LAKE STEVENS — The Lake Stevens football team is heading to the Class 4A state quarterfinals for the third time in the past six years. But this time feels a little bit different for Vikings coach Tom Tri.
After graduating a bevy of talented seniors, including nationally decorated quarterback Jacob Eason, Lake Stevens returned just three starters on both sides of the ball this season. But the Vikings’ relative inexperience hasn’t held them back from having another dominant year.
They didn’t dominate their first-round state game Friday against visiting Bellarmine Prep, but they knew that they probably wouldn’t. Instead, they won in dramatic fashion.
Jake Rasmussen caught a 22-yard touchdown pass with 25 seconds remaining in the game to break a tie and lift the Vikings to a 35-28 win.
Lake Stevens will take on Skyview, a 38-28 winner over Chiawana on Saturday, in the quarterfinal round.
“Not a whole lot of (people) thought we’d go this deep (into the season),” Tri said. “The kids have stepped up and filled those shoes, and have done a tremendous job. For the first time this season we faced adversity (Friday) and we responded. I’m proud of the kids because they’ve become leaders. They’re not worrying about last year or whatever.”
Lake Stevens (11-0), ranked fifth in the latest Associated Press 4A state poll, didn’t play exceptionally well in the first half, but emerged with a 14-13 halftime lead.
Tri said the Lions were probably the best team his Vikings have played all year.
“We knew they’d give us a run for our money,” Vikings quarterback Conor Bardue said. “We came out flat at the beginning of the game, but we knew we had to dig deep and start executing.”
After Bellarmine Prep’s Christian Brown scored on a 22-yard run to give the Lions their first lead at 20-14 in the third quarter, the Vikings caught a break as Hunter Eckstrom recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchdown after Austin Murren, who made an 11-yard reception, lost it at the goal line. Eckstrom’s score gave the Vikings a 21-20 advantage.
In the fourth quarter, Bellarmine Prep regained the lead on a Brown 15-yard touchdown reception, but the Vikings responded when running back Blake May (158 rushing yards, 47 receiving yards) ripped off a 43-yard scoring run, and the ensuing extra point tied the game at 28-28.
After a Lions punt, Kofi Gosser picked off Bardue and returned the ball to the Vikings’ 20-yard line, but the Vikings’ defense held, and Bryce Bendixen missed a 43-yard field goal with about a minute to go.
The Vikings quickly drove down the field, setting the stage for the winning touchdown pass from Bardue to Rasmussen.
“It felt amazing,” said Bardue, who threw for 164 yards. “All of my hard work paid off right there. There’s nothing like it — playing under the lights, throwing the winning touchdown pass. Amazing.”
Rasmussen had been held without a catch until the fourth quarter.
“We finally found Jake,” Tri said, “when it counted the most.”
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