Snohomish derails Mount Vernon, 35-14

By Morris Malakoff

Herald Writer

SNOHOMISH – Snohomish Panthers, hello to your first home win of the season and goodbye to that monkey that has been hitching a ride on your back all season.

Mount Vernon Bulldogs, adios to your No. 9 state ranking in the Associated Press poll and welcome to what October is all about in the Western Conference.

The Panthers, winless in three tries at Veterans Memorial Stadium, knocked off the previously undefeated new kid on the block, Mount Vernon, 35-14 Friday.

Snohomish coach Mark Perry felt that his team needed to get past the inability to win at home and concentrate on the effect a win would have on any possible postseason play.

“We have talked about it. But we need to get excited, execute well, finish blocks,” said Perry. “The playoff situation is in our hands. That is the best situation. If we continue to win, we will be there.”

The Snohomish excitement and execution began when Todd Olson capped off an average looking six-play, 47-yard series with a 3-yard plunge to give the Panthers a 7-0 lead just over a minute into the second quarter. Olson would finish the night with 20 carries for 136 yards and two touchdowns.

Five minutes later, Mount Vernon quarterback Kyle Kendrick, facing a third-and-10 from the 13-yard line, was chased out of the pocket in his own end zone. As the Panther defense closed in, Kendrick hoisted the ball down field to an empty area along the right sideline. That maneuver resulted in an intentional grounding penalty against the Bulldogs. With the penalty occurring in the end zone, Snohomish was awarded a safety and two points giving the Panthers a 9-0 lead.

Snohomish closed out scoring in the half with a pair of Derek Bennion field goals to take a 15-0 halftime lead.

The Panther defense completely shut down Mount Vernon, allowing just 7 yards of total offense in the half.

The second half was a continuing disaster for the Bulldogs as the Panthers stymied one Mount Vernon effort after another. Mount Vernon moved the ball 22 yards to their own 42-yard line from the opening kickoff before the Panthers forced a turnover on a fumble. Snohomish then marched downfield only to have the drive stall out on the 3-yard line. In a play that may have best typified the Panthers game, a field goal attempt by Bennion was blocked by the Bulldog defense, but they failed to complete the job as the ball bounced into the hands of holder Jeff Rodland, who sprinted wide to the left, eventually crossing the goal line, resulting in seven points rather than the intended three points and a 22-0 lead.

Jacob Darling, who finished the night with 133 yards on 14 carries, broke open a 64-yard touchdown run to extend the Snohomish lead to 29-0 lead at the end of the third quarter. With just under three minutes remaining in the game, Olson scored his second touchdown of the night on a 34-yard run.

The Bulldogs attempted to mount a comeback in the fourth period as Kendrick completed scoring passes of 21 and 15 yards.

Snohomish racked up 394 yards of total offense, 338 on the ground while the Panther defense held Mount Vernon to 211 yards of offense of which only 7 came on the ground.