For the first time in 8 years, I was able to make it to Tacoma to watch the WIAA high school state championships. This had been an annual event for years until I moved to Spokane about 8 1/2 years ago. Of all the games that were played, the consensus seems to be that the 3A game will be regarded as a classic for years to come. While I don't argue that, the 4A game is the one I will relive for years to come.
For about 10 years I have grown to cherish and admire LC's style of football. Although I'm not really a fan of the NFL, my fondness of LC football is traced back to 80's/early 90's versions of the Washington Redskins and New York Giants that emphasized ball control and tough defense. With the Redskins, I simply couldn't get enough of the counter trey. Seeing Russ Grimm and Joe Jacoby pull and destroy the first person they saw was definitive football for me.
For many reasons, the 1990 New York Giants team is my favorite NFL team of all time. Of course my lasting image from their Super Bowl victory is the forearm Ottis Anderson clocks Mark Kelso with at the 54 second point of this video. What I really applauded about them was their ability to force the other team to play at there pace. This was never more evident than in the 1990 NFC championship game against the San Francisco 49ers. While the Giants focussed on ball control and defense, the 49ers were busy running up scores like a pinball machine. After much anticipation over which style would prevail, the Giants ended up winning 15-13 on the strength of 5 Matt Bahr field goals. If there was ever a case to be made of one inflicting their will on another, this was it.
Getting back to LC, I first became familiar with them during the 1998 season. My brother, Lars (who was a sophmore for Mead High School at the time), said that they were easily the toughest team he'd played against in awhile. Their running back, Nick Spurgetis, ran harder than anyone he faced in high school. Conversly, their defense seemed to have an approach that took absolutely no chances in trying to stop the opponent. I witnessed numerous games in which they would repeatedly stop a running back for a 3-4 yard gain or wrap up a receiver after a 6-8 yard reception. All the while they would not chance blitzing or making an interception while risking potentially a large gain by the opponent . Without ever talking to anyone associated with the program, I would've bet the farm that their philosophy was to make you earn a touchdown. All the while most teams were not able to do this due to the discipline required to run 15 consecutive plays without making a mistake. Numerous times I witnessed oppossing teams killing drives going for the long bomb, getting a penalty, or simply fumbling the ball.
Unfortunately that 1998 team lost to the 4th seeded Big 9 team, Wenatchee, 27-7. I don't know what happened. Before the game, Coach Hook mentioned on the radio that he was very concerned about the game due to the team having the worst series of practices they have all season. Despite that, I kept tabs on the team. Of course I wanted my brother's team, Mead, to win, but rooted for LC in all the other games.
Following the 1999 season, head coach John Hook decided to step down. When I first heard that his replacement was going to be an ex-receiver, Tom Yearout, I was a little concerned. Having grown to appreciate their physical style of play, I was pretty sure that a former receiver was going to make the offense more "exciting." Upon reading Yearout's first interview with the Spokesman-Review, I became very relieved that they were going to continue to do more of the same. While I don't have access to the article in which he is asked if there will be any changes to thier offensive or defensive philosophies, the summary of his answer can best be described as, "No."
The 2000 season brought another LC victory over Mead. Towards the end of the game it looked as though Mead was going to stop LC. Typical of LC, though, they sensed Mead gearing up to stop the run and hit a wide open receiver for a long touchdown pass. Still, Mead had the ball in the fourth quarter with a chance to win the game. Throughout the final drive, it looked as though Mead had figured out how to successfully move the ball against the Tigers. The key, IMO, is be content with 3-6 yard gains and not make mistakes. For the first 19 plays of the drive, Mead executed this plan perfectly. Unfortunately on the 20th play, Mead suffered the same fate most high school teams do when forced to run more 10 consecutive offensive plays. They made a mistake and fumbled. Unfortunately LC proceeded to lose their next playoff game. Something they continued to do until this season.
When I read that LC was going to open the playoffs against Richland this year, another loss was expected on my part. A 28-0 victory caught my attention. I made a point to watch their next playoff game against Wooodinville. Prior to the game I was pretty sure the Falcons would pull off a close one. Every Maxwell coached team I'd ever seen was extremely physical, not too mention Woodinville has its fair share of athletes. The game ended up not even being close. It was at this point my gut started thinking that the rest of the state was in for a rude awakening. I started having visions of LC's opponents having fits being forced to play their style of football, similar to the 1990 Giants team. I had this overwhelming sensation that knew a secret that none of LC's opponents had, and began post it on the internet here and here.
The championship game against Bothell gave LC the oppurtunity to show the entire state their style of play. From my point of view the result of the game was derived from Bothell, a team that had averaged nearly 34 points a game in their first 13 contests, inabilty to adapt to a pace that LC was forcing them to play. I liken this style, just like the Giants and Redskins used to play, as the equivalent to water torture. I predicted a 17-14 LC victory to my Bothell friends, and had visions of the Giants beating the 49ers.
One of the most pleasing moments in the game actually came when I later watched a replay. After playing a mediocre half (at least by most peoples standards), the television reporter asked coach Yearout if his team was going to make any halftime adjustments. While I don't have an exact quote of what the coach said, the summary of his reply can best be described as, "No."
True to form, the Tigers inflicted their will on Bothell and prevailed 21-14. I couldn't have been happier. The Lewis & Clark Football program is one that I have come to admire more as time goes on. Through coaching changes and playoff disapointments, they have maintained a united, singular approach to how they play the game. To see a state championship emerge from a program such as LC is as good as it gets.
A championship that has been in the making for many years that finally culminated on December 1, 2007. Congratulations, Lewis & Clark Football!
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4 comments:
Nice article!!!
I'm not sure how much "will" was involved in the three dropped passes on Bothell's side that would have probably changed several factors in this game. All in all, LC deserves to be the champs, no doubt. But I can't help thinking about what could have been... :)
Those are excellent points. I'm not sure anyone can really put a finger on what it is LC does. In the ten years I've watched them, there have been many times in which I have muttered things similar to what you said. If it isn't dropped passes, it's something else like fumbles or penalties. The teams that I've seen beat them over the years are the ones that don't make mistakes and are consistently able to execute the simple plays.
In all fairness, I haven't watched enough Bothell football this year to know whether or not their performance was consistent with their play throughout the season. One thing I know for sure, though, is that the state championship game went exactly like at least a dozen other LC games I've seen over the years.
Like I said, LC definitely deserved to win that game. They played hard and they played from behind, something that is very difficult to do at that level. It's too easy to 'hang your head' when you're getting beat, especially in front of the that hometown crowd Bothell had at the game.
That was the fifth game I had seen Bothell play this year and I can say that I didn't see their receivers missing passes that were that easy. Regardless of the reason, I'm sure a portion of it was due to LC's aggressive style of play. The one pass in particular that was so crucial was that 3rd down play toward the end of the 2nd quarter where number 46 dropped the pass across the middle that would have kept the Bothell drive alive. I do remember a couple of plays before that, he was lit up by an LC person and came out of the game with what looked to be a broken/bloody nose.
As I said after the game, there is little doubt that Bothell is eventually going to get a championship. It may come next year, or possibly 15 years down the road. People tend to forget that great coaches such as Bob Lucey and Tom Ingles had to wait awhile before putting together some teams will place them in the hall of fame. Bainter is pretty young and seems to be settled in to that area. Judging from the longevity of some of the other coaches in the Northshore School District, I'd say they treat their coaches pretty well (something I can't say the same about other school districts). What's been amazing so far is that he has made it to the title game 2 years in a row on relatively no talent. I didn't see any of Bothell's playoff games last year, but they were clearly outmanned in the "talent" department against Ferris this year.
The future is very bright for that program.
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