EDMONDS — Penalties and turnovers were styming Meadowdale in the first half of Friday night’s game against Everett.
Good thing the Mavericks can rest easy with a dominating defense.
Meadowdale’s defense shut out Everett, holding the Seagulls to just 81 total yards of
offense and intercepting two passes, in a 35-0 win at Edmonds Stadium in a clash of Wesco 3A teams.
“Defensively we’ve gone out and executed seven weeks in a row and even our offense can be sputtering and we know they just aren’t going to give up any plays,” said Meadowdale head coach Mark Stewart. “Defensively we’re just doing a great job of understanding exactly what we need to do to defend people. That’s comforting as a head coach.”
Sputtering might be a bit of an overstatement for Friday night’s game. Meadowdale scored on the first play from scrimmage — a 31-yard touchdown run by Kyler Larsen — and Giavani Shepard ran for 182 yards and a couple of scores. But early on a fumble and key penalties stopped three drives — one holding penalty negating a touchdown run — keeping Everett in the ballgame.
Unfortunately for the Seagulls, the Mavericks defense was having none of it. Meadowdale’s defense controlled the line of scrimmage and kept Everett star running back Blake Williams in check for much of the night. Williams was held to 72 yards rushing, 26 of it coming on one run in the third quarter.
“I think our guys are doing a great job of understanding the game plan and going out and executing,” said Stewart.
In the first half, seven Everett drives ended in punts, with another finished off courtesy a Meadowdale interception by free safety Jacob Hughes. Meadowdale’s defensive line also had an impact early, sacking Everett quarterback Riley Ayers three times. Michael Cummings — who led the Mavs with nine solo tackles — Kyle Newsom and Jeremy Gomez all had sacks in the first half.
When he did have time, Ayers didn’t have many places to throw to. Meadowdale’s secondary held Ayers to 10-for-21 passing for just 12 yards and two interceptions (Larsen had the Mavericks’ second interception).
“They understand their roles and understand how to cover routes,” Steward said of his secondary.
Offensively it was Shepard’s show early with a little dose of Meadowdale’s heavy hitter, Newsom, late. Shepard ran for most of his yards in the first three quarters and helped Meadowdale build a 21-0 lead with his second touchdown late in the second quarter. The Mavericks would add one more before the half when quarterback Brian Marty found a wide open Larsen down the left side for a 50-yard touchdown pass play.
In the fourth quarter with the game all but decided it was time for Newsom to take over. Grinding down the clock, Meadowdale turned to Newsom to do the damage and the senior obliged. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound running back ran five times for 50 yards on Meadowdale’s final scoring drive, capping it with a 5-yard touchdown run in which he ran over a number of Everett defenders on run that looked like at first would be stuffed for a loss.
“He just gets things done,” Stewart said, with a laugh. “He certainly brings a different sense to our running game.”
Meadowdale, ranked No. 5 in the latest Class 3A Associated Press poll, marches on undefeated with Lynnwood waiting next week before a showdown with what could be another undefeated team in Oak Harbor in the final week of the season.
“We’re just thinking about how we can get better next week,” Stewart said.
At Edmonds District Stadium
Everett 0 0 0 0 — 0
Meadowdale 7 21 0 7 — 35
M—Larsen 31 run (Odegaard kick)
M—Shepard 13 run (Odegaard kick)
M—Shepard 5 run (Odegaard kick)
M—Larsen 50 pass from Marty (Odegaard kick)
M—Newsom 5 run (Marty kick)
Records—Everett 3-3 league, 4-3 overall. Meadowdale 6-0, 7-0.
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