Lake Stevens proves they’re the real deal in blowout of Cascade

Tre Long had a career night with 5 touchdown passes in 69-20 win

As the 2018 high school football season comes to an end, the state playoffs loom over the horizon which means that each state playoff teams performance is determined by how tough their opponents are and how they play against them. In this case for the Lake Stevens Vikings, a team that has very well cemented a playoff spot, they had no choice but to take advantage of their time against the Cascade Bruins.

Payne Patchett
Livin’ like Lewis: Lake Stevens running back Tom Lewis pushes away a Cascade defender en route to a touchdown during the first quarter of friday’s game against Cascade. The Vikings demolished the Bruins 69-20. Lewis finished the night carrying the ball 9 times for 111 yards, scoring 3 times.

The Vikings took advantage of it by scoring 69 points in an onslaught of the Bruins in an early 5:00pm start time matchup at Everett Memorial Stadium that brought in the running clock, something that the Vikings haven’t seen too much of since the season began.

Payne Patchett
Pressure against Peak: Sophomore Max Moenoa makes a catch before Friday’s undefeated matchup against Glacier Peak. The Vikings won a nail-biter 24-21. Moenoa contributed to Lake Stevens’ astounding passing game, catching 3 passes for 22 yards.

The Vikings started their rampage when they recovered a Cascade fumble at the Bruins’ 18 yard line and later scored on their first offensive play when senior quarterback Tre Long threw a pass to senior wide receiver Ian Hanson, who was wide open in the right corner of the end zone, for an 18-yard touchdown (TD) pass make it 7-0 just over a minute into the game.

After Cascade scores on their next possession, but couldn’t convert the point after touchdown (PAT), the Vikings responded with a 20-yard rushing touchdown by senior Tom Lewis, but after a missed PAT of their own, the score is now 13-6 with around 3 minutes left in the first quarter and, after a Cascade punt, would score again on a 23-yard touchdown pass from Long to junior Kasen Kinchen to make the score 20-6 Lake Stevens at the end of the first quarter.

After the touchdown, Lake Stevens gets the ball back after converting another onside kick, and would later score again on Long’s third touchdown pass of the game to senior Joe Gonzales right down the middle for a 12-yard score to make it 27-6.

Lake Stevens would get another turnover off of an interception by junior Devin MacWatters at the Cascade 42 yard line, and two plays later, the Vikings would score again on a 42-yard pass from Long to senior Sergio Pelayo, who was bobbled the ball down the left sideline, to make it 34-6 with 10 minutes left in the half, making the game mostly out of reach.

Payne Patchett
Back at Home: Wide Receiver Chase Winkler makes a catch before Friday’s game against the Kamiak Knights. The Vikings shout out the Knights 58-0. The Vikings finished the game with 229 receiving yards compared to only 2 by Knights receivers.

Cascade would score on the next possession, but the Vikings would score again on Lewis’ second touchdown run to make it 41-13 with a little under 2 minutes left in the half.

The Bruins would turn the ball over on downs and, after pulling off a “Philly Special” to start off the drive, Long tossed his fifth, and final touchdown pass of the night after a 22-yard TD pass to Kinchen to make the score 48-13 at the half.

At the start of the second half, the Vikings wasted no time towards the running clock when Lewis runs it in from 23 yards out to make it 55-13, which would be the only score of the third quarter.

In the fourth, though, junior Dallas Landeros runs it in for 3 yards to make it the first time since October 6th, 2017 that the Vikings have scored 60 or more points in a game, as the score is now 62-13.

Cascade would score on the next possession, but before the game would end, one Lake Stevens player would get the opportunity he was always waiting for, as freshman Trayce Hanks ran the ball in from 14 yards out for his first varsity touchdown to make the final score 69-20.

Tre Long finished off the night completing 10 of 13 passes for 164 and a career high 5 touchdown passes, Lewis led the running game with 9 carries for 111 yards and 3 touchdowns and Kinchen, once again, led the team in receiving with 4 catches for 70 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Now at 7-0, your Lake Stevens Vikings will play their final home game against the Jackson Timberwolves, who fell to 3-4 after losing to the Mount Vernon Bulldogs 49-24.