By the time tonight’s football games are over, there will be undisputed front-runners in each of the Class 4A races in the Western Conference.
The winners of the Kamiak vs. Jackson game in the Wesco South and the Lake Stevens vs. Marysville-Pilchuck contest in the Wesco North will become the sole team in their respective divisions without a league loss.
Notably, Jackson and Marysville-Pilchuck are the defending division champions, having gone undefeated through the six-game league schedule last season.
Expect more of the same.
Here’s a look at those two games and the rest of the weekend schedule:
Kamiak at Jackson
When: 7 tonight
Where: Everett Memorial Stadium
Records: Kamiak is 3-0 in the Wesco South, 3-2 overall. Jackson is 2-0, 5-0.
Last year: RB Taylor Cox ran for two TDs to lead Jackson to a 35-14 victory.
Last week: Jackson QB Andy Gay completed 18 of 26 passes for 247 yards and three TDs in a 51-0 win over Lake Stevens. Kamiak QB Jake Sortor ran 20 times for 120 yards, completed eight of 18 passes for 130 yards and scored on an 8-yard run in overtime to set up Kyle Watts’ game-winning PAT kick in a 35-34 overtime win over Edmonds-Woodway.
Players to watch: Jackson’s Gay (76-for-97, 1,077 yards, 11 TDs) and Kamiak’s Sortor (45-92, 805, 12) are the top two QBs in the Wesco South.
On paper: Both teams have recent wins over Edmonds-Woodway. Kamiak had to go into overtime and block an extra-point attempt to win. Jackson shut out E-W 31-0. What does that tell you?
Predictions: John McDonald picks Jackson 38-7. Mike Cane picks Jackson 35-13. Tom Lafferty picks Jackson 35-7.
Lake Stevens at Marysville-Pilchuck
When: 7 tonight
Where: Quil Ceda Stadium
Records: Lake Stevens is 2-0 in the Wesco North, 3-2 overall. M-P is 3-0, 5-0.
Last year: RB Austin Denton rushed for 176 yards and a TD to lead M-P to a 28-0 win.
Last week: Lake Stevens suffered a 51-0 loss to Jackson. Denton ran for 223 yards and three TDs in a 42-13 victory over Arlington.
Players to watch: Lake Stevens QB Bryson Daggett is 56-for-116 for 778 yards and four TDs. Denton averages 11 yards per carry.
On paper: Lake Stevens is digging out from under a 51-0 landslide victory by Jackson in which it played without leading rusher Brennan Frost. But the leading rusher the Vikings have to worry about this week is Denton.
Predictions: John McDonald picks M-P 35-10. Mike Cane picks M-P 41-10. Tom Lafferty picks M-P 35-7.
Cascade at Snohomish
When: 7 tonight
Where: Snohomish Veterans Memorial Stadium
Radio: KRKO (1380 AM)
Records: Cascade is 4-1 overall. Snohomish is 3-2.
Last year: RB Ray Purviance rushed for 227 yards and two TDs to lead Snohomish to a 42-26 win.
Last week: RB LaQuondis Bruce recovered three fumbles, returning one for a TD, and rushed for two TDs to lead Cascade to a 42-28 win over Mountlake Terrace. Snohomish took an early lead on a TD by RB Justin Glaser but fell to Oak Harbor, 34-14.
Players to watch: Snohomish’s Nick Hund (530), Luke Perry (260) and Jon Ney (224) have amassed 1,014 rushing yards. Cascade’s Aaron Miller (401), Dominique Moore (384) and Bruce (199) have run up 984 yards.
On paper: Snohomish surrendered five TD passes to Oak Harbor last week. That’s two more passes than Cascade attempted last week. As is tradition when these two meet, the game will be decided in the trenches.
Predictions: John McDonald picks Cascade 21-20. Mike Cane picks Cascade 27-21. Tom Lafferty picks Cascade 14-6.
Other games tonight
Wesco South: Shorewood (0-3, 0-5) vs. Mountlake Terrace (1-1, 3-2) at Edmonds Stadium, 5 p.m.; Edmonds-Woodway (0-2, 1-4) at Mariner (1-2, 3-2), 7 p.m.
Wesco North: Arlington (0-2, 1-4) at Monroe (1-2, 2-3), Stanwood (1-2, 1-4) at Oak Harbor (1-1, 2-3), 7 p.m.
Wesco 3A: Meadowdale (1-0, 5-0) vs. Shorecrest (0-0, 2-3) at Shoreline Stadium, 7 p.m.; Glacier Peak (0-1, 3-2) vs. Lynnwood (0-1, 0-5) at Edmonds Stadium, 8 p.m.
Non-conference: Everett (3-2) at Ferndale (3-2), 7 p.m.
Cascade Conference: South Whidbey (2-1, 3-2) at King’s (2-1, 3-2), Granite Falls (1-2, 2-3) at Cedarcrest (3-0, 5-0), Archbishop Murphy (3-0, 4-1) at Lakewood (0-3, 2-3), Sultan (0-3, 1-4) at Coupeville (1-2, 3-2), 7 p.m.
Pacific Coast League: Highland Christian (0-0, 0-3) at Neah Bay (0-0, 5-0), 7 p.m.
Saturday’s game
Northwest 2B: Darrington (1-0, 4-1) at Orcas Island (1-0, 3-2), 1 p.m.
Herald Prep Editor John McDonald and KRKO broadcaster Tom Lafferty were 3-1 last week. Herald Writer Mike Cane was 2-2. McDonald is 11-7 on the season. Cane and Lafferty are 10-8.
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