Lake Stevens High School Athletics
Grante Falls High School Athletics
Purple and Gold Pigskin

In a game of historic as well as critical importance, Lake Stevens rode Brennan Frost’s record-setting rushing performance to a 25-13 win, clinching second place in Wesco North for the Vikings. 

The victory puts Lake (4-2 in league, 5-4 overall) at Bethel (8-1 and ranked in the state’s top ten) this Saturday night in the opening round of the State Playoffs.

It was the last football game to be played in Lake’s 31-year-old stadium, which is to be replaced for next season.  Past players, cheerleaders, and others associated with Viking football were honored at halftime.  The lively home crowd which filled the stands braved rain and swirling winds.

Frost, despite an injured ACL, rushed for 257 yards in 24 carries, including three touchdowns, eclipsing the former school record of 246 yards set by Isaac Molstre in a playoff game versus Graham-Kapowsin in 2006.  Frost’s performance was an impressive combo of speed, moves, and power.

 And his super game could not have come at a more important time for the injury-plagued Vikings, who fielded a team peppered with sophomores and former jayvees.

 In the first half, Lake’s use of inexperienced players was evident in missed tackles and some confused assignments, but the second half was a different story.  Snohomish was held to 26 yards rushing and 64 yards overall after halftime and just two first downs.  Much of that came on a meaningless 32-yard completion as the game ended, giving the Panthers their only penetration past midfield.

Still, Lake clung precariously to a 19-13 lead, failing to score on three possessions inside the Snohomish 10-yard line in the second half because of two fumbles and a missed field goal, until Frost powered to a 33-yard touchdown run with 10 seconds left.

Lake scored four minutes into the first quarter on Frost’s 30-yard run.  Colter Swords, Lake’s third-string kicker, added the PAT for a 7-0 lead. 

Snohomish countered that with a 14-play, 88-yard drive, all on the ground, culminating in Holden Erstad’s nine-yard run via a fake field goal attempt.  Erstad added the PAT kick to knot the score at 7-7, with 2:34 left in the first quarter.

Brandon Preslar’s fumble recovery on the Viking 35 with 1:09 left in the quarter led to Lake’s go-ahead tally five plays later when he grabbed Jake Nelson’s four-yard touchdown pass.  The drive included a 15-yard Nelson to Swords pass and a 14-yard Frost run.  The PAT kick failed, so Lake led 13-7, 11:15 before halftime.

Lake scored again at 7:56 on a 79-yard five-play drive featuring a great catch by Preslar from Nelson for a 35-yard gain, a 27-yard run by Frost, and Frost’s eight-yard touchdown.  The PAT snap was botched.  19-7 Lake.
Snohomish scored at 1:37, a 56-yard, six-play drive sparked by a 36-yard run by Jon Ney and Ryan Wohlhuter’s three-yard touchdown.  The PAT kick failed, for a halftime score of 19-13.

Lake dominated the second half, running 31 offensive plays to Snohomish’s 13 and outgaining the Panthers by 209-64, though (as noted above) that did not translate into touchdowns for the Vikings.

But Lake finally put the game away late in the going, marching 86 yards in 11 plays, overcoming three penalties totaling 33 yards and a wayward snap resulting in a 13-yard loss during the drive.  Other than a 13-yard gain by Brandon Belcher, the drive was all Frost, who netted 112 yards in eight carries, finishing with a 33-yard touchdown with 10 seconds left, pushing his total into record territory.  The PAT kick failed, but the game had been decided, 25-13.

Lake finished with 313 net yards rushing, while Nelson’s 10 completions in 16 tosses added 104 yards.  Nelson, in his second start at quarterback, is showing steady improvement, though he needs to learn how to avoid taking unnecessary sacks.  Snohomish had 166 net yards rushing and 38 passing on 2 of 4 completions (there were no interceptions in the game).  Lake gained 19 first downs to Snohomish’s 10.

Lake lost two fumbles but recovered three, by Preslar, Chase Crowley, and Jake Bennett. 
Jordan Eckstrom recorded 17 tackles, including a quarterback sack.  Other leading Viking tacklers were Jason Mendel with 13, Justin Grow 12, Bennett 8.