When: 10 a.m. today, Tacoma Dome
Radio: KRKO (1380 AM)
Tickets: $7 for students and senior citizens, $9 for adults.
On the Web: Follow the game live online on The Herald’s high school sports blog, Double Team: www.heraldnet.com/doubleteam.
Coaches: Archbishop Murphy’s Dave Ward (7-0, first place in 1A/2A Cascade Conference) vs. Lynden’s Curt Kramme (8-0,first place in 1A/2A/3A Northwest Conference).
Tacoma News Tribune rankings: No. 3 Archbishop Murphy, No. 2 Lynden.
Head-to-head this season: Murphy beat Lynden 34-20 in a season-opening non-league game on Sept. 5 at Qwest Field. Murphy’s Martinez rushed for 133 yards on 18 carries and scored three TDs (two rushing, one receiving). Murphy’s only loss so far in 2009 was a 20-14 defeat at 3A Eastside Catholic on Sept. 11.
Head-to-head last season: Murphy beat Lynden 26-15 in a season-opening non-league game in Everett. Lynden won the rematch, topping Murphy 21-13 in the 2A state semifinals at the Tacoma Dome.
LEADERS
Lynden: Passing — Jordan Hastings, 2,159 yards, 19 TDs, 10 interceptions. Rushing — Hastings, 798 yards, 14 TDs; RB Brett Bajema, 751 yards, eight TDs. Receiving — Ryan Seto, 792 yards, six TDs; Blair Bomber, 767 yards, 10 TDs. Team — The Lions have outscored their opponents 381-98 this season (average score: 31.8-8.2)
Archbishop Murphy: Passing — Austin VanderWel, 695 yards passing, 12 TDs, four interceptions. Rushing — Alex Martinez, 1,264 yards, 13 TDs; VanderWel, 678 yards, 12 TDs; Keola Wilkins, 393 yards, three TDs; Blake Torres, 359 yards, five TDs). Receiving — Jake Clark, 235 yards, four TDs; Alex Martinez, 222 yards, four TDs). Team — The Wildcats have outscored their opponents 383-147 this season (average score: 31.9-12.3)
3 KEYS TO THE GAME
Welcome to the Dome
For teams used to playing late at night in frigid conditions, kicking off a high-stakes football game at 10 a.m. in the Tacoma Dome is a little weird. The uncommonly warm temperature and echoing noises in the T-Dome also pose challenges. “It’s so hot in there,” says Murphy’s Alex Martinez said. “You can’t practice to play in an environment like that. It’s so loud you can’t even think. Everybody’s screaming. Your season’s on the line. This is what it all comes down to.”
Bombs away
Can Murphy stop Lynden’s passing attack? Although it allowed just one touchdown last week, the Wildcats gave up several long passing plays while beating No. 4 W.F. West (11-1) 14-7. That’s a bad omen for Murphy because Lynden has a dangerous passing attack. Says Murphy’s Martinez: “I don’t think we’ll be able to catch (speedy Lynden receiver Blair Bomber) from behind. We won’t be able to have breakdowns in coverage like that.”
Trench warfare
In the season opener, Murphy’s linemen played well on both sides of the ball. Led by burly juniors Julius Tevaga and Tani Tupou, the Wildcats ran the ball with great success and repeatedly pressured Lynden QB Hastings, disrupting the offense. Can they do it again? Murphy coach Dave Ward called the Wildcats’ season-opening win over Lynden “one of our best games, from start to finish. In certain areas we just came out and controlled the ball and kept moving it. I don’t know if we caught them off guard a little bit, but they’ll be ready. They’ll be hungry and they’ll remember that game.”
— Mike Cane, Herald Writer
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