Game Story: Vikings Roll 49-14

First home crowd in 672 days witnesses Lake Stevens pummel Archbishop Murphy, advance to 2-0

For the first time in 672 days, the Vikings played a home game in front of a live crowd. The capacity crowd was treated to a 49-14 steamrolling of Archbishop Murphy. Photo by Kevin Thomas Hulten/The Journal 425

Much as expected, Lake Stevens (2-0) rolled past Archbishop Murphy (2-2) in Lake's home opener in front of a capacity crowd last Friday night at Lake Stevens Stadium.

The game stats reflect the 49-14 final score, as Lake broke open a 28-14 halftime lead by blanking the Wildcats 21-0 the rest of the way.

In their first home game in front of a live crowd in 672 days, Lake's offense was a model of efficiency, totaling 532 yards, and that includes what is believed to be an all-time Viking tying record of six touchdown passes by quarterback Grayson Murren. 

QB Grayson Murren was near perfect, going 20 of 27 for 323 yards and a school record-tying six touchdown passes. Photo by Kevin Thomas Hulten/The Journal 425

The lanky senior completed 20 of 27 passes (no interceptions, 3 drops) for 323 yards, three of his TDs hauled in by wide receiver Drew Carter whose nine catches racked up 175 yards.

As for the Viking defense, though the line is not large it is proving to be one of the toughest, man for man, ever to play for Lake.  No less than 13 different Vikings accounted for at least one tackle for loss or no gain as Lake held the Wildcats to a mere 36 net yards rushing in 30 carries.

AM was able to stay in the game in the first half, thanks to a pair of second quarter bombs for 69- and 60-yard touchdowns, quarterback Colton Johnson to running back Jelani Guerrero, the latter slipping completely behind Lake's secondary untouched.

Lake opened with a nine-play, 70-yard touchdown drive featuring Murren's five-for-five completions for 55 of those yards, the finale a six-yarder to Carter.  Macray Flander's PAT made it 7-0, four minutes into the game.

Lake upped the lead to 14-0 at 10:08 of the second quarter, a seven-play, 68-yard march highlighted by a 37-yard completion to Carter, who made a dazzling catch sandwiched between two defenders.  Two plays later Murren hit Jayden Limar for a 22-yard TD.

Lake’s standout RB Jayden Limar accounted for 203 yards of total offense including 95 yards receiving on five receptions. Photo by Kevin Thomas Hulten/The Journal 425

Murphy responded just a minute later with the above-mentioned 69-yard TD pass, but its PAT kick try failed.  14-6.

Lake's third TD involved an 11-play, 76-yard sally which began with Limar's 30-yard run and ended with Carter's six-yard scoring catch. This drive was elongated by a couple of penalties against the Vikings, who had 12 flags thrown against them (for 85 yards) in the course of the game.  Lake has accumulated 23 penalties for 182 yards in its first two games this season.  20-6, 4:57 before halftime.

Johnson's 60-yard TD pass, plus his 2-point conversion pass to Tyreek Curley, cut Lake's lead to 21-14 at 2:52.

Murren matched that 60-yarder just two plays later, Carter on the receiving end.  28-14 with 2:06 left in the half.

Lake missed a chance to score again just before halftime.  Limar's spinning moves following his catch of Murren's pass netted 32 yards to the AM 14 but time expired on the next play when the former was stopped for a 4-yard gain up the middle.

Viking defense routed AM in the second half, which saw the latter shut out while being held to 50 net yards in 25 plays.  Lake, meanwhile, added three more touchdowns, as follows:

- Trayce Hank's nifty 11-yard TD reception from Murren in double coverage.  35-14 at 7:56 of the third.

- Cole Becker's five-yard TD pass from Murren.  42-14 at 10:12 of the fourth.

- Jayshon Limar's (Jayden's freshman brother) 20-yard TD dash.  This made up for his earlier 35-yard TD run which was nullified by penalty.  49-14 with 32 seconds left.

Viking defense racked up five quarterback sacks, two by Dylan Slezak, one each by Madison Wynkoop, Becker, Jayden Limar, Joe McGinnis, and Isaac Redford (two of those sacks were shared).  Lake's Grant Lynch recorded the game's only fumble recovery.

Lake's total yardage exactly doubled AM's, 532 to 266, with 230 of the visitors' total coming from nine of 20 pass completions.

Jayden Limar netted 108 of Lake's 209 rushing yards, though he carried the ball just four of his 14 totes after halftime.  His 95 receiving yards via five catches made for 203 yards overall.

Lake goes to Snohomish this Friday night, opening its 2021 Wesco campaign after its Covid-shortened 2-0 non-league start.