Key Week 9 prep football games: Playoff spots, seeding at stake

The prep football postseason has arrived.

A pair of loser-out games take place Friday night at Edmonds Stadium, and numerous other contests across the area will determine seeding for next week’s winner-to-state Week 10 playoff games.

Here’s a look at the most pivotal Week 9 matchups.

No. 9 GLACIER PEAK at MOUNT VERNON

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Mount Vernon H.S.

What’s at stake: The winner of this regular-season finale receives Wesco 4A’s No. 2 seed and home-field advantage in the Week 10 playoffs. The loser will be the conference’s No. 3 seed.

Glacier Peak: 7-1 overall, 5-1 Wesco 4A; beat Monroe 42-10 last week

About the Grizzlies: Glacier Peak routed Monroe last week, holding the Bearcats to a season-low 10 points and just 253 yards of total offense. It was the fifth time this season Glacier Peak had allowed 13 points or less. The Grizzlies’ high-powered offense is led by dual-threat senior quarterback Ayden Ziomas, who has accounted for 2,223 total yards and 34 touchdowns in seven games, and has thrown just four interceptions. His favorite target is senior Evan Mannes, who has 644 receiving yards and 11 touchdown catches.

Mount Vernon: 7-1 overall, 5-1 Wesco 4A; beat Kamiak 57-7 last week

About the Bulldogs: Just two years removed from back-to-back winless campaigns in 2015 and 2016, Mount Vernon has undergone a massive turnaround under second-year coach Nic Vasilchek. With one more victory, the 7-1 Bulldogs would reach eight wins for the first time in at least 15 seasons. Senior running back Seth Tercero has rushed for a Wesco 4A-leading 1,145 yards and 17 touchdowns, averaging 7.4 yards per carry. Junior receiver Carlos Garcia caught four passes for 94 yards and three touchdowns in last week’s rout of Kamiak, bringing his season totals to 529 yards receiving and nine touchdown catches.

Herald pick: Glacier Peak

No. 8 SQUALICUM at SNOHOMISH

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Veterans Memorial Stadium (Snohomish H.S.)

Radio: KRKO 1380 AM

Webcast: STSPN.com

What’s at stake: This de facto Wesco 3A title game between the North and South division champions determines the conference’s No. 1 overall seed heading into the Week 10 playoffs. The loser will be Wesco 3A’s No. 2 seed.

Squalicum: 7-1 overall, 5-1 Wesco 3A North; beat Oak Harbor 43-40 last week

About the Storm: Squalicum prevailed in a back-and-forth affair last week to beat Oak Harbor for its second Wesco 3A North crown in three years since joining the league as a football-only member. Senior quarterback Spencer Lloyd highlighted the Storm’s quick-strike attack, scoring the eventual game-winner on a 62-yard touchdown run with just over two minutes to play. It was one of three touchdowns of 60-plus yards for Squalicum, which also returned a kickoff for a score. Lloyd has rushed for 1,139 yards and 16 touchdowns this season, leading a Storm ground attack that averages more than 275 yards per game behind a big and physical offensive line.

Snohomish: 6-2 overall, 6-0 Wesco 3A South; beat Meadowdale 44-38 last week

About the Panthers: Running back Tyler Massena continued his standout senior campaign with 325 yards from scrimmage last week, highlighted by a season-high 230 yards rushing and three touchdown runs. Massena has totaled more than 1,500 yards from scrimmage and 28 touchdowns this season, including a pair of kickoff returns for scores. The speedy 5-foot-7 back leads a Snohomish rushing attack that averages 300 yards per game behind a big and talented offensive line. The Panthers went unbeaten in Wesco 3A South play to claim their first league title in more than a decade.

Herald pick: Squalicum

FERNDALE vs. MEADOWDALE

When: 8 p.m. Friday

Where: Edmonds Stadium

What’s at stake: This Wesco 3A crossover game between the fourth-place teams from the North and South divisions is a loser-out contest. The winner earns Wesco 3A’s No. 7 seed and advances to face top-ranked Eastside Catholic in the Week 10 playoffs.

Ferndale: 3-5 overall, 3-3 Wesco 3A North; beat Stanwood 56-26 last week

About the Golden Eagles: After starting the season 1-5, Ferndale rolled past Marysville Pilchuck and Stanwood in its final two regular-season games to earn the Wesco 3A North’s fourth and final postseason berth. Senior running back Gader Fox rushed for 232 yards and three touchdowns on just 12 attempts in last week’s rout of Stanwood, averaging a whopping 19.3 yards per carry. Fox and senior quarterback Bryan Ebe lead the Golden Eagles’ Wing-T rushing attack, which averages more than 230 yards per game.

Meadowdale: 3-5 overall, 3-3 Wesco 3A South; lost to Snohomish 44-38 last week

About the Mavericks: Junior quarterback Hunter Moen threw for 365 yards and four touchdowns in last week’s loss to Snohomish, and Mason Vaughn and Tyler Gibson both topped 100 yards receiving and caught a touchdown pass for the Mavericks. Moen has thrown for more than 2,000 yards this season, tossing 20 touchdown passes and eight interceptions. Meadowdale has three wins by more than 20 points, but also three losses by more than 25 points.

Herald pick: Ferndale

BLAINE vs. MOUNTLAKE TERRACE

When: 5 p.m. Friday

Where: Edmonds Stadium

What’s at stake: The winner of this loser-out Class 2A bi-district playoff game advances to face a Northwest 2A Sky Division team in the Week 10 playoffs.

First meeting: Mountlake Terrace routed Blaine 40-0 in a Northwest 2A Lake Division matchup three weeks ago.

Blaine: 4-4 overall, 2-3 Northwest 2A Lake Division; beat Anacortes 34-8 last week

About the Borderites: Blaine finished fourth in the six-team Northwest 2A Lake Division, behind three-way co-champions Mountlake Terrace, Bellingham and Sehome. The Borderites lost by just one point to Bellingham, but were routed by a combined 65-3 margin in losses to Terrace and Sehome. Blaine allows just 16.5 points per game, but has scored 13 points or less four times this season.

Mountlake Terrace: 5-3 overall, 4-1 Northwest 2A Lake Division; beat Cedarcrest 12-7 last week

About the Hawks: Mountlake Terrace rallied past Cedarcrest last week on a 23-yard touchdown pass from Jesse James Martineau to Jordan Sims with 17 seconds remaining, capping what proved to be a game-winning 12-play, 99-yard drive. The dramatic victory resulted in program history for the Hawks, who captured a three-way share of the Northwest 2A Lake Division crown. It’s the first division or league title for Terrace football since the school opened in 1960. The Hawks have leaned on strong defense this season, allowing just 14.5 points per game.

Herald pick: Mountlake Terrace