Play hard, fast and with full effort.
That’s what Da’Vicious Wilson feels Bothell High’s football players display on the field come game time. And the Cougars unleashed those traits with abundance during their 56-6 victory over visiting Glacier Peak High in the 4A district playoffs on Friday night at Pop Keeney Stadium.
The 4A KingCo Cougars (8-2 overall) bolted out to a 49-0 lead at halftime on a slew of running and receiving touchdowns and cruised from there. Bothell will take on KingCo’s Skyline — a team the locals beat this season — at 7 p.m. Nov. 10 at Skyline in the opening round of the state playoffs.
On Bothell’s first possession on Friday, Christian Galvan scored on a 3-yard run. Prior to the touchdown, he busted off a 40-yard run to the 5-yard line, fumbled the ball and Wilson recovered it on the 3. Galvan later added a 53-yard touchdown run after breaking a tackle and rumbling up field to the wild cheers of the Bothell fans.
Galvan, a sophomore, said it was important to play well in the seniors’ last game at Pop Keeney — the players’ home away from home.
“We’ve all had the same grind, sweat and tears. We play together, we practice together, we make memories together. Tonight, we kind of just let it go — our seniors played great, our line did great, we really came together as a team,” said Galvan, who also broke off a 61-yard run to set up a score.
Star quarterback Jacob Sirmon fired four touchdown passes on the night: A 13-yard strike to Bryce Long, a 29-yarder to a wide-open Wilson near the end zone, a 5-yarder to Riley Morrison and a thrilling 80-yard pass play to Ryder Locknane.
Ryan Metz tacked on a 10-yard touchdown run to put Bothell up 49-0 at the half.
“The chemistry on the team this year has been really good. We’ve really bonded as a whole group of guys, everyone’s buying in and we’re looking forward to a fun run in the playoffs,” Locknane said. “Nothing can beat it, and being at the Pop, having our last night here, it was a great experience.”
Bothell rested its starters for the entire second half, which featured a running clock for most of the half due to the large score differential.
On the Cougars’ first drive of the half, Metz scored on a 29-yard run. And Kyler Parris notched his eighth PAT of the night.
Glacier Peak (6-4 overall) from the 4A Wesco scored on a 28-yard pass in the fourth quarter to make the score 56-6.
Galvan said that Bothell has come a long way since losing to Woodinville in its first game of the season.
“We’re playing our best football right now, but we’ve still got room to improve,” he said. “We all have the same common goal and that’s to get as far as we can, to give all effort for the person next to us — and that’s what makes us our team.”
On the defensive end for the Cougars, linebacker Drew Nicholson delivered a big hit early in the game and he and his teammates put the clamps on Glacier Peak all night.
“It’s great. Defense wins championships, it’s gonna come down to us,” said Nicholson, adding that Jaelen Percival, Gage Potter and a host of others were in top form on Friday. “It’s not one person on the defense, it’s the whole unit together. We’re peaking at the right time of the season.”
Nicholson said one huge hit can set the tone for the game, getting teammates and the crowd involved in the action.
“That momentum rolls not only for the defense, but it rolls into the offense. That turns into points scored — a touchdown’s on the board,” he said.
* In 1A action, Meridian beat Cedar Park Christian, 63-3, in the district playoffs last night at Anacortes High. Meridian (10-0) advanced to state while the season is over for Cedar Park (4-6).
