Game Preview: Top-Ranked Lake Stevens Renews Rivalry with Glacier Peak Tonight in Snohomish
Undefeated Wesco Giants Clash in Downtown Snohomish Tonight, Kickoff at 7:00. Rosters, stats, analysis and insights gleaned from each head coach.
“Honestly I know why kids want to play for Lake Stevens or GP. You get a chance to play these awesome games every year.” - Shane Keck, Glacier Peak Head Football Coach
SNOHOMISH – It’s just seven miles from the limits of Lake Stevens to the confines of Veterans Memorial Stadium off of Avenue D in Snohomish – a quick jaunt down State Route 9 that is typically covered in 15 minutes or less.
And while the geographical distance is slim, the gap between the two Wesco leaders is even slimmer – there’s no gap at all, to be precise. Both the #1 Lake Stevens Vikings and the Glacier Peak Grizzlies hold perfect 4-0 records headed into this week five clash for conference supremacy.
The Vikings are riding high – sitting atop numerous polls after besting Sumner and Bellevue in the opening weeks of the season, but as J425 described in a recent podcast, no one is getting too comfortable in Lake Stevens, where ill-tempered player butt heads with each other in competitive practices, motivated by something intrinsic to Tom Tri’s one-of-a-kind program.
The first quarter of the Viking season has been headlined by the identification of two new home-run hitting stars, stepping into key backfield roles replacing Viking legends Kolton Matson and Jayshon Limar. The appearance of these stars, like a ball of fire rising from the east, is both familiar and somehow awe-inspiring.
The two players in question, QB Blake Moser and RB Jayvian Ferrell had been amongst the state’s most impactful players while showing off a still-developing skill set that’s left onlookers either exclaiming in shock, muttering or swearing in joy or despair.
This game preview will cover the debut of these stars and walk through the early season results earned by both Lake Stevens and Glacier Peak.
We’ll take a look at each team’s roster and strategic imperatives, and we’ll give you a few key tidbits and notebook items before sending you on your way to this early season classic.
Lake Stevens: Early Season Success Comes Parallel to Identification of New Stars
Lake Stevens opened with the stiffest of stiff non-league tests – fending off defending 4A state champs Sumner 31-28 in Lake Stevens, thanks to new starting QB BLAKE MOSER’s instant-classic come-from-behind game winning drive, which saw the erstwhile Lake Stevens baseball star takeover the helm after two years’ understudy for Viking legend and 4-year starter Kolton Matson, now at Central Washington.
In doing so, the Perfect Game 2025 Preseason Underclass All American pitcher and infielder added a new legend to his growing list of baseball accolades, scrambling right and finding 2027 WR SETH PRICE from 18 yards out, giving Lake the win as time expired. J425’s reel of the play has topped 100,000 views across social platforms, so in addition to his 95-mph fastball, defensive coordinators are now aware that Moser possesses several game breaking-qualities that jump off the screen in the football film room: program record 4.47 40 speed, (official time obtained in this Spring’s Viking Football combine) and that 95-mph right arm, matched with the 4.47 feet and an equilibrium that allows Moser to process and operate while rolling laterally at a breathtaking rate of speed.
Moser’s running ability was on display against Sumner, when the junior signal caller followed guard Will Lynch through a gap in the line, skipped to the right and emerged in the second level, racing down the seam at top speed. No one would touch him before paydirt. Moser’s 40-yard rushing TD from Week 1 combined with available game tape from the 2024 Viking playoff run show a true star in the making.
“Blake in Case of Emergency”
Last fall, Coach Tri hit the “Blake in Case of Emergency” button and thus Moser made his varsity outfield debut filling in for a decimated Lake Stevens receiving core. A two-year backup at QB and the starting punter, this was a new position for Lake’s then-sophomore.
And yet, in Lake’s week 10 playoff win, Moser’s first touch (fly sweep left) saw the phenom zip around the left edge, stick a foot in the ground and cut against the grain, slaloming 29 yards up field and into playoff paydirt with his first rushing attempt. Ultimately, the then-backup QB and punter went on to lead the playoff Viks in catches and yards.
The popular Moser is better known as a blue chip baseball prospect, widely considered a top 100 MLB baseball draft pick at either (or both ) shortstop or pitcher. This resume combined with a star turn in the 2025 football playoffs would ordinarily be more than enough to introduce a new star on the stage entering into the current gridiron season. However, because of his commitment to travel-league baseball as well as specialist training, Moser hasn’t featured in the now-ubiquitous 7v7 offseason flag football circuit, a realm where players make their names, often in conjunction with street agent-slash-coaches running the 7v7 teams. See Ford, Tracy. The last high profile northwest QB to emerge from relative obscurity and grab a starting job at at top tier school may be Justin Herbert, formerly of Oregon. 1
After the iconic win over Sumner, Moser was voted VarsityWA state player of the week, gaining more votes in a ten player poll than the other nine choices combined.
Junior RB Puncturing Defenses for Over Eleven Yards Per Carry
Joining Moser as a bright new star in the Viking backfield is junior RB JAYVIAN FERRELL, a well-proportioned, well-balanced back with sub 4.5 speed and a knack for running through the first one, two, three tackle attempts.
All of the above was instantly apparent on the Viks first play from scrimmage in 2025, as Ferrell took a pitch right early in the first quarter vs Sumner’s returning All State linebacker corps, obtained the edge, broke two tackles as he cut back in, picked up a block from Seth Price and shocked a Sumner team that hadn’t surrendered any 50+ yard runs a year ago, breaking off a 73-yard touchdown run that ultimately served as the difference in the Viking win. Ferrell has hit the century mark in three of four games thus far and is averaging over 132 yards rushing per game. Overall, the junior has 532 yards and six touchdowns, both figures good for placement on top ten lists.
In addition to the aforementioned skill players, Lake’s early season success has seen big contributions from a defense led by ten returning starters and a line group that ranks amongst the program’s most talented of all time. The starting offensive line features D-1 offer holders at left tackle and left guard, a pair of future scholarship offer-holders in the new sophomore starters holding down the center and guard positions.
The right tackle may not have an offer, but the 6’3 235 pound KENNY BUCKMILLER is a freak athlete with borderline Olympian bloodlines. The senior captain is the brother of recent 4A state sprint champion GRANT BUCKMILLER, a highly-decorated Team USA sprinter now competing for title and personal honors in Baton Rouge, where the Lake Stevens grad has posted an indoor 60 meter time faster than famous NFL speed demon Tyreke Hill. The Buckmiller speed flashes when Kenny tracks down ball carriers side to side in his new role at middle linebacker, a position group more than held down by Buckmiller and fellow captain Kaiden Peck. The perimeter of the defense is held down by returning all league honorees at both cornerback and safety positions, with 6’4 senior ball hawk DYLAN PHINNEY highlighting defensive efforts for DC ERIC DINWIDDIE.
Balanced Distribution
As usual, Tom Tri’s offense is spreading the wealth amongst a crew of capable pass catchers, with four players with nine or more catches through week four. Junior WR SETH PRICE – a three star recruit with offers from University of Nevada among others – leads the team with 13 catches. Senior WR KEKOA OKIYAMA is second on the team with 12 catches for 98 yards and two TDs. Okiyama adds two rushing TDs for a total of four on the young season. Sophomore WR MAX COOK has ten catches for a team-leading 130 yards and five TD catches – good for sixth in the state.
The balance is reflected in the team totals as well, where Tri’s attack averages just over 400 yards per game, with 230+ of that coming on the ground. Keep in mind that the four game stats are heavily influenced by the fact that Lake faced off against two of the most formidable defenses around in defending 4A champs Sumner and #2-ranked 3A powerhouse Bellevue. Lake knocked off both en route to the current 4-0 start.
Glacier Peak — Undefeated, and Yet to Hit Stride
“Our defense and our special teams have played really well. So, two phases of the team are playing at a high level, kind of giving the offense a chance to kind of hopefully get their feet underneath them a little bit more. A lot of guys have played a lot of football … guys that believe in our system and believe in what we’re doing…and they play well together. We know we need to lean on those guys to allow our younger guys to come along.”
- Glacier Peak Head Coach Shane Keck
Glacier Peak, meanwhile, has been well-served by efficient defense and special teams play while the Grizzlies – according to Head Coach Shane Keck, wait for a young offense to hit its stride.
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