Meadowdale snaps football losing streak

By AARON COE

Herald Writer

EVERETT – Finally.

It had been a while since Meadowdale had won a high school football game. But when the Mavericks earned their first victory since Nov. 6 1998, they did it in dominating fashion, crushing Jackson 28-7 Thursday night at Everett Memorial Stadium.

“You don’t know how frustrating it’s been,” said Meadowdale’s Rod Boatner, who rushed for 163 yards on 25 carries and scored twice in the Western Conference 3A contest. “We were way, way due. This feels real good.”

The Mavericks (1-1 in conference, 1-3 overall) had come so close last Friday, but lost in overtime to Lake Stevens. Things were looking better, but their efforts were not showing up in the win column.

“I think it just took the guys a while to get used to the new system,” said Mark Stewart, who is in his first year as Meadowdale’s coach. “I think we can play with anyone.”

Both teams were sluggish early in the game. Boatner, who rushed for 102 yards on 13 first-half carries, only had two rushes in the opening quarter.

When the Mavericks got things going late in the first half, it was apparent that the smaller Timberwolves (1-1, 2-2) were going to have some difficulty slowing a Meadowdale offensive front that averages 252 pounds per player.

The Mavericks hurt themselves with penalties on their first three possessions. A flag was finally thrown in their favor in the second quarter, when wide receiver Chris Rohrback was mugged by a Jackson defender while trying to catch a perfect throw from Manin Dubois in the end zone on fourth-and-10.

The 15-yard penalty gave Meadowdale a first down at the Wolves 15. Three plays later, Boatner rumbled in from 5 yards out for a TD and a Mavericks’ 7-0 lead with 2:53 left in the half.

“The offensive line was really with it tonight,” said Boatner, a 5-foot-9, 180-pound senior. “They opened up the hole for me, and I took it.”

Boatner outgained Jackson’s offense by himself in the first half as the Meadowdale defense limited the Timberwolves to just 47 total yards.

Meadowdale extended its lead to 14-0 when 297-pound Ryan Danielson pushed the pile for a 2-yard TD run to cap a 10-play Meadowdale drive with 5:04 remaining in the third.

After the Mavericks forced a Jackson three-and-out, Rohrback returned a punt 74 yards for a 21-0 lead.

The sophomore, who fielded three punts in traffic earlier in the game and gained very little yardage, broke free at about the 30, and ran away from the Wolves.

“I might have to talk to him someday about calling a fair catch,” Stewart said. “But I have confidence that he’ll catch the ball, and he’s a playmaker.”

Jackson began its first two drives of the game inside the Meadowdale 39, but bobbled a snap on a field goal attempt and lost yardage on its second possession.

Jeff Sims avoided a shutout with an 11-yard TD run late in the game. Jason Morris completed seven of 13 passes for 100 yards despite constant hounding from the Mavericks defense. Jackson gained just 65 yards on 25 rushing attempts.

So, what now? Can Meadowdale be a factor in the conference race?

“We’ve brought it every single week, we just couldn’t finish it,” Boatner said. “Now, I think we’re going to have some people’s attention.”