State Championship Preview: Lake Stevens Fights for Third Title in Four Years Against Familiar Foe...Stats, Quotes and the J425 Pick
The 13-0 Lake Stevens Vikings take on the 10-3 Sumner Spartans with a state title on the line. The two 4A powers have split a recent home-and-home series by twin 31-28 scores.
MONTLAKE - When the #5 Sumner Spartans take on the #2 Lake Stevens Vikings tonight at 7:00 pm in Husky Stadium, a battle for supremacy and legacy will ensue between the two top 4A programs in the state.
By the end of the night, on the west shore of Lake Washington, either the Sumner Spartans will repeat as champions (as Lake did in 2022 and 2023)… or the Lake Stevens Vikings will claim their third title in four years — via an undefeated 14-0 season, no less, and in doing so, demand further attention on the generational run that Tom Tri’s program has enjoyed over the last decade.
The WIAA was smart to give the 4A game the closing 7:00 pm Saturday position, because tonight’s matchup really is the best of the best when it comes to Washington prep football matchups.
So let’s take a look at the finalists, the players, the predictions and the possible outcomes.
Sumner Tabbed to Win by Majority of Analysts
If you listen to the legacy media, Sumner is the favorite tonight, nevermind their three loss record or Week 1 loss to Lake Stevens.
If you listen to Sumner head coach Keith Ross, though, you hear a man with a healthy amount of respect for his opponent.
“Lake Stevens’ offense is incredible,” Ross said Wednesday. “They’re the most efficient, dynamic (offensive system) in our state of Washington.
“And that quarterback [Moser], he’s probably the best player in the state. I would say him and Lance (McGee) are the two best players, and guess what? Here we are.”
The King and Pierce County-heavy media sees the defending 4A champs as the favorite though, especially after Ross and his crew knocked off previously unbeaten Puyallup, 42-35 last week. Seven out of eight prognostications reviewed by J425 picked the Spartans to win tonight.
This includes former Graham-Kapowsin head coach Eric Kurle, who beat Lake for the title in 2021.
“For me, if you have Sumner throwing the ball like they did last week, McGee running that zone scheme, Pope making some big plays, I think Sumner can win a real close game. I believe the score is going to be a 35-28 type of score again, just like earlier in the year, a close one,” Kurle predicted.
An anonymous SPSL coach who played Sumner also sees the Spartans as the likely winner.
“Their defense, the Sumner defense, is really tough to run on. They have a great front four, with Shaun Griffith. They have good linebacker play. Their front six is probably the best in the state of Washington in 4A,” said the SPSL coach.
Lake Stevens rushed for over 250 yards against Sumner Week 1, with Jayvian Ferrell carrying 14 times for 137 yards and Blake Moser rushing nine times for 90m yards in the win.
Still, Eric Kurle sees
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