Lake Stevens has impressive Class 4A debut

By Chris Trujillo

Herald Writer

LAKE STEVENS – It’s like telling a senior in high school to give up his favorite seat – to an underclassman no less.

It’s a an unfathomable absurdity that the once prerenial high school football powerhouse Cascade Bruins might have to get used to.

The underclassman: The Lake Stevens Vikings.

Last year’s Western Conference 3A champions made their inagural entrance into Class 4A by roughing up the Bruins, 33-14 Friday in the Western Conference North Division season opener at Lake Stevens.

“We have been concentrating on making a statement, and we did,” said Lake Stevens fullback Joey Daube, who rushed for 49 yards on just four carries. “Bring on 4A. That has been our motto.”

Once the first quarter butterflies flew away, the 4A newcomers went on to manhandle the mammoth-sized Bruins by scoring 33 unanswered points, 21 in the second quarter alone.

“We didn’t panic once we got down,” Lake Stevens coach Ken Collins said. “We made mistakes, but we didn’t make a second.”

It was the first time the two teams ever met. The victory improved Lake Stevens to 1-0, while Cascade, which suffers its sixth loss stretching back to last year, dropped to 0-1.

It was the running game that separated the two teams. Lake Stevens outrushed Cascade by more than 200 yards, with senior runningback Justin Balunsat rushing for 190 yards and two touchdowns, both from inside the 5-yard line.

It was from the air where the Vikings struck first. After trailing 14-0, quarterback Mitch Canham found Dylan Henderson for a 27-yard touchdown.

After Balunsat rolled in from the 2-yard line to tie the score, Henderson returned a 50-yard interception for a touchdown with 0:00 on the clock, to give Lake Stevens a 21-14 first-half lead.

Daube added the exclaimation to the statement-making game with a 30-yard touchdown gallop late in the third quarter.

Cascade rushed for 99 yards and gained only 230 total yards.

The Cascade Bruins’ long off-season paid great dividends as they strung together a lethal mix of ground-gaining offense and sturdy defense. Their first possession of the 2001 season resulted in an impressive seven-play, 72-yard touchdown drive. Quarterback Paul Curtiss found K. Shasteen crossing the middle for a 16-yard reception. Two plays later, Curtiss, who completed his first three passes, scrambled to his right and fired a tight spiral to Mike Skoor for 21 yards to the Vikings’ 21. The Bruins capped their intial drive when Curtiss hit tight end Andy Behl for a 21-yard touchdown, giving them a 7-0 lead.

The Bruins’ defense did their damage four series into the game. Brian Pugmire, from his defensive end position blew through the offensive line to block a Vikings’ punt, giving the Bruins optimal field position at the 10-yard line. It took the potent offense just 31 seconds to to score its second touchdown of the night. Curtiss found Andy Hughes along the right sideline for the score. Curtiss threw for 93 first half yards.