Eagle QB leads Arlington to comeback win; M-P blanks foe

By Steve Powell • September 24, 2018 1:30 am

ARLINGTON – Eagle quarterback Anthony Whitis has been able to do something even Seahawk QB Russell Wilson hasn’t been able to do – lead his team to two fourth-quarter comeback wins.

Trailing 34-22 to Ferndale in the fourth period Friday, Whitis passed to Joey Stretch for a 12-yard score and then ran it in from 5-yards out with 2:49 left in the game to lead Arlington to a 37-34 victory.

The Eagles got on the board first when Whitis passed 16 yards to Griffin Gardoski. Stretch caught a 24-yarder to make it 13-0.

Ferndale scored on two 1-yard runs before Cole Cramer hit a 29-yard field goal, putting the home team up. But the visitors scored with one second left in the half on a pass play to go up 20-16.

Ferndale scored again on a run, but Daylin Pierce romped for a 73-yard score to keep it close. Ferndale scored on another short run before Whitis’s heroics.

Whitis passed for 292 yards, completing 16 of 29, with the three TDs and one interception. Pierce led the Eagles on the ground with 110 yards on eight carries. Stretch had five receptions for 119 yards and Gardoski six for 106. Dylan Simmons added four for 61.

Defensive lineman Quinton Yon-Wagner stood out with three tackles for losses in the first half alone.

Three weeks ago, Whitis tossed a game-winning 5-yard touchdown pass to Gardoski with one second to play, lifting Arlington to a 27-23 season-opening win over Mariner. Meanwhile, Marysville-Pilchuck blanked Lake Washington 28-0, with both the offense and defense getting two scores each Friday.

M-P’s first score came on a 1-yard run by Jake Elwood

Jared Kelly scored on a fumble recovery to make it 14-0 in the third.

Dillon Kuk scored on a 29-yard pass from Elwood in the fourth.

And Zion Bothelo returned an interception 20 yards for a score.

QB Elwood was 5-8 for 72 yards. Jordan Justice led the ground attack with 10 carries for 102 yards.

Lakewood, meanwhile, suffered its first loss of the season in a 36-14 defeat to Sedro-Woolley. Saturday, Squalicum blanked Marysville Getchell 49-0.

Boys tennis

At Arlington Friday, the Eagles beat Everett 5-2.

Taras McCurdie won 6-0, 7-5; Ben Spores 6-1, 6-0; Ben Nichols 6-0, 6-1 and Tomas Ramirez Grant Mueller 2-6, 6-4, (10-8) in singles.

In doubles, Keaton McBride-Colby King won 6-1, 6-2. Everett won the other two doubles matches.

Snohomish beat M-P Friday 6-1.

The only Tomahawk win was by forfeit at No. 4 singles to Aaron Kalab.