State first-round football preview: Peninsula vs. Mountain View
Peninsula (7-3) vs. Mountain View (8-2)
CLASS 3A STATE FIRST-ROUND GAME
WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: McKenzie Stadium, 2205 NE 138th Ave, Vancouver
BROADCAST: Internet radio, elisportsnetwork.com
LAST WEEK: Peninsula beat Snohomish 45-27; Mountain View beat Lake Washington 27-10
NEXT UP FOR WINNER: Host quarterfinal game against winner of Rainier Beach-Mount Spokane
GAME NOTES: Peninsula of Gig Harbor was the No. 2 team in the 3A South Sound Conference. Two of three Seahawk losses came against 3A state tournament teams – Mount Spokane (23-6) and unbeaten Timberline (51-14). Peninsula also lost 13-0 to Central Kitsap, which missed the postseason. QB Burke Griffin hit on 12 of 18 passes for 193 yards and 3 TDs last week. He also rushed for a touchdown. Because of injury and illness, Peninsula had three players on the offensive line playing out of position. They still opened holes for Braeden Potter to rush for 147 yards. Peninsula has advanced to state four of the past five years. Mountain View was the 3A Greater St. Helen League champion. The Thunder’s two losses came against 4A Union and Skyview. Mountain View has reached state three of the past four years as a 3A school. That includes a 17-0 loss to Peninsula in the first round last year. After rushing for a season-high 238 yards (and 3 TDs) last week, QB Glen Perry Jr. is now the region leader in rushing with 1,152 yards and 14 TDs. Perry has also thrown for 1,185 yards and 17 TDs. The Thunder get their No. 2 rusher, Nile Jones, back this week. Jones, who has rushed for 683 yards and 8 TDs, had to sit out last week after being ejected in Week 9 for getting into an altercation with an Evergreen player. Jack Mertens has rushed for 356 yards and 3 TDs. Makai Anderson is the top receiver with 22 catches for 392 yards and 6 TDs.
FANS’ PICK: Mountain View (69 percent)
SCORE CZAR: Mountain View
PREP PROLETARIAT PICK: Click here
