Three of the past four years Bothell High School football players have traveled all the way to Tacoma, faced Bellarmine Prep in a state playoff game and then endured the longest bus ride of the season knowing their playoff run was over. This time Prep took the long bus ride home.

The Cougars extracted a little bit of revenge Saturday at Mt. Tahoma Stadium in Tacoma by crushing the Lions 37-14 to advance to the state semifinals.

Bothell wasted little time in showing why it is undefeated this season by scoring 34-unanswered points during the first half, leaving the Lions demoralized and with little hope of a comeback.

The scoring began on a 24-yard run by Caleb Meyer for a touchdown to cap off the Cougars’ opening drive. Kicker Steve Weedin extended the Bothell lead to 13-0 with two field goals before the end of the first quarter.

The Cougar passing game got into the scoring, as quarterback Ross Bowers found Dayzell Wilson for a 61-yard touchdown. Meyer extended the lead to 27-0 with a five-yard touchdown run. Bothell added another touchdown, as Damani St. John-Watkins rumbled into the end zone from nine-yards out just before halftime. Watkins added another field goal during the second half.

Bellarmine Prep’s two fourth-quarter touchdowns were only for posterity.

Bothell will take on Newport during the state semifinals at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 29 at the Tacoma Dome. The Knights defeated Federal Way 17-10 on Saturday. The Cougars defeated Newport 47-13 during their only meeting this season on Sept. 19.

Bothell has showed nothing but dominance this season as the win against the Lions pushed its record to a perfect 12-0.

Prior to the win only Redmond came within four touchdowns of Bothell and the Cougars have given up an average of just 9.25 points per game while scoring an average of 46.6 points per game.