After the Vikings’ loss at Arlington on September 8, their first regular season loss in three years, it became imminent that the Lake Stevens varsity football team will not let the Mariner Marauders run away in this matchup.

Starting their quest for their fifth straight Wesco championship, the Lake Stevens Vikings relied on their defense tonight as they beat the Marauders 14-3 at LSHS Stadium for their first conference win.

The game started off rather quickly, with the Vikings in control of the ball for roughly 9 minutes of the 12-minute long first quarter. Both drives resulting in them turning the ball over on downs, highlighted by a sack by sophomore Joey Notota for Mariner.

As the second quarter rolled around, it wasn’t long before the Marauders turned the ball over, giving it back to the Vikings at their own 35 yard

A short time later, the Vikings turned the ball over after just gaining 6 yards on that drive. They later set up the first points of the game with a 36-yard field goal by sophomore Jorge Urrutia with 24 seconds left in the first half to take a 3-0 lead.

When the second half began, it became clear that the fate of this game was going the Vikings’ way.

After barely a minute went by in the second half, Mariner quarterback Fama Toure throws a hesitation pass into the hands of Viking senior defensive back Austin Murren, for the first turnover of the game for both teams.

On the ensuing drive, the Vikings conduct a 13 play, 69 yard drive, capping it off with a 14 yard touchdown pass from senior Conor Bardue to Murren to take a 7-3 lead with 6:32 left in the third quarter.

The Vikings later added to their lead in the fourth quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run by junior Jackson Grafe, taking a 14-3 lead with 6:34 left in the game, but not without Mariner having something to say about it.

With 1:40 left in the game, Mariner was facing 4th and 8 at the Vikings’ 45 yard line, when Toure threw a screen pass to senior running back Romelo Mangum, but after a few jukes past Lake Stevens defenders, could only get 3 yards, turning the ball over again, sealing the game for the Vikings.

Bardue finished the game going 14 for 23 for 121 yards and a touchdown pass, while his counterpart, Fama Toure, was 7 for 18 for 66 yards and an interception.

Grafe was the workhorse of the game, carrying the ball 23 times for 100 yards and a touchdown, and senior wide receiver Austin Murren led in receiving with 5 catches for 53 yards and a touchdown before limping off the field while playing defensive back with 2:56 left in the game.

Although the offense kept the game out of reach, it was the defense who kept the Mariner offense on their feet, allowing only 129 yards of total offense.

Senior defensive end Matthew Sevao led the way with 14 tackles, a forced fumble and 2 sacks, joining juniors Anthony Martin and Tre Long and sophomores Devin Kylany and Isaiah Harris as the players who wrapped Toure down to the ground.

The Lake Stevens Vikings, who are now 2-1 on the year, will aim to get their first road win of the year on September 22, when they travel to face the 1-2 Mount Vernon Bulldogs.