Wesco South features a battle of the unbeatens

The only team standing between Edmonds-Woodway and a fifth straight (outright or shared) Wesco South championship is a familiar nemesis.

Many of the same players who figured in last year’s game between E-W and Kamiak are back for another try.

That would seem to bode well for E-W because it won last year (24-7).

But it also bodes well for Kamiak. One reason the Knights lost last year was their relative youth and inexperience. Those guys are now a year older and wiser.

Each team has risen to the top of the division standings on the strength of a potent offense.

E-W has the league’s top rusher (Tony Heard). Kamiak’s Justin Glenn is close behind in third place.

Kamiak’s Jacob Jansen is the South’s top passer. E-W’s Kyle McCartney ranks No. 2.

E-W’s Antoinne Wafer is the division’s top receiver. Kamiak has a trio of receivers (Glenn, Tommy Benz and Skylar Stormo) whose combined yardage nearly doubles Wafer’s.

Here’s a look at the big game in the South and the rest of the weekend schedule:

Edmonds-Woodway at Kamiak

When: 7 p.m. today

Where: Goddard Stadium

Radio: KRKO (1380 AM)

Records: E-W is 5-0 in the Wesco South and overall. Kamiak is 4-0, 5-0.

Rankings: E-W is No. 4 in the WashingtonPreps.com Class 4A poll. Kamiak is No. 6.

Last year: E-W scored 21 unanswered points to begin the second half and break open a 3-0 game en route to a 24-7 victory.

Last week: Wafer had 212 total yards and scored three touchdowns in a 56-7 win over Mountlake Terrace. He caught four passes for 95 yards and two TDs, and had 117 return yards and a kick return for a TD.

Glenn ran 11 times for 60 yards and two TDs and Jansen was 6-for-8 passing for 154 yards and four TDs in a 35-6 victory over Shorewood.

Players to watch: Heard leads the Wesco South with 999 yards rushing and 16 TDs. Jansen is the division’s top QB with 45 completions in 74 attempts for 899 yards and 11 TDs.

Breaking down the game: Neither team has played a close game. E-W is averaging 49 points and has an average winning margin of 34. Kamiak averages 36 points a game with an average winning margin of 26. The difference might be in the quality of opponents faced. E-W’s five opponents have a combined record of 9-16 while Kamiak’s are 4-21.

John McDonald’s prediction: E-W 28-14.

Mike Cane’s prediction: E-W 28-17.

Tom Lafferty’s prediction: Kamiak 24-22.

Lynnwood at Meadowdale

When: 8 p.m. today

Where: Edmonds District Stadium

Records: Lynnwood is 2-3 in the Wesco South and overall. Meadowdale is 2-2, 2-3.

Last year: Meadowdale QB Matt Johnson carried six times for 80 yards and three TDs and was 4-for-7 passing for 97 yards and a TD in the Mavericks’ 42-26 victory.

Last week: Lynnwood scored first on a Geoff Meinken run, but lost 42-7 to Jackson.

Meadowdale RB Ben Shebly’s TD run with 4:34 to play gave the Mavericks a 7-0 win over Shorecrest.

Players to watch: Meinken is Lynnwood’s top rusher with 380 yards on 81 carries. Royals’ QB Andrew Beatty is 41-for-92 passing for 598 yards and three TDs. WR Scotty Hill is the Wesco South’s second-leading receiver with 21 catches for 289 yards and three TDs.

Meadowdale’s top back (Nick Montanari) has been out with an injury. Picking up the slack for the Mavericks has been RB Tonna Njoku (49 carries, 269 yards, two TDs).

Breaking down the game: This is Meadowdale’s second straight game against an in-division 3A opponent. These games are important because the first tiebreaker in the event of a tie between teams from the same division is the head-to-head result.

The top two 3A teams from the North and South advance to the quad-district playoffs. Going into play tonight, Arlington and Meadowdale are tied for those top two positions with 2-2 records. Lynnwood is a half-game back at 2-3.

John McDonald’s prediction: Meadowdale 21-13.

Mike Cane’s prediction: Meadowdale 17-7.

Tom Lafferty’s prediction: Meadowdale 44-14.

Arlington at Lake Stevens

When: 7 p.m. today

Where: Lake Stevens Stadium

Records: Arlington is 2-2 in the Wesco North, 2-3 overall. Lake Stevens is 3-1, 4-1.

Last year: Lake Stevens RB Isaac Molstre had a TD run and a TD pass in a 31-6 Vikings’ victory.

Last week: Arlington QB Brandon Gunter rushed 22 times for 198 yards and two TDs and threw a TD pass in a 34-14 win over Stanwood.

Lake Stevens QB Nick Baker was 10-for-14 for 140 yards in the first half and WR Dustin Adams caught five passes for 66 yards and a TD as the Vikings built a 13-0 lead. But they couldn’t withstand Marysville-Pilchuck’s second-half comeback in a 20-13 loss.

Players to watch: Gunter has 105 carries for 580 yards and four TDs and is 42-for-99 passing for 486 yards and three TDs. Molstre is the Wesco North’s second-leading rusher with 751 yards on 91 carries. Baker is 41-for-70 for 605 yards and six TDs. Arlington’s Jerad Barber (24 catches, 327 yards) and Lake Stevens’ Adams (17, 344) are the Nos. 2 and 3 receivers in the division, respectively.

Breaking down the game: Lake Stevens better fix whatever went wrong in the second half against M-P. The Vikings need this game to make next week’s showdown at Oak Harbor meaningful.

Arlington needs a win to keep pace with Meadowdale and the rest of the field for those two 3A district playoff berths.

John McDonald’s prediction: Lake Stevens 21-14.

Mike Cane’s prediction: Arlington 20-19.

Tom Lafferty’s prediction: Lake Stevens 35-14.

Granite Falls at Lakewood

When: 7 p.m. today

Where: Dick Cardinal Stadium

Records: Granite Falls is 1-2 in the Cascade Conference, 3-2 overall. Lakewood is 1-2, 1-4.

Last year: Granite Falls RB Jullian Gamache carried 17 times for 126 yards and two TDs in the Tigers’ 39-7 win.

Last week: Gamache had 21 carries for 48 yards and two TDs in a 13-6 win over Coupeville.

Lakewood QB Justin Lane was 12-for-26 for 177 yards and two TDs in a 47-20 loss to Archbishop Murphy.

Players to watch: Gamache has 105 carries for 615 yards and eight TDs.

Lane is 53-for-113 passing for 628 yards and five TDs. Teammate Jay Wettlaufer has rushed 64 times for 178 yards and one TD and completed 16 of 34 passes for 177 yards and one TD. WR Marcus Harkins has 32 catches for 366 yards and four TDs.

Breaking down the game: This is a must-win game for both teams. It looks like Murphy, South Whidbey and Cedarcrest are the top three teams in the conference. Whichever team wins here remains in contention with Sultan for that fourth and final 2A district playoff berth.

John McDonald’s prediction: Granite Falls 20-14.

Mike Cane’s prediction: Granite Falls 20-12.

Tom Lafferty’s prediction: Granite Falls 20-13.

Other games tonight

Wesco North: Marysville-Pilchuck (3-2, 3-2) at Monroe (0-4, 0-5), Oak Harbor (4-0, 5-0) at Stanwood (1-4, 1-4), Snohomish (3-1, 4-1) vs. Everett (1-4, 1-4) at Everett Memorial Stadium, all 7 p.m.

Wesco South: Jackson (2-2, 2-3) vs. Mountlake Terrace (1-3, 1-4) at Edmonds District Stadium, 5 p.m.; Mariner (3-1, 3-2) vs. Shorecrest (1-4, 1-4) at Shoreline Stadium, 8 p.m.

Cascade Conference: Coupeville (0-3, 2-3) at South Whidbey (3-0, 5-0), Archbishop Murphy (3-0, 5-0) at Sultan (2-1, 2-3), both 7 p.m.

Northwest 2B: Darrington (2-0, 5-0) at Concrete 2-0, 3-2), 7 p.m.

Non-conference: Cascade (3-2) vs. Shorewood (0-5) at Shoreline Stadium, 5 p.m.

Games Saturday

Northwest 2B: La Conner (0-2, 0-5) at Orcas Island (0-2, 0-5), 1 p.m.

Non-conference: Lopez Island (4-2) at Easton (4-1), 1 p.m.; Lummi (5-1) at Wishkah Valley (3-2), 2 p.m.

All three prognosticators were 2-2 last week. Herald Prep Writer Mike Cane is 16-4 on the season. Herald Prep Editor John McDonald and KRKO broadcaster Tom Lafferty are 14-6.

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