Seagulls buckle down, beat Mavs

EVERETT — Coming off a bye week and possibly distracted by their homecoming-week festivities, the Everett Seagulls looked rusty.

They started off a big Western Conference 3A football game against the Meadowdale Mavericks on Friday by giving up a touchdown on the first possession and nearly allowing another first-half TD. But thanks to several timely takeaways, effective defensive adjustments and two huge pass plays, Everett rallied for arguably its biggest win of the season.

Sparked by a defense that forced three turnovers and got super stingy in the second half, Everett beat Meadowdale 16-10. Quarterback Spencer McKinnon tossed TD passes of 41 yards and 57 yards to help lift the Seagulls (4-1 Wesco 3A, 5-1 overall), who moved into sole possession of second place in the division.

“The defense was huge,” Everett senior Luke Frauenholtz said. “We rallied together and we said, ‘We’re not going to let them into the end zone again,’ and that’s exactly what happened.”

With two games to go in the regular season, Wesco 3A teams are fighting for playoff berths. First-place Glacier Peak (5-0 in division) is the only team ahead of Everett. The eight-team division has three automatic playoff berths. The No. 4 Wesco 3A finisher will play the Northwest Conference No. 2 finisher for District 1’s final 3A quad-district playoff spot.

Everett’s remaining division games are against Mountlake Terrace (2-3 in division, after beating Shorewood 35-0 on Friday) and Glacier Peak.

Meadowdale (3-2 Wesco 3A, 4-3 overall) finishes with division games against Lynnwood and Oak Harbor (3-3 Wesco 3A).

Frauenholtz, Everett’s versatile tight end/fullback/defensive lineman, made a 41-yard scoring reception in the second quarter, played solid defense and recovered Meadowdale’s onside kick in the final minute after the Mavericks cut it to 16-10 with a 31-yard field goal by Brian Marty.

“We played a lot better defense in the second half,” said Everett coach Will Soren, “and we feel fortunate to come out with a win tonight.”

Despite gaining 225 yards in the first half (127 rushing, 98 passing), Meadowdale didn’t have much to show for it. The Mavericks constantly moved the ball and kept Everett’s defense on the field, but Everett had two fumble recoveries and one interception. Everett gained just 64 yards by halftime (23 rushing, 41 passing) yet was tied 7-7.

“We made a few plays when we needed to in the first half to keep us in it,” Soren said. “Then in the second half we were just fortunate to break (a big play) now and then and … that obviously was the difference.”

McKinnon, Everett’s QB, was just 7-for-14 passing for 118 yards, but he completed the long scoring pass to Frauenholtz and added a 57-yard catch-and-run TD completion to 6-foot-5 Lucas Sontra. The latter play plus the point-after-TD kick put Everett on top 16-7 with 7 minutes, 28 seconds to go in the fourth quarter.

Everett’s defense played tough the rest of the way.

“I give our kids a lot of credit for battling and kind of regrouping whenever something happened and just hanging tough,” coach Soren said.

On its game-opening possession Meadowdale scored a TD, going 63 yards in 12 plays. Kyle Gage capped it with a 2-yard dive.

Meadowdale was primed to score again but its next drive ended after 19 plays, when Sontra recovered a fumbled handoff exchange at Everett’s 15-yard line. Later in the first half, Garrick Koehler recovered a fumble for Everett, and his teammate Jared Heman intercepted a pass deep in Seagulls territory with less than a minute to go in the second quarter.

“Like I told them at halftime, we weren’t happy really with the way we played,” Soren said, “but I gave them a lot of credit because we didn’t play very well and we still had a tie ballgame.

“We made some things happen,” he added.

Meadowdale didn’t get the win but it had impressive offensive stats. Mavericks quarterback Nathan Ball was 23 of 38 passing with 266 yards. He also rushed for 78 yards on 23 carries.

Meadowdale receiver Giavani Shepard made 13 receptions for 154 yards.

At Everett Memorial Stadium

Meadowdale7003—10

Everett0727—16

Meadowdale-Gage 2 run (Marty kick)

Everett—Frauenholtz 41 pass from McKinnon (Robinson kick)

Everett—ball went out of end zone for safety

Everett—Sontra 57 pass from McKinnon (Robinson kick)

Meadowdale—Marty FG 31

Records—Meadowdale 3-2 in division, 4-3 overall. Everett 4-1, 5-1.

Mike Cane: mcane@heraldnet.com. Check out the prep sports blog Double Team at www.heraldnet.com/doubleteam and follow Cane on Twitter at MikeCaneHerald.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Sports

Prep roundup for Thursday, Dec. 12

A 30-2 quarter powered Getchell to their biggest win.

Lake Stevens junior Tessa Anastasi is The Herald’s 2024 Girls Soccer Player of the Year on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024 in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
The Herald’s Girls Soccer Player of the Year: Tessa Anastasi

The Lake Stevens goalkeeper recorded 13 shutouts during the Vikings’ historic season.

Prep boys swimming roundup for Thursday, Dec. 12

Shorecrest boys dominate in dual-meet action.

X
Prep roundup for Wednesday, Dec. 11

Nina Wilson sets freshman record in Lynnwood win.

Vote for The Herald’s Prep Athlete of the Week for Dec. 1-7

The Athlete of the Week nominees for Dec. 1-7. Voting closes at… Continue reading

Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf (14) runs with the ball against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Edwin Hooper / Seattle Seahawks)
DK Metcalf dealing with double coverage this season

Jaxon Smith-Njigba and other Seahawks seeing the benefits of star receiver’s presence.

Kenneth Walker III, who missed the Dec. 8 game in Arizona, runs with against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Dec. 1, 2024. (Photo courtesy of the Seattle Seahawks)
Kenneth Walker III expected back soon for the Seahawks

Starting running back considered day to day, and status for Sunday is unknown.

Mountlake Terrace and Arlington players all leap in the air for a rebound during the game on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 in Mountlake Terrace, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Terrace boys basketball wins rematch over Arlington 47-46

Hawks weather a 20-turnover night against their rivals.

L.E. Baskow / Las Vegas Review-Journal / Tribune News Services
Oregon Ducks wide receiver Kris Hutson (1), who played for Washinginton State in 2024, is taken down by Washington Huskies linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio (56) and teammates during the second half of their Pac-12 Football Championship game at Allegiant Stadium on Dec. 1, 2023, in Las Vegas.
Cougars receiver Kris Hutson enters transfer portal

The former Oregon wideout is among 17 set to move on from WSU.

With Bill Belichick, Tarheels sign on for miserable experience

The former New England Patriots coach takes over at North Carolina

Transgender participation among proposed WIAA amendments

Washington high school sports governing body to vote on 16 rule changes in April.

X
Prep roundup for Tuesday, Dec. 10

Edmonds-Woodway boys basketball propelled by 20-0 run

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.