By Joe Johnson
Herald Writer
EVERETT – For Lake Stevens, the reward for winning the Western Conference North Division football championship and a subsequent district playoff game against Shorewood was a date with Bethel.
The Braves entered Saturday’s first-round 4A state playoff game at Everett Memorial Stadium undefeated and ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press poll.
Some reward.
The Vikings, who were making their first foray into the state playoffs at the 4A level, led early and managed to tie the scores at the end of the first and third quarters, but could not survive two fourth-quarter turnovers that Bethel turned into 14 points and a 42-28 victory.
With the win, Bethel improved to 11-0 and advanced to the state quarterfinals next week against South Kitsap. Lake Stevens finished a successful first year of 4A competition with a solid 8-2 record.
Before the game, Lake Stevens coach Ken Collins had talked about how important avoiding turnovers would be for his team. Afterwards, he commented briefly on how much the two fourth-quarter turnovers hurt.
“We made the turnovers, and they made the points,” he said, “and that’s your game.”
The Braves dominated the game in terms of total yardage, compiling 427 yards to Lake Stevens’ 204. But the Vikings were able to take advantage of a short field following Bethel turnovers in the third quarter to stay close.
Bethel senior quarterback Johnny Durocher was a big part of the Braves’ success, especially in the first half when he completed 10 of 19 passes for 212 yards and three touchdowns. Durocher shared the wealth, completing passes to six different receivers and keeping drives alive with his quick feet and pinpoint accuracy.
Also having a strong game for Bethel was senior running back Steve Dildine, who rushed for 122 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries. Dildine was particularly effective in the fourth quarter, when the Braves were pulling away.
“Durocher made some excellent reads and passes for us early when they were really taking away the run,” Bethel coach Eric Kurle said. “And then late in the game, when we wanted to avoid turnovers, we gave the ball to Dildine and he made some strong plays running the ball.”
After a Vikings’ fumble early in the second quarter with the score tied at 14, Bethel completed two time-consuming scoring drives to take a 28-14 lead. Durocher finished both drives with touchdown passes, one for 20 yards to Matt Kennedy and the other 12 yards to Peter Lyle.
Lake Stevens got right back in the game by taking advantage of Bethel turnovers in the third quarter to knot the score at 28.
After an Eric Curnett interception and return to the Bethel 29-yard line, Mitch Canham finished an eight-play drive with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Andrews.
Bethel fumbled away the ensuing kickoff and Canham hooked up with Andrews again on a 33-yard touchdown to get Lake Stevens even at 28-all.
The Vikings’ defense came up huge on Bethel’s first possession of the fourth quarter, stuffing Dildine a half-yard short of a first down on a fourth-and-one at the Lake Stevens’ 34-yard line. However, the Bethel defense came up with its own big play two plays later, when Marcus Parks intercepted a Canham pass near mid-field.
The Braves made the most of their opportunity, driving 48 yards in four plays to re-take the lead on Dildine’s 1-yard run. With 7:40 to play.
Disaster struck for a second time in similar fashion on the Vikings’ ensuing possession, when Canham’s pass was picked off by David Lewis, who returned the ball to the Lake Stevens 28-yard line. Three plays later, Dildine scored from 17 yards out and Bethel was ahead 42-28 with less than five minutes on the clock.
Any hopes for a miracle comeback ended for Lake Stevens when Canham’s pass to the end zone was picked off by Lewis at the 1-yard-line with just 1:30 on the clock.
Lake Stevens’ first quarter scores came courtesy of an 8-yard touchdown pass from Canham to David Johnson and a 4-yard touchdown run by Justin Balunsat.
Bethel countered with a 41-yard touchdown pass from Durocher to Dildine and a Dildine 1-yard run.
Lake Stevens ended the first quarter with a successful fake punt on fourth-and-two near mid-field. Canham lined up to punt, took the snap and drifted to his right before lofting a pass 25 yards to Jon Williams, who made a great catch to give the Vikings a first down. That drive misfired, however, when Balunsat fumbled the ball away while rushing for a first down on fourth-and-two at the Bethel 14-yard line for the game’s first turnover.
Bethel was able to bottle up the Lake Stevens rushing attack, holding the Vikings to a net total of 53 yards. Leading rusher Justin Balunsat returned to action after missing two games with an injury, but was held to just 57 yards on 16 carries. Canham finished the game with 151 yards passing.
Bethel-Dildine 41 pass from Durocher (kick blocked)
Lake Stevens-Balunsat 4 run (Canham kick)
Bethel-Dildine 1 run (Dildine run)
Bethel-Kennedy 20 pass from Durocher (Alwert kick)
Bethel-Lyle 7 pass from Durocher (Alwert kick)
Lake Stevens-Andrews 9 pass from Canham (Canham kick)
Lake Stevens-Andrews 33 pass from Canham (Canham kick)
Bethel-Dildine 1 run (Alwert kick)
Bethel-Dildine 17 run (Alwert kick)
Records-Bethel 11-0 overall. Lake Stevens 8-2.
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Lake Stevens-Johnson 8 pass from Canham (Canham kick)
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