern Washington University-bound receiver Efton Chism III.

Herald pick: Monroe

No. 7 MARYSVILLE PILCHUCK at ARLINGTON

When: 7 p.m., Friday

Where: Arlington H.S.

Radio: KRKO 1380 AM

The skinny: The winner of this regular-season finale claims the Wesco 3A North title.

Marysville Pilchuck: 7-0 overall, 5-0 Wesco 3A North; beat Ferndale 42-14 last week

About the Tomahawks: Dylan Carson and Jordan Justice have combined to rush for 1,802 yards and 23 TDs, leading a high-powered Slot-T ground attack that averages 8.5 yards per carry and 334 yards rushing per game. Carson gashed Ferndale for 269 yards and three TDs last week, helping Marysville Pilchuck pull away with long scoring runs of 80 and 66 yards on the Tomahawks’ first two offensive plays of the second half. Marysville Pilchuck allows just 11.1 points per game and has held six of its seven opponents to 14 points or less.

Arlington: 6-1 overall, 4-1 Wesco 3A North; beat Everett 40-7 last week

About the Eagles: Arlington yields just 14.3 points per game and has held six of its seven opponents to 13 points or less, with its only blemish being a 48-28 loss to Ferndale in Week 4. Jaden Roskelley has filled in nicely for injured tailback Jacob Kramer, rushing for a combined 354 yards and six TDs over the past two games. Last week, Roskelley piled up 237 yards and three TDs on 19 carries in a non-league rout of Everett.

Herald pick: Marysville Pilchuck

MEADOWDALE at SNOHOMISH

When: 7 p.m., Friday

Where: Veterans Memorial Stadium

Webcast: STSPN.com

The skinny: Both teams enter the final week of the regular season in a three-way tie with Edmonds-Woodway atop the Wesco 3A South. If Snohomish wins, the Panthers claim their second consecutive league title. Meadowdale needs both a victory over Snohomish and an Edmonds-Woodway loss to winless Everett to earn the league crown.

Meadowdale: 5-2 overall, 4-1 Wesco 3A South; beat Shorecrest 20-14 last week

About the Mavericks: Meadowdale has three victories by six points or less, including last week’s win over Shorecrest that kept the Mavericks in the thick of the league-title race. Big-play receiver Mason Vaughn helped key the victory, hauling in TD passes of 29 and 47 yards on his only two catches of the night. Vaughn averages a whopping 36 yards per reception, with 504 yards and seven TDs on just 14 catches.

Snohomish: 4-3 overall, 4-1 Wesco 3A South; beat Lynnwood 35-0 last week

About the Panthers: After a 36-35 last-minute loss to Shorecrest three weeks ago, Snohomish rebounded to beat Edmonds-Woodway and shut out Lynnwood. Tyler Larson leads the Panthers’ ground attack with 704 yards and 10 TDs, averaging 7.7 yards per carry. Joshua Vandergriend has added 517 yards rushing and seven TDs, including 345 yards and six scores over the past three games.

Herald pick: Snohomish

LYNNWOOD at SHORECREST

When: 7 p.m., Friday

Where: Shoreline Stadium

The skinny: The winner of this do-or-die matchup earns one of the Wesco 3A South’s four postseason berths, while the loser is eliminated from playoff contention.

Lynnwood: 4-3 overall, 2-3 Wesco 3A South; lost to Snohomish 35-0 last week

About the Royals: After winning only one game combined over the previous two seasons, Lynnwood is one victory away from a postseason berth. The Royals average just 17.9 points per contest, but have allowed more than 20 points just twice all season. Tanner Fahey has a team-high 443 yards receiving and five TD catches.

Shorecrest: 5-2 overall, 3-2 Wesco 3A South; lost to Meadowdale 20-14 last week

About the Scots: Shorecrest’s four-game win streak was snapped with last week’s loss to Meadowdale. The Scots have scored 35-plus points three times, including in a one-point victory over defending Wesco 3A champion Snohomish. But in its other four games, Shorecrest managed just 14 points or less. The Scots have reached five wins for the third straight year, matching the program’s most victories in a season since 2005.

Herald pick: Shorecrest

No. 5 ARCHBISHOP MURPHY at No. 9 SEDRO-WOOLLEY

When: 7 p.m., Friday

Where: Sedro-Woolley H.S.

The skinny: Sedro-Woolley enters the final week of the regular season in a three-way tie with Lynden and Lakewood atop the Northwest 2A Sky Division, while Archbishop Murphy sits in fourth place. The top three seeds in the Sky Division receive a bye for next week’s first-round Class 2A Northwest/Sea-King Bi-District playoff games and will host Week 10 winner-to-state contests.

Archbishop Murphy: 5-2 overall, 2-2 Northwest 2A Sky Division; beat Burlington-Edison 28-13 last week

About the Wildcats: This will be Archbishop Murphy’s fourth matchup against a current 2A top-10 team this season. The Wildcats earned a six-point non-league win over No. 2 Hockinson and suffered single-digit conference losses to No. 4 Lynden and No. 6 Lakewood. Mason Mathis and Joe Ennis lead Archbishop Murphy’s rushing attack, having combined for 904 yards and 10 TDs. The Wildcats allow just 13.1 points per game.

Sedro-Woolley: 6-1 overall, 3-1 Northwest 2A Sky Division; beat Lynden 14-7 last week

About the Cubs: Sedro-Woolley handed defending Sky Division champion Lynden its first conference loss last week, holding the Lions to their lowest point total of the season. The Cubs also had an impressive non-league victory earlier this year over Mount Vernon, currently the fourth-place team in Wesco 4A. Since a 27-0 loss to Lakewood four weeks ago, Sedro-Woolley has allowed just 12 points combined during a three-game win streak. The Cubs yield just 13.3 points per game.

Herald pick: Archbishop Murphy