Last week, division leads were settled in the Wesco North and Wesco South. This week, Cedarcrest and Archbishop Murphy meet to determine the front-runner in the Cascade Conference.
Murphy has dominated the league in recent seasons, going unbeaten in conference play in 2007 and 2008 — although the Wildcats later forfeited all their 2007 league wins for use of an ineligible player.
Cedarcrest has been Murphy’s main competitor, finishing first in 2007 after Murphy forfeited its victories, and tied for second last season.
Both teams likely will advance to the postseason as the league’s top three 2A squads move on to the district playoffs.
But playoff survival may be at stake in two other games tonight.
Everett and Glacier Peak trail Meadowdale in the Wesco 3A, where the top two teams move on to the quad district. And Mountlake Terrace and Edmonds-Woodway are hoping to stay in contention for one of two spots remaining in the Wesco South.
Here’s a look at those three games and the rest of the weekend schedule:
Cedarcrest at Archbishop Murphy
When: 7 tonight
Where: Ennis Stadium
Records: Cedarcrest is 4-0 in the Cascade Conference, 6-0 overall. Murphy is 4-0, 5-1.
Last year: Murphy QBs Jake Downs and Austin VanderWel combined for 387 passing yards and three TDs in a 47-20 win over the Red Wolves.
Last week: Nine Murphy ballcarriers rushed for 347 yards and five TDs in a 42-20 win over Lakewood.
Paul Wilen caught a 39-yard TD pass and recovered a fumble in the end zone to help Cedarcrest beat Granite Falls 40-13.
Players to watch: Cedarcrest RB Jacob Kriegbaum (995) is closing in on 1,000 yards rushing.
VanderWel has 334 rushing yards and 466 passing yards.
On paper: Cedarcrest may be Murphy’s equal this season. But tradition and home-field advantage tip the scales toward Murphy.
Predictions: John McDonald picks Murphy 35-28. Mike Cane picks Murphy 28-27. Tom Lafferty picks Murphy 40-14.
Mountlake Terrace at Edmonds-Woodway
When: 5 tonight
Where: Edmonds Stadium
Records: Terrace is 2-1 in the Wesco South, 4-2 overall. E-W is 1-2, 2-4.
Last year: QB Andy Willcock was 10-for-15 passing for 149 yards and three TDs in E-W’s 23-0 win.
Last week: QB Brandyn Eckhart rushed nine times for 104 yards and three TDs, and completed eight of 11 passes for 78 yards and a TD in a 35-0 win over Shorewood.
Willcock ran for two TDs and passed for 263 yards and a TD to help E-W edge Mariner 32-27.
Players to watch: Terrace RB Casey Ellersick has 557 rushing yards. Eckhart has 725 passing yards.
Willcock has 781 passing yards but has as many interceptions (six) as TD passes. WR Reid Sullivan leads the Warriors with 21 catches for 381 yards. RBs Jimmy Spears (572 yards) and Zack Berg (350) are E-W’s leading rushers.
On paper: Terrace has yet another chance to end its up-and-down season and cross over into contender status. The Hawks were on the verge after beating Mariner in Week 2, then got pummeled by Meadowdale. They bounced back with a win over a ranked opponent (Glacier Peak) only to be dumped by Cascade. But that Cascade defeat is their only league loss. A win over E-W puts them in the chase for a quad-district berth. Meanwhile, E-W — with two league losses already — is trying to avoid elimination.
Predictions: John McDonald picks E-W 33-25. Mike Cane picks Terrace 24-20. Tom Lafferty picks Terrace 28-21.
Everett at Glacier Peak
When: 7 tonight
Where: Snohomish Veterans Memorial Stadium
Records: Everett is 1-0 in the Wesco 3A, 3-3 overall. Glacier Peak is 1-1, 4-2.
Last year: QB Zach Richter threw for 224 yards and two TDs in Glacier Peak’s 42-24 victory.
Last week: Everett QB Chase Herrick threw two TD passes in a 21-14 loss to Ferndale.
RB Alex Stepanchenko rushed for 106 yards and two TDs and caught four passes for 103 yards and two TDs as Glacier Peak beat Lynnwood 49-6.
Players to watch: Herrick has 310 passing yards for Everett. RB Garrick Koehler has 333 rushing and 130 receiving yards.
Richter has thrown for a league-leading 1,654 yards. GP also has the league’s top two receivers: Tommy Rollins (485 yards) and Tanner Southard (428).
On paper: Everett has been tough on defense this season, yielding an average of less than two TDs a game. Even in its losses Glacier Peak has piled up the points, averaging nearly 32 a game. The outcome depends on whose strength prevails.
Predictions: John McDonald picks Glacier Peak 28-10. Mike Cane picks Glacier Peak 35-21. Tom Lafferty picks Glacier Peak 21-7.
Other games tonight
Wesco South: Jackson (3-0, 6-0) at Mariner (1-3, 3-3) (KRKO radio, 1380 AM), Shorewood (0-4, 0-6) vs. Cascade (3-1, 5-1) at Everett Memorial Stadium, 7 p.m.
Wesco North: Monroe (1-3, 2-4) at Lake Stevens (2-1, 3-3), Oak Harbor (1-2, 2-4) at Arlington (1-2, 2-4), Snohomish (1-2, 3-3) at Stanwood (2-2, 2-4), 7 p.m.
Wesco 3A: Lynnwood (0-2, 0-6) vs. Shorecrest (0-1, 2-4) at Shoreline Stadium, 7 p.m.
Non-conference: Kamiak (3-3) at Marysville-Pilchuck (6-0), 7 p.m.; Mount Vernon (5-1) vs. Meadowdale (6-0) at Edmonds Stadium, 8 p.m.
Cascade Conference: Granite Falls (1-3, 2-4) at South Whidbey (2-2, 3-3), King’s (3-1, 4-2) at Sultan (1-3, 2-4), Lakewood (0-4, 2-4) at Coupeville (1-3, 3-3), 7 p.m.
Northwest 2B: Darrington (1-1, 4-2) at Concrete (1-1, 3-3), 7 p.m.
Saturday’s game
Pacific Coast League: Highland Christian (0-1, 0-4) at Lummi (1-0, 4-2), 2 p.m.
All three guessers were 3-0 last week. Herald Prep Editor John McDonald is 14-7 on the season. KRKO broadcaster Tom Lafferty and Herald Writer Mike Cane are 13-8.
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