Key Week 2 games: GP, Snohomish collide in crosstown rivalry

The Glacier Peak football team is coming off likely one of its best performances in program history.

Snohomish is coming off a game it’d probably rather forget.

After season openers on opposite ends of the spectrum, the two crosstown rivals are set to collide Friday night in their annual non-league clash at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

“There’s always added excitement (for this game), because it’s one town with two teams,” Panthers coach Joey Hammer said.

“All the kids seem to know each other, because they all played youth sports or whatever together,” Grizzlies coach Nick Bender added. “So I think they enjoy … (being) able to compete against kids that they actually know really well.”

Last week, Glacier Peak opened its season with a 52-0 non-league rout of Edmonds-Woodway that Bender said was one of the Grizzlies’ most complete games since the program began in 2008. Glacier Peak (1-0) held a 552-47 advantage in total yardage and limited the Warriors to just 1.2 yards per play.

“There’s still some things that need to be fixed,” Bender said. “But as far as a Week 1 contest, (I’m) beyond pleased with the overall effort of everybody. Any time you can start Week 1 that way is a good sign.”

Snohomish, meanwhile, suffered a 63-34 non-league loss to Marysville Pilchuck last week in Hammer’s head-coaching debut. The Panthers (0-1) surrendered more than 500 yards rushing.

“We’re going to get there,” Hammer said of where his team is at. “I wanted to get there sooner rather than later, but there’s good things to build off.”

Glacier Peak has dominated the crosstown rivalry, winning all six of the teams’ meetings since the series began in 2012. Five of those six victories came by double digits, including the Grizzlies’ 28-14 win last season.

“GP has owned that (upper hand),” Hammer said. “And we want to go take it.”

3A No. 2 LINCOLN at 4A No. 6 LAKE STEVENS

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Lake Stevens H.S.

Radio: KRKO 1380 AM

Lincoln: 1-0; beat Camas 31-29 last week

Lake Stevens: 1-0; beat Ferndale 42-14 last week

Outlook: Lake Stevens dominated on both sides of the ball in last week’s rout of Ferndale, recording five sacks on defense and rushing for 255 yards and six touchdowns on offense while averaging 7.7 yards per carry. The Vikings continue their opening three-game gauntlet with a non-league showdown against Lincoln, a Class 3A state-title contender loaded with college prospects. Lincoln’s ultra-talented team includes four of the state’s top 50 senior prospects, two of the state’s top 20 juniors and one of the nation’s top 50 sophomores, according to 247Sports. In last week’s season opener, the Abes raced to a 31-0 first-half lead before holding off a furious fourth-quarter rally by Camas. Lincoln star sophomore Julien Simon — who already has scholarship offers from schools such as USC, Oregon and Florida — preserved the victory by intercepting a potential game-tying two-point conversion attempt with less than two minutes to play. Simon also caught a touchdown pass and returned an interception for a score. Lake Stevens cornerback Kasen Kinchen, who has an offer from Oregon and is one of the state’s top junior recruits, will be tasked with helping slow down Simon and the Abes’ talented receiving corps.

Herald pick: Lincoln

GLACIER PEAK vs. SNOHOMISH

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Veterans Memorial Stadium (Snohomish H.S.)

Webcast: STSPN.com

Glacier Peak: 1-0; beat Edmonds-Woodway 52-0 last week

Snohomish: 0-1; lost to Marysville Pilchuck 63-34 last week

Outlook: Glacier Peak is coming off one of the most dominant victories in the program’s 11-year history. The Grizzlies out-gained Edmonds-Woodway 552-47 in total yardage last week, limiting the Warriors to just 1.2 yards per play in a season-opening shutout. Glacier Peak senior quarterback Ayden Ziomas had another spectacular peformance, throwing for 387 yards and five touchdowns and rushing for 63 yards and a score. The Grizzlies look to continue their strong start with a seventh consecutive win over crosstown rival Snohomish, which surrendered 63 points and more than 500 yards rushing last week in Joey Hammer’s head-coaching debut. The Panthers will need to tighten up their defense to keep up with Ziomas and the high-powered Grizzlies.

Herald pick: Glacier Peak

MARYSVILLE PILCHUCK at OAK HARBOR

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Oak Harbor H.S.

Marysville Pilchuck: 1-0; beat Snohomish 63-34 last week

Oak Harbor: 1-0; beat Seaquam Secondary (B.C.) 48-19 last week

Outlook: Both teams enter this Wesco 3A North opener coming off blowout wins and dominant rushing performances. Marysville Pilchuck rushed for more than 500 yards in last week’s season opener, gashing Snohomish’s defense for three scoring runs of 60-plus yards. Trenton Hurst, a senior, led the Tomahawks with 205 yards rushing and four touchdowns on just 16 carries. Oak Harbor’s Wing-T rushing attack totaled 366 yards and five scores in last week’s rout of Seaquam Secondary (British Columbia), with senior Dorian Hardin leading the way. A major key will be whether Marysville Pilchuck can continue its rushing success against the Wildcats’ defense, which yielded just 15.5 points per game last season. Oak Harbor has cruised past the Tomahawks each of the past three years, including a 47-23 rout last season.

Herald pick: Oak Harbor

ARLINGTON at SQUALICUM

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Civic Stadium (Bellingham)

Arlington: 1-0; beat Mariner 27-23 last week

Squalicum: 1-0; beat Redmond 14-10 last week

Outlook: This Wesco 3A North opener is a rematch of Arlington’s 38-35 win over Squalicum in last year’s regular-season finale, which sent to the Eagles to the Week 10 playoffs and ended the Storm’s postseason hopes. Arlington opened its season in thrilling fashion last week, beating Mariner on a game-winning touchdown pass from senior Anthony Whitis to senior Griffin Gardoski with one second to play. Whitis led the Eagles 81 yards downfield in just under 90 seconds for the winning score, and Gardoski finished the game with five catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns. Squalicum opened with a win over Redmond last week and is eyeing a bounceback season after missing the state playoffs last year for the first time since 2013.

Herald pick: Arlington