Lake Stevens clobbers Lincoln in Week 2 showdown (video)

LAKE STEVENS — The Lincoln football team features an impressive collection of players ranked among the state’s top college prospects.

But for much of Friday night’s showdown, Lake Stevens made the ultra-talented Abes look relatively ordinary.

The Class 4A sixth-ranked Vikings controlled both sides of the ball and rolled to a 38-21 win over 3A second-ranked Lincoln in a non-league clash at Lake Stevens High School between two teams with aspirations of deep state-playoff runs.

“I thought our kids answered a lot of questions about our size up front, our ability to cover speed and our ability to tackle in the open field against some athletic dudes,” Vikings coach Tom Tri said. “So I was really impressed (with) the way we played tonight.”

VIKINGS SPORT BALANCED OFFENSIVE ATTACK

Lake Stevens’ spread offense methodically marched up and down the field, totaling 464 yards on 77 plays while keeping Lincoln on its heels with a balanced mix of run and pass.

Senior quarterback Tre Long tossed four touchdown passes and completed throws to seven different receivers, while running backs Tom Lewis and Dallas Landeros both topped 100 yards rushing for the Vikings (2-0).

“It’s awesome,” Tri said of his team’s variety of weapons on offense. “It puts a lot of pressure on a defense. They have to cover sideline to sideline, and all the way to the end zone from the line of scrimmage. … When you can get the ball to five different receivers and three different running backs, who do you stop?”

Facing a Lincoln defense that includes two of the state’s top three senior defensive tackles according to 247Sports, Lake Stevens’ offensive line paved the way for a rushing attack that averaged 5.1 yards per carry.

“What I saw on film was that we were in better shape (than Lincoln), and I thought that we could wear them down in our run game if we were patient,” Tri said. “I knew we had to be patient. We just had to … really try to run the ball between the tackles as much as we could and try to wear them out that way. And I thought our guys did a great job of following the game plan.”

TOP PERFORMERS

Tre Long, sr., Lake Stevens: Long completed 23 of 33 passes for 239 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions while quarterbacking the Vikings’ balanced attack.

Tom Lewis, sr., Lake Stevens: Lewis rushed for 102 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries.

Dallas Landeros, jr., Lake Stevens: Landeros ran for 102 yards on 18 carries.

Kasen Kinchen, jr., Lake Stevens: Kinchen, a two-way standout who has an offer from the University of Oregon, intercepted two passes on defense and had three receptions for 62 yards and a touchdown.

Armoni Bashay, sr., Lincoln: Bashay caught three passes for 104 yards and a touchdown.

LOOKAHEAD

After opening its season with commanding non-league victories over 3A powers Ferndale and Lincoln, Lake Stevens takes a 31-game conference winning streak into next Friday night’s Wesco 4A opener at rival Monroe.

Each of the past two years, this highly anticipated matchup came in the regular-season finale and was a de facto winner-take-all Wesco 4A title game. The Vikings routed Monroe both times, extending their mastery of the Bearcats to 11 wins in the teams’ last 12 meetings.

Click here for box score

Lake Stevens’ Ian Hanson stiff-arms a pair of Lincoln defenders during a game on Sept. 7, 2018, at Lake Stevens High School. Lake Stevens won 38-21. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

Lincoln’s Khalil Rogers forces an incomplete pass attempt to Lake Stevens’ Kasen Kinchen during a game on Sept. 7, 2018, at Lake Stevens High School. Lake Stevens win 38-21. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

Lake Stevens’ Tom Lewis is tackled by Lincoln’s Troy Atkin with Lincoln’s Janoah Thomas (left) closing during a game on Sept. 7, 2018, at Lake Stevens High School. Lake Stevens won 38-21. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)