LAKE STEVENS — It’s been quite a ride for Lake Stevens High School senior football player Keagan Howard.
Two state championships.
All-Wesco first-team honors as both a tight end on offense and linebacker on defense.
He’s gone from a sophomore who had to fight for any opportunity to get on the field to a player his coaches never wanted to see come off of it.
Though a standout on offense and special teams, Howard made an even bigger mark as a linebacker. That’s why Howard has been named The Herald’s All-Area Football Defensive Player of the Year.
“Keegan does a really good job of making plays in between the tackles by getting off blocks and running to the ball really well,” Lake Stevens head football coach Tom Tri said. “He does a good job of making plays outside the box just because he’s got the speed and athleticism and takes great angles — so he runs down running back and receivers outside the box. He’s a great pass defender as well and covers tight ends. He can cover running backs out of the backfield, and slot receivers.
“So he’s versatile in that he’s a good cover guy, and quite honestly he’s one heck of a pass rusher as well.”
Howard finished his senior season with 115 tackles, including 35 tackles for loss and six sacks. He forced three fumbles — recovering two — and returned an interception for a touchdown. From his tight end position on offense, he caught 45 passes for 694 yards and six touchdowns.
Those statistics, though, paint only part of Howard’s picture. The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder became the leader of the defense this season as the Vikings’ lone returning starter. He led them in the weight room, film review and on the field.
“He does everything really well, but quite honestly, I think of all those things he does, his best attribute was just that he knows what other teams are going to do just based on formations and where players are lined up.
“Of all the players we’ve had — and we’ve had a lot of good ones — I’ve never heard a player calling out (the other team’s) plays quite like Keagan.
It wasn’t always quite like that.
Tri and the other coaches recognized Howard’s talent when he was a freshman, but they were unsure where it would lead. Howard, a naturally enthusiastic and outgoing personality with a sense of humor, took some time to learn from the upperclassmen about how to turn talent into results. Before long, Tri said he became arguably the team’s hardest worker off the field.
“I just kind of grew up as I was going through it, and I definitely had a lot of great older guys in front of me,” said Howard, who has committed to play linebacker at the University of Idaho. “They kind of showed me the way. The beginning to midway of my sophomore season, I really started taking it seriously and then the off-season junior year. I give all my (success) to the older guys teaching me the ways of how to do it.”
Before long, the student became the master.
His preparation and leadership matched his physical attributes to help Lake Stevens win state titles in 2022 and 2023 and reach the quarterfinals in 2024.
Though Lake Stevens fell short of its goal of a threepeat this season — due in part to a young defense that also became riddled with injuries — Howard saved one of his best plays for his final win in a Vikings uniform in the first round of the state playoffs.
Mead had used a counter play for two long touchdowns and another long non-scoring run. With the score knotted at 49-49 with just under 3 minutes remaining, Howard diagnosed the play, communicated it to his teammates, and stuffed the Panthers for a 3-yard loss. Mead punted, and the Vikings won a few minutes later with a last-second field goal.
“I recognized the formation, and the running back — I knew how he was lined up what was coming,” Howard said.
The Panthers, however, likely did not know what was coming: A whole lot of Howard in their backfield. It happened to a lot of Lake Stevens opponents during the 2024 season.
“He motivates his teammates, both verbally and physically,” Tri said. “He’s not afraid to tell guys what they should be doing and how to do it. But at the same time, he backs it up by his actions.”
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The Herald’s All-Area Co-Coaches of the Year
Shane Keck, Glacier Peak: Keck led the Grizzlies to a 10-2 record (5-1 league), a share of the Wesco 4A title and a Round of 32 state game.
Joe Cronin, Archbishop Murphy: Cronin took the Wildcats to the state semifinals and handed Class 2A state champion Anacortes its only loss of the season. Archbishop Murphy (10-2 overall, 7-1 league) won a share Northwest 2A title.
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