Week 9 of the local prep football season featured a pair of loser-out games involving Snohomish County teams, and lots of jostling for seeding ahead of next week’s winner-to-state Week 10 playoffs.
With the postseason officially underway, here’s a look back at the Week 9 action and what it means heading into next week’s winner-to-state round.
PANTHERS OUTLAST SQUALICUM FOR WESCO 3A’S TOP SEED
Snohomish’s Tayte Conover (18) throws up his arms after scoring on a quarterback keeper during the Panthers’ 30-27 win over Squalicum on Friday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Snohomish. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)
Snohomish sophomore defensive back Caden Keithley was in the right place at the right time.
With just under a minute remaining in Friday night’s de facto Wesco 3A title game, Squalicum was facing a three-point deficit with the ball on the Snohomish 24-yard line. The Storm took a shot at the end zone on a deep route by receiver Dedrick Mitchell, but the Panthers had it covered.
Snohomish senior Tyler Massena, a standout running back who plays linebacker on defense, dropped back in coverage and landed a fingertip on the pass. The ever-so-slight deflection sent the ball in the direction of Keithley, who then showed some quick reflexes.
Keithley snagged the ball before it hit the ground for a game-sealing interception in the end zone, securing the Panthers a 30-27 win over eighth-ranked Squalicum.
With the victory, Snohomish (7-2) claimed the top overall seed in Wesco 3A heading into the Week 10 playoffs.
Squalicum held a 21-10 halftime advantage in the matchup of Wesco 3A North and South division champions, but the Panthers rallied with back-to-back touchdown drives of 74 and 57 yards to take a 24-21 lead early in the fourth quarter. Then after Squalicum answered with a quick touchdown to pull back in front for a 27-24 advantage, Snohomish reclaimed the lead on a 60-yard touchdown drive and held on for the victory.
“It was honestly just asserting our will,” Panthers coach Joey Hammer said of his team’s second-half comeback win. “It was just that heart of a champion.”
Snohomish quarterback Tayte Conover dives in for a touchdown during the Panthers’ 30-27 win over Squalicum on Friday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Snohomish. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)
WESCO 3A NORTH SUPREMACY
The Wesco 3A North flexed its muscles in this week’s crossover games.
North teams beat South teams in six of the seven Wesco 3A crossover matchups between the two divisions, with the North’s six wins coming by an average margin of 29.8 points. Snohomish was the only South team to win its crossover game.
In the matchup of second-place division finishers, Arlington routed Shorewood 41-17 for Wesco 3A’s No. 3 overall seed. In the matchup of third-place teams, Oak Harbor cruised to a 62-27 win over Shorecrest for Wesco 3A’s No. 5 seed.
In the loser-out clash of fourth-place teams, Ferndale rolled to a 56-15 victory over Meadowdale to claim Wesco 3A’s seventh and final Week 10 playoff berth.
Ferndale’s Jaden Brown (right) celebrates his fumble-return touchdown during a loser-out Wesco 3A crossover game against Meadowdale on Friday night at Edmonds Stadium. The Golden Eagles eliminated the Mavericks with a 56-15 win. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
North teams Marysville Pilchuck, Marysville Getchell and Stanwood also won their Wesco 3A crossover games.
Wesco 3A North teams are now 11-2 against South teams this season, with nine of the North’s wins coming by double digits.
Perhaps the most notable result was Marysville Pilchuck’s season-opening 63-34 rout of Snohomish. The Tomahawks went on to finish tied for fourth in the North, and Snohomish won the South.
WESCO 3A WEEK 10 PLAYOFF MATCHUPS
— Wesco 3A No. 1 seed Snohomish hosts Metro League No. 5 seed Garfield.
— Wesco 3A No. 2 seed Squalicum hosts South Sound Conference No. 4 seed Central Kitsap.
— Wesco 3A No. 3 seed Arlington hosts Pierce County League No. 3 seed Bethel.
— Wesco 3A No. 4 seed Shorewood hosts KingCo 3A No. 2 seed Lake Washington.
— Wesco 3A No. 5 seed Oak Harbor travels to face SSC No. 2 seed Timberline.
— Wesco 3A No. 6 seed Shorecrest travels to face KingCo 3A/2A champion Bellevue, the second-ranked 3A team in the state.
— Wesco 3A No. 7 seed Ferndale travels to face Metro League champion Eastside Catholic, the top-ranked 3A team in the state.
GLACIER PEAK EXCELLING ON DEFENSE
Glacier Peak is most known for a high-powered offense led by standout dual-threat quarterback Ayden Ziomas.
But perhaps the biggest key to the ninth-ranked Grizzlies’ success this season has been a massive turnaround on defense.
After surrendering 38.1 points per game last year, Glacier Peak (8-1 overall, 6-1 Wesco 4A) has yielded just 13.1 points per contest this season under new defensive coordinator Shane Keck, who was Cascade’s head coach for the previous three seasons.
“(Keck) started running the defense, doing little changes to each of these kids — just basic football fundamentals — and it’s paying off,” Grizzlies coach Nick Bender said. “The defense has been pretty dang stifling all year, and it’s hopefully going to keep going.”
Glacier Peak’s defense was particularly impressive the past two weeks, shutting down a pair of Week 10 playoff-bound teams in Monroe and Mount Vernon.
The Grizzlies held Monroe to a season-low 10 points and 253 yards of total offense last week, then limited Mount Vernon to a season-low six points and 166 total yards in a 30-6 win Friday night.
Glacier Peak’s defense had four sacks, two interceptions and a big fourth-down stop in the victory over Mount Vernon, which secured the Grizzlies the No. 2 seed in Wesco 4A and home-field advantage for the Week 10 playoffs. It was the fifth time this season Glacier Peak has allowed 13 points or less.
“It was just a great team effort,” said Grizzlies sophomore defensive back Ryan Black, who had an interception. “There were no individual guys. It was a whole team effort. We all did it together.”
Mount Vernon, which entered the night averaging 38.4 points per game, was without standout running back and Wesco 4A-leading rusher Seth Tercero.
WESCO 4A WEEK 10 PLAYOFF MATCHUPS
— Wesco 4A champion Lake Stevens will host NPSL No. 7 seed Kentlake in the Week 10 playoffs. The third-ranked Vikings extended their conference win streak to 38 games with a 62-14 rout of Mariner on Friday night, finishing unbeaten in league play for the fifth consecutive season.
— Wesco 4A No. 2 seed Glacier Peak will host KingCo 4A No. 4 seed Eastlake.
— Wesco 4A No. 3 seed Mount Vernon will travel to face North Puget Sound League No. 3 seed Auburn Mountainview.
— Wesco 4A No. 4 seed Monroe will travel to face South Puget Sound League No. 2 seed Graham-Kapowsin, the fifth-ranked 4A team in the state.
NORTHWEST 2A POSTSEASON PICTURE
Mountlake Terrace was eliminated from the postseason with a 28-10 loss to Blaine in a 2A Northwest/Sea-King bi-district playoff game Friday night. It marked a 58-point turnaround from three weeks ago, when the Hawks routed Blaine 40-0 in a regular-season contest.
Cedarcrest also was eliminated from the postseason with a 48-0 bi-district playoff loss to fourth-ranked Liberty.
Lakewood advanced to the Week 10 playoffs after Anacortes forfeited to the Cougars earlier this week. Lakewood will travel to face Burlington-Edison, which finished third in the Northwest 2A Sky Division. The winner-to-state contest will be a rematch of the Cougars’ 39-33 loss to Burlington-Edison two weeks ago.
Archbishop Murphy, which finished second in the Sky Division, had a bye this week and will host Sehome in the Week 10 playoffs. Sehome finished in a three-way tie atop the Lake Division.
NORTH SOUND POSTSEASON PICTURE
Granite Falls earned the North Sound Conference’s fourth and final postseason berth with a 35-0 rout of Coupeville on Thursday night.
The Tigers will face 10th-ranked Mount Baker, the Northwest Conference 1A’s No. 3 seed, in a play-in game Tuesday night. The winner advances to face North Sound champion Cedar Park Christian in a Week 10 playoff game Saturday night.
King’s earned the North Sound No. 2 seed with a 30-13 win over South Whidbey on Friday night. The Knights will face NWC 1A No. 2 seed Lynden Christian in the Week 10 playoffs.
South Whidbey dropped to the North Sound’s No. 3 seed with the loss. The Falcons will face fifth-ranked Meridian, the NWC 1A’s top seed, in the Week 10 playoffs.
WEEK 9 STARS
Capassio Cherry, sr., Edmonds-Woodway
Cherry rushed for 305 yards and five touchdowns on 25 carries and scored on an 80-yard kickoff return in the Warriors’ 59-47 loss to Marysville Pilchuck.
Paul Holm, sr., Stanwood
Holm accounted for six touchdowns — four rushing and two passing — in the Spartans’ 60-14 rout of Lynnwood.
Lukas Sepulveda, sr., Stanwood
Sepulveda caught two touchdown passes and rushed for two scores in the Spartans’ rout of Lynnwood. The senior running back had touchdown runs of 50 and 38 yards, and scoring receptions of 30 and 20 yards.
Cheron Smith, soph., Marysville Getchell
Smith rushed for 122 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries in the Chargers’ 35-14 win over Everett.
Dorian Hardin, sr., Oak Harbor
Hardin rushed for three touchdowns and scored on a 91-yard kickoff return in the Wildcats’ 62-27 win over Shorecrest.
Anthony Whitis, sr., Arlington
Whitis completed 17 of 25 passes for 345 yards and four touchdowns in the Eagles’ 41-17 win over Shorewood.
Glacier Peak defense
The Grizzlies held Mount Vernon to a pair of field goals and just 166 yards of total offense in a 30-6 win over the Bulldogs. Glacier Peak’s defense had four sacks, two interceptions and a big fourth-down stop.
Gavin Newton, soph., Monroe
Newton rushed for three touchdowns in the Bearcats’ 56-35 win over Cascade. He scored on runs of 68, 21 and 16 yards.
Brandyn Roberts, sr., Lake Stevens
Roberts had three sacks in the Vikings’ 62-14 rout of Mariner.
Tre Long, sr., Lake Stevens
Long completed 19 of 21 passes for 244 yards and four touchdowns in the Vikings’ rout of Mariner.
Ian Hanson, sr., Lake Stevens
Hanson had eight catches for 112 yards and a touchdown and added a 19-yard scoring run in the Vikings’ rout of Mariner.
Thomas Lewis, sr., Lake Stevens
Lewis rushed for 123 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries in the Vikings’ rout of Mariner.
Roman Savchuk, jr., Mariner
Savchuk had eight catches for 161 yards and two touchdowns in the Marauders’ loss to Lake Stevens.
Isaac Grayson, sr., Jackson
Grayson caught four passes for 102 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown reception, in the Timberwolves’ 31-10 win over Kamiak.
Max Nelson, sr., Cascade
Nelson rushed for 126 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries in the Bruins’ loss to Monroe.
Tyler Larson, jr., Snohomish
Larson rushed for 125 yards on 18 carries in the Panthers’ 30-27 win over Squalicum.
Jonny Petrus, soph., Cedar Park Christian
Petrus totaled 171 yards and four touchdowns on just five offensive touches in the Eagles’ 52-7 rout of Sultan. The sophomore running back had touchdown receptions of 66 and 35 yards, and scoring runs of 65 yards and 1 yard.
Brandon Parrish, soph., Cedar Park Christian
Parrish rushed for 171 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries in the Eagles’ rout of Sultan.
Casey Needham, jr., King’s
Needham rushed for 171 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries and threw for 109 yards in the Knights’ 30-13 win over South Whidbey.
Josiah Seirs, sr., King’s
Seirs ran for 169 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries in the Knights’ win over South Whidbey.
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