Game Story: Viking Mistakes Prove Costly in 49-30 Loss to West Linn - Recap, Stats and Photos

David Brown had three touchdowns & two interceptions and Kolton Matson had another four touchdown night as a third quarter rally couldn’t overcome five turnovers

LAKE STEVENS — Coming in to last Friday night's home field test against West Linn, defending Oregon big school champions and a national power, Lake Stevens knew it would need to execute to near perfection and avoid turnovers.

It didn't work out that way. 

In losing by 49-30 Lake committed five turnovers and receivers had seven drops, a recipe for disaster.  West Linn took full advantage of Lake's mistakes, which together with 504 yards of big-play offense, blew out to a 35-10 halftime lead and held on as the Vikings rallied to almost make a game of it in the third quarter.

West Linn returned the opening kickoff to the Viking 48 and scored a touchdown two plays later as quarterback Brad Gilroy completed a 38-yard pass to Danny Wideman and Hudson Reink waltzed 10 yards untouched into the end zone. Gage Hurych added the PAT kick.  7-0 Lions, which would never trail.

A sack of Viking quarterback Kolton Matson thwarted Lake's first possession but the Vikings re-took possession when Keagan Howard, Gage Solomon and Mason Turner stopped the WL ball carrier for a one-yard gain on fourth-and-two, Lake taking possession on its own 42.

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Lake struck quickly to tie the game.  Matson hit David Brown for 10 yards, Jayshon Limar rushed for 13, and Matson hit Brown again for a 36-yard touchdown, the latter dragging the defender into the end zone.  Lucas Mooring's PAT made it 7-7, halfway through the first quarter.

West Linn's Hunter Haines returned the kickoff for an apparent touchdown but a penalty resulted in the Lions starting from the 50.  After Gilroy hit Haines for 22 yards, Brown intercepted a Gilroy pass and Lake took over on its own 22.

Three straight Matson incompletions (at least one of them dropped) saw Mooring punt to the Viking 48.  Six plays later Hurych (one of the nation's top kickers) booted a 37-yard field goal.  10-7 Lions, 3:08 left in the first quarter.

Immediately following the kickoff Limar fumbled away the ball on the Viking 22.  A five yard penalty later, Cade Johnson rambled around right end untouched for a 27-yard TD.  17-7, with 2:44 left in the first.