Bo Dickinson, co-captain of the Lake Stevens High School football team, returned to practice Tuesday but is doubtful for Friday’s key game against unbeaten Marysville-Pilchuck.

Dickinson, a senior running back/safety/returner, suffered a back injury Sept. 19 during Lake Stevens’ 35-0 victory over Stanwood. Doctors first predicted Dickinson would be sidelined up to six weeks. But Tuesday afternoon — 18 days after the injury — Dickinson was on the field. He received medical clearance earlier in the day, Lake Stevens head coach Tom Tri said.

“He’s got such a big heart,” Tri said of Dickinson, who in Lake Stevens’ first three games scored seven touchdowns.

Dickinson jogged at practice but did not participate in contact drills. He is doubtful, Tri said, for Friday’s homecoming game, a battle for first place in the Western Conference North Division between Lake Stevens (2-0 Wesco North, 4-1 overall) and Marysville-Pilchuck (3-0, 5-0).

“He’s trying to get back but he’s pretty tender. I’d say at best it’s 60-40. It’s still too early in the week to tell,” Tri said Wednesday morning.

Tri said he will make a decision on Dickinson’s status after today’s practice.

“Unfortunately, we’re running out of days,” Tri said.

The Lake Stevens-M-P showdown could go a long way toward determining the division champion. Lake Stevens’ final three league opponents are Monroe, Oak Harbor and Snohomish. M-P’s other remaining North foes are Monroe and Oak Harbor.

Stanwood glad to have Gee back

Dick Abrams watched Brad Gee dominate in middle-school football. So two years ago Abrams, Stanwood High’s head football coach, was sorry to see Gee of Camano Island go to Archbishop Murphy instead of Stanwood. But, to Abrams’ delight, Gee transferred to Stanwood after this past school year. “It was kind of a pleasant surprise when he decided to come back,” said Abrams.

Gee, a runner-up at the 2008 Class 2A state wrestling tournament, had an outstanding football debut for Stanwood Friday. The running back/linebacker rushed for 128 yards and three TDs in Stanwood’s first victory of the season, a 35-14 triumph over Monroe. Gee (6-foot-1, 215 pounds) also was Stanwood’s punter.

“He’s done a great job. He’s definitely a good asset for our football team,” Abrams said.

Gee sat out Stanwood’s first four games because of an academic issue that stemmed from his final semester at Murphy, said Abrams, whose Spartans (1-2 Wesco North, 1-3 overall) play host to Oak Harbor (1-1, 2-3) Friday.

Smooth transition for Cascade’s Frye

After spending his junior season and four games of his senior year as a quarterback, Cascade football standout Aaron Frye moved to fullback last week. To say the position switch merely worked well is like saying Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt is sort of fast.

Frye rushed for 271 yards and three TDs Friday, fueling Cascade’s 30-7 victory against Mountlake Terrace. Frye’s yardage total was the second-best single-game output in program history, Cascade head coach Jake Huizinga said. “You can’t ask for a better debut,” said Huizinga.

The record holder is J.P. Oliver, who piled up 275 yards against Edmonds-Woodway in a 2005 playoff game, Huizinga said.

Frye offered to switch to fullback the morning after Cascade (3-2) lost to Everett 28-8 on Sept. 26. Bruins coaches previously discussed the idea, and Frye’s willingness and knowledge of the offense made it an easy transition, Huizinga said: “Aaron is our best athlete. He’s a great quarterback, but to really help us we needed to give him the ball.”

Cascade’s new QB is senior Nick Morley, who had been a split end. The Bruins will use their rearranged offense Friday in a non-division clash against Snohomish (3-2). “Whenever we play Snohomish it’s a high-level, high-intensity game,” Huizinga said. “We always look forward to playing them. Our rivalry is about as heated as it gets.”

Mariner’s Black ready for E-W

Adrien Black, the Mariner football team’s top running back, should be 100-percent healthy for the Marauders’ key Wesco South game against Edmonds-Woodway Friday, Mariner head coach John Ondriezek said. Black, who has rushed for 332 yards and five TDs this fall, sat out last week against Shorewood with what Ondriezek called a minor injury. Black is averaging 11.9 yards per carry.

Jackson girls keep running

Jackson’s Alison Ponce zoomed to a 26-second victory Oct. 2 in a Wesco South cross country meet at McCollum Park. Did she savor the glory? Not for long. The race was only part of the Timberwolves’ workout. “We’ve got to go put in some more mileage. We’re not done yet,” Ponce said. The Jackson girls ran about 3 miles before the 3.1-mile race and planned to log another 4 miles afterward, Ponce said.

Kamiak volleyball: efficient and effective

Making the most out of every minute together has helped the unbeaten Kamiak volleyball team excel. First-year Knights head coach Natalie Bowie is one of several coaches who have been with the program for many years. “We all know each of our strengths and we bring each of those to practice every day,” Bowie said. “The girls know that they have to work, and we get a lot done in two and a half hours. It’s unbelievable.”

Ranked No. 4 in the state coaches’ 4A poll, Kamiak has picked up right where it left off under previous head coach Debra Crawford, who last season guided the Knights to fourth place at the state tourney.

“It’s the same ship that was run last year, just a different captain,” said Bowie, referring to herself. “It’s kind of a nice thing to continue that on.”

Writer Mike Cane: mcane@heraldnet.com. Check out the prep sports blog Double Team at www.heraldnet.com/doubleteam.