Oct. 25th, 2013 - Mount Si Football Looks to Bounce Back for Homecoming, After Tough Bellevue Loss

The next week the Wildcats took on Mercer Island high school, and won easily.

Original article: http://www.livingsnoqualmie.com/bens-breakdown-mount-si-footbal-looks-bounce-back-homecoming-tough-bellevue-loss/

Mount Si Football suffered its first loss of the season last week at the hands of #1 state-ranked Bellevue High School by a score of 52-13.

The Wildcats surprised everyone in attendance, including the Bellevue defense, with a huge march down the field and a touchdown on their initial possession. But from there, Bellevue quickly took over and went on a 52-13 rout.

Mount Si dropped one spot in the state rankings (AP), moving down to #5.

Two games remain for Mount Si before the playoffs start. Winning both games is critical for the Wildcats. If they drop one, it could have negative repercussions on seeding and home field advantage throughout the state playoffs.

This week, the Wildcats host Mercer Island High School. The Islanders come in at 4-2, but don’t let their record fool you. They have not played many quality opponents, and have yet to play Bellevue. Their one impressive win came two weeks ago, upsetting Juanita High School 31-25. Bad losses to Redmond and Liberty High School expose the Islander’s lack of talent.

It’s a big game for Mount Si, as games against Mercer Island always fire up the rivalry between both schools. In addition, it is homecoming weekend for the Wildcats.

Expect a return to the norm for Mount Si – another weaker conference opponent with whom they should have no trouble. If they let the Bellevue loss fire them up, not bring them down, there should be no problem. The Wildcats blew out Mercer Island last year. It shouldn’t be any different this year.

Prediction: Mount Si 34 Mercer Island 14

Oct. 18th, 2013 - Mount Si Faces Biggest Test of Season, Faces Nationally-Ranked Bellevue

The next week, Mount Si took on #1 in state Bellevue High School. Unfortunately, the Wildcats were blown out like I had predicted. It was their first loss of the season.

Original article: http://www.livingsnoqualmie.com/bens-breakdown-mount-si-faces-biggest-test-season-faces-nationally-ranked-bellevue/

It was another blowout win for Mount Si football last week. The Wildcats went up 35-0 on Lake Washington by halftime, thanks to a variety of scoring capitalizations. QB Nick Mitchell ran for a touchdown and threw two touchdowns to wide receivers Jake Smith and Trevor Daniels. Running back Bailey Takacs also scored, while linebacker Evan Johnson returned an interception for a touchdown.

The second half was more of the same for Mount Si, as Takacs produced another touchdown run and JoJo Hillel had the Wildcat’s second “pick 6” of the day. In the end, Mount Si won 49-7.

The win puts Mount Si at 6-0 and ranked #4 in the state by the Associated Press. But this is the week  the Wildcats face an opponent they have looked forward to playing all season – Bellevue High School.  They game kicks off October 18, 2013, at 7PM in Bellevue.

Last year, Bellevue was the only team to beat Mount Si and they did so twice — once in the regular season and once again in the state championships at the Tacoma Dome.

The Wolverines have the best football history of all Washington High Schools, especially in recent years. They have won 11 of the last 13 state football titles and last year finished the season ranked #1 in the entire country (ESPN, Sports Illustrated). They have sent numerous players to big colleges and currently have two players in the NFL.  The star of last year’s team, Myles Jack, is now a starting linebacker for the nationally-ranked UCLA Bruins.

This year is more of the same for Bellevue. They come in at 6-0, with the #1 ranking in the state, and the #21 ranking in the nation (USA Today). They flexed their muscles against defending 4A state champion, Skyline High School, with a 45-7 win in week one. They have talent at every position, and will be the toughest team Mount Si faces all season.

In order for Mount Si to win this game everything will have to go in their favor. Offensively, Mitchell must avoid turnovers. He needs to be patient, not force plays and make smart decisions. The Wildcats need to control the tempo of the game in order to score on the Wolverine defense.

The secondary of Bellevue is roamed by US Army All-American Bowl selection, Budda Baker, and the defensive line is anchored by Washington State-commit, Marcus Griffin. Moving the ball and staying competitive will not be an easy task for the Wildcats.

Defensively, it might be even harder for the Wildcats to stop Bellevue’s offense. The Wolverines have a deep backfield and one of the best offensive lines in the country. Bellevue loves to run the ball and last year ran circles around the Mount Si defense.

Don’t expect this game to be close – at all. Bellevue is just too good at every position and it should be over by halftime. Once the second half starts, Mount Si may be able to get onto the scoreboard, but it will be too little, way too late. The defense of Bellevue will disrupt the flow of the Wildcat offense and force turnovers. The Mount Si defense will most likely be helpless against Bellevue’s starters and the Wildcats will take their first loss of the season.

Prediction: Bellevue 42 Mount Si 14

Oct. 11th, 2013 - Mount Si Football Still Undefeated at Season Halfway Point

The season pressed on, and my next article about Mount Si vs Lake Washington was published again.

Original article: http://www.livingsnoqualmie.com/bens-breakdown-mount-si-football-still-undefeated-season-halfway-point/

For the second straight year, Mount Si Football finds itself at 5-0 and ranked among the State 3A  top 5 – coming in at #4. As conference play continues, the Wildcats travel to Lake Washington High School to take on the Kangs tonight, October 11, 2013.

Last week, Mount Si hosted conference foe Sammamish High School. Quarterback, Nick Mitchell, had another great game, passing for two touchdowns and rushing for two more. Jake Smith caught the first touchdown pass on the first play from scrimmage, and Jackson Nelson caught the second, marking his first career touchdown reception. Three additional rushing touchdowns from Jordan Chapman, Evan Johnson, and Drew Cotto put Mount Si up 49-0 at halftime.

The second half saw many backups finding playing time for the second straight week and when it was all said and done, Mount Si won 52-13.

At the halfway point of the season, Mitchell has been on a tear, passing for 13 total touchdowns in just five games.  Even more remarkable is that he has yet to throw an interception. His stats are even better than they were in 2012, which some credit to his star Senior wide receivers. But so far, new names like Trevor Daniels, Beau Shain, Parker Dumus, and Jake Smith have all greatly surpassed expectations.

The rushing game has also been valuable to Mount Si. Bailey Takacs has helped this team move the ball, and his numbers are right up there with the best in the conference. Chapman has been a good option behind Tackas, while Cotto and Johnson have proved to be very good goal-line backs. All four running backs have scored this season, so if the passing game isn’t working for Mount Si, the ground game can still carry the offense.

Game six has the Wildcats taking on Lake Washington High School. The Kangs are 2-3 on the year, but that isn’t saying much. When they have won, it has been against weaker teams like Liberty and Cedarcrest. Their losses have come against Bellevue, Mercer Island and Foss High Schools.

Like most teams in the KingCo 3A Conference, Lake Washington is just not that good – and shouldn’t be any problem for the Wildcats. Lake Washington is certainly better than Interlake and Sammamish, but don’t expect any big upset here.

It should be another big game from Mitchell and the offense shouldn’t experience any major bumps. Defensively, as long as they avoid giving Lake Washington any kind of hope early, Mount Si should prevent the Kangs offense from moving the ball.

The only realistic problem facing the Wildcats is looking ahead to the huge Bellevue game next week, but that wasn’t a problem last year and shouldn’t be this year either.

Prediction: Mount Si 49 Lake Washington 10

Oct. 3rd, 2013 - Mount Si Football Will Roll Against Sammamish

Mount Si improved to 5-0 with a big win over Sammamish. My prediction of a blowout was correct.

Original article: http://www.livingsnoqualmie.com/bens-breakdown-mount-si-football-will-roll-sammamish/

After a blowout victory over Interlake, Mount Si Football takes on Sammamish High School this week, a team that might actually be worse than Interlake.  The Friday, October 4th, game starts at 7PM at Wildcat Stadium.

Against Interlake, Mount Si started out with few bumps, but quickly got everything together and jumped out to a 34-0 lead by halftime. But in the second half, with backups in, the Wildcats cooled down. Despite the offense putting up no second half points, the defense maintained the shut-out over the helpless Interlake Saints.

It was another big night for quarterback Nick Mitchell, adding two touchdowns to his season total – even running for one in the second quarter. Running back Bailey Tackas had the most impressive performance of the night, rushing for two touchdowns and catching one as well.

There weren’t any surprises for Mount Si. They rolled over Interlake and were able to give younger players valuable second half playing time.

This week, it shouldn’t be much different. Sammamish High School is 0-4, and as usual, is one of the worst teams in KingCo 3A. This one will not be close at all.

Seeing how Coach Kinnune put in backups early last week, the same should happen this week. The game should be over at halftime, with the Wildcats walking away with another one.

One problem that did plague Mount Si against Interlake was penalties. Usually penalties would have the Wildcats shooting themselves in the foot, but against such a weak Interlake opponent, it didn’t really impact the outcome. Mount Si will need to fix these issues for upcoming, tougher opponents like Bellevue, who they face in just a couple of weeks.

In the end, this one will not even be close. Expect another shut out, expect to see fans leaving at halftime again and expect the backups to get more valuable second half playing time.

Prediction: Mount Si 42 Sammamish 0

Sep. 27th, 2013 - Mount Si Football Continues Great Start to Season vs Interlake

Mount Si won the fourth game of the season 34-0 over Interlake High School. I did correctly predict the shutout. 

Original article: http://www.livingsnoqualmie.com/bens-breakdown-mount-si-football-continues-great-start-season-vs-interlake/

After surviving last week’s game versus Juanita, Mount Si football is looking like the true second best team in KingCo 3A. While the number one team may be from the City of Bellevue, Mount Si will take on another Bellevue opponent in Interlake High School Friday, September 27, 2013, at Wildcat Stadium.

The win last week over Juanita puts Mount Si at 3-0 on the season. It also ranks them at #4 in the state according to the A. Nick Mitchell continued to pass for huge numbers, with two touchdowns through the air against Juanita –  to Trevor Daniels and Beau Shane.

Interlake on the other hand is 0-3, losing all three games by a combined score of 126-10.  The losses came against less-than stellar opponents in Issaquah, Redmond, and Liberty.  The Saints usually struggle at football and this year’s squad looks even worse than usual. They are arguably the worst team in KingCo 3A,along with Sammamish. But that isn’t saying a whole lot.

For Mount Si, the win over Juanita paves the way for an easy conference schedule. No remaining teams pose any threat to the Wildcats aside from Bellevue.  In fact, KingCo 3A is a very weak conference overall this year, aside from the top three teams of Bellevue, Mount Si and Juanita. This game against Interlake should be a preview of what almost all games will look like for the remainder of the regular season – huge Mount Si blowouts.

Expect Mount Si to score on their opening possession and probably force a turnover early on Interlake’s first possession. Mitchell will throw for over 200 yards and add in multiple touchdown passes. Running back Bailey Tackas will most likely score a couple of times on the ground as well. In the second half, be prepared to see the backups come in and pad the stats.

This one will not be close and Mount Si will roll all over Interlake. The Saints have already struggled to put points on the board against much worse defenses, so it wouldn’t be shocking to see a shutout. Expect to see many more games like this from Mount Si as conference play moves on.

Prediction: Mount Si 56 Interlake 0

Sep. 20th, 2013 - 2-0 Mount Si Prepares for Big Football Test vs Juanita

Here is my article for game three against Juanita High School.

Original article: http://www.livingsnoqualmie.com/bens-breakdown-2-0-mount-si-prepares-big-football-test-vs-juanita/

My prediction for the Issaquah game may have been a little off, but late game heroics brought Mount Si to a big 28-20 win over the Eagles, with the Wildcats picking up win number two.

Quarterback Nick Mitchell continued to put up impressive numbers, throwing for 151 yards and 3 touchdowns. Two of those touchdown catches came from Beau Shain, who continues his impressive start to the season.

Shain’s efforts were not just on the offensive side of the ball, though. He had a late 4^th quarter interception, leading to a Mount Si touchdown that put the Wildcats up  28-20.  Shain also made a huge fumble recovery just a few plays later that sealed the team’s second victory of the young season.

This week Mount Si is on the road once again, taking on conference-foe Juanita High School. The Wildcats poured it on the Rebels last year with a huge 60-6 win. Juanita was actually the first team to put up points on Mount Si at that point last season.

While there were only two strong teams in KingCo 3A last year (Bellevue and Mount Si), Juanita has been revamped by younger talent, now making it a serious threat to Mount Sit as the second best team in the conference.  Bellevue is still undoubtedly the best.

Most of the Rebel’s talent comes from underclassman.  On the offensive side, sophomore QB Tavin Montgomery is a threat with his arm and feet. Juanita’s defensive line is also one of the best in the state, highlighted by junior, Thomas Toki, and sophomore, Paul Finau.

Juanita is 2-0 so far this season, with wins over Inglemoor and Monroe High Schools. But this game will be the biggest test of the season thus far for both schools.

You have to worry about Mount Si’s defense and how well they can contain Montgomery. The defense has been exposed at times, especially against the run, and cannot rely on late game heroics and lucky bounces again. The defense will need to be dominant for Mount Si to pull out the win.

Offensively, the Wildcats will most likely exclusively rely on the passing game.  So far  Mount Si’s receivers have greatly exceeded expectations, helping Mitchell put up huge numbers through the air. But this will be one of the toughest group of defensive backs Mitchell will face this year, with Terin Adams and Makiah Gilmer patrolling the secondary for Juanita.

This should be a very, very close game. Juanita has slightly better talent than Mount Si, but the Wildcats have more experience.

Almost all Mount Si starters had an impact on the team’s deep playoff run last season. That experience will be invaluable for the Wildcats in a tight game. Expect the score to be high, and don’t be shocked to see Mount Si come up short, but I’ll give Mount Si the slight edge here solely based on big game experience.

It won’t be long though, before this Juanita team will take Mount Si’s place as the team to challenge Bellevue for the KingCo title. But for now, Mount Si should pull out the narrow win.

Prediction: Mount Si 37 Juanita 35

Sep. 13th, 2013 - Ben’s Breakdown: Mount Si Football Travels to Issaquah for First Road Game of Year

For game two of the 2013 season, Mount Si played Issaquah High School.

Original Article: http://www.livingsnoqualmie.com/bens-breakdown-mount-si-football-travels-to-issaquah-for-first-road-game-of-year/

After a big win over Seattle Times ranked #9 Kennedy Catholic last week, #5 Mount Si gears up for another non-conference showdown with class 4A Issaquah High School Friday, September 13th.

In last week’s victory, QB Nick Mitchell 4 touchdown passes.  Any questions about how well the receivers would play was answered with high production from different targets. It was over by halftime, as the Wildcats were up 28-0. A touchdown run in the second half gave the Mount Si one more touchdown, producing a 35-12 win.

This week, Mount Si takes on Issaquah High School. Issaquah is 1-0, with a huge 44-3 win last week over Interlake High School. However, don’t be fooled by that score. Issaquah is one of the weaker teams in KingCo 4A. They do, though, boast one of the top running backs in the entire state in Jack Gellatl. Besides this running threat, though, Issaquah lacks any other big playmakers.

Last Friday Mount Si’s defense proved they are still dominant – for the most part. They still are not quite as good as last year’s defense, but they did a very nice job of keeping Kennedy contained and preventing any scoring opportunities through the entire first half. Kennedy had an explosive running back, like Issaquah, in Colin Cossette, but Mount Si did a decent job of containing him. They at least kept Cossette from bringing Kennedy back into the game. While Gellatly is better, I still see the Mount Si defense keeping the Issaquah star in check.

Offensively, Mount Si just needs quarterback Nick Mitchell to play at least half as good as he did last week and they will be successful. They will move the ball all over Issaquah in an aerial attack, with receivers Trevor Daniels and Beau Shane hauling in catch after catch.

In the end, Mount Si’s offense is just too good for Issaquah. The Wildcat defense should be able to contain Gellatly, making the Issaquah offense ineffective. It should be another huge Wildcat win, with touchdown pass after touchdown pass. We could even see a Wildcat shutout, but Issaquah should hit double digits when it’s garbage time at the end.

Prediction: Mount Si 42 Issaquah 14

Sep. 6th, 2013 - Mount Si Football Ready to Prove Last Year Was No Fluke

Once 2013 football season started up, Living Snoqualmie asked me to write more articles for them. This was for the season opener against Kennedy Catholic. Mount Si won 35-12.

Original Article: http://www.livingsnoqualmie.com/bens-breakdown-mount-si-football-ready-to-prove-last-year-was-no-fluke-open-vs-kennedy-tonight-september-6th/

After the most successful season in Mount Si football history, the Wildcats are back for another season and have their sights set on another trip to the Tacoma Dome. They open the season, once again, playing host to Kennedy Catholic this Friday, September 6th, at Mount Si High School.

Season Preview

Last year, the team finished 11-2, and 3rd place in State. Both losses came at the hands of nationally ranked Bellevue High School, who while finishing 14-0, won their 5th straight Washington State title.

Mount Si is definitely not the team they were last year, as the majority of last year’s starters are gone. But despite the major losses across the board, enough holes are filled with quality players to still make the Wildcats one of the top teams 3A teams in the state.

This year, the offense will try to match last season’s passing game success. Star quarterback, Nick Mitchell, who already is committed to Oregon State, returns and will look for an almost completely new corps of receivers to help him. Gone are Mitchell’s offensive weapons of last season like Trent Riely, Joey Cotto, Griffin McLain, and Tyler Button. Now, he will look to an almost completely new receiving corps, full of converted defensive players, and new-comers like Wyatt Baker and Jack Nelson.

The Wildcat running game is in a good position with Bailey Tackas, and the offensive line has some solid pieces. With a quarterback like Mitchell at the helm, the Wildcats will have leadership and talent leading the way offensively. The only question mark is how well Mount Si’s receivers can play, and how close they can come to matching the production of last year’s receivers. If they struggle to keep up with Mitchell, problems will arise for the Wildcats.

On the defensive side of the ball for Mount Si, quality players like Hank Van Liew, Hunter Malberg and Jimbo Davis are gone. The Wildcat defense, one of the best in the state last year, will look to players such as Beau Shain, Evan Johnson and Drew Cotto to provide another intimidating presence for opponents. The defense should be easier to replace than the offense for Mount Si – and will be key to the Wildcat success if the offense falters.

Overall, this Wildcat team is still one of the better ones in school history when you look down the roster. While they are not as talented as last year’s squad, there is still enough skill on both sides of the ball to make this team a threat –  in not just KingCo 3A, but the entire state. The defensive talent will be there again, and the offense is already in a lucky position with Mitchell under center.

It will really come down to how well this receiving core can play, and if they can play well enough for Mitchell to not skip a beat from last season. But because of the defensive strength, and Mitchell, the Wildcats will get back to the State playoffs. If the receivers can match the production Mitchell needs, Mount Si could even find themselves back in the Tacoma Dome.

Kennedy Catholic Game Preview

For the third time in two seasons, they Wildcats will take on Kennedy Catholic High School from Burien, WA. Kennedy played host to Mount Si for the 2012 season opener . That ended in a huge Wildcat victory. In the state playoffs, both teams met again, with Mount Si playing host. The Wildcats won again 38-7.

Kennedy will understandably be out for revenge for last season’s losses. Led by Senior Colin Cossette, who returns after rushing for more than 1,000 yards last year, Kennedy should still be a force to be reckoned with.  The Seattle Times ranks the Lancers at #9 in state for 3A, so Kennedy should be headed to the playoffs once again.

While Kennedy will be the second or third hardest opponent Mount Si will see all season, the Wildcats are just more talented across the board. As long as the Wildcats can stay poised, avoid mental mistakes and not get cocky because of past victories over Kennedy, they should come out on top.

The Mount Si receivers will keep up with Mitchell, move the ball and leave Kennedy helpless on defense. The new defense will come out hot, contain Kennedy’s offense and Mount Si will make it 3-in-a-row vs. the Lancers.

Prediction: Mount Si 35 Kennedy 14

April 17th, 2013 - Mount Si is poised for a conference title

After the football season had ended, the local newspaper SnoValley Star took notice of my work and invited me to write a couple articles for them. I wrote one about the baseball team at Mount Si, which was published online and in print. However, for the upcoming football season, they went with a professional writer instead.

Original Article: http://snovalleystar.com/2013/04/17/mount-si-is-poised-for-a-conference-title

In the past couple of seasons, baseball has been one of the most successful sports at Mount Si High School — the team captured the state title in 2011, and a very strong campaign in 2012 came to a screeching halt in an upset loss to Kelso in the quarterfinals.

Many credited the success to former coach Elliot Cribby. After Cribby left Mount Si for a college in Texas, many wondered what that would mean for the Wildcats.

Enter new coach Zach Habben, who has a long history of baseball experience. Habben first played at Skyline High School, and then Buena Vista University in Iowa, and finished his collegiate baseball career at Central Washington University. After serving as the pitching coach last year for Mount Si, he was promoted to head coach after Cribby left.

The year started out with a Saturday doubleheader in the Tri-Cities. Mount Si first played defending state champion Kamiakin. The Wildcats went down early, were 5-0 after the third inning, and were only able to pick up one more run in the fifth to lose, 5-1. Despite only giving up six hits, and having six of their own, they were unable to start off the year with a win. They finished the day by playing Walla Walla, which they were able to win 12-5, and finish on a high note.

Back in the Valley, the Wildcats hosted Bothell and Lynnwood, winning both by a combined score of 22-4. On March 30, they had the special opportunity to take on Issaquah in Safeco Field, home of the Seattle Mariners. They took advantage of the opportunity, winning 10-0. They held the Eagles to just two hits, while Chase Kairis picked up the win after three innings of strong pitching. Mount Si was now 4-1.

From there, it was conference play. The Wildcats won three straight versus Juanita, Interlake and Sammamish, to put them at 7-1. On April 8, they hosted Lake Washington. After falling down 3-0 against the Kangs, they rallied back in the fourth and fifth innings to make it 4-3. In the sixth, they had three runs to go up 6-4, and seal off a huge comeback win to remain perfect in conference play.

“The biggest win we had this year is the Lake Washington game,” Habben said. “We were able to chip away at the lead and played a great game to get the win. Connor Swift pitched a great game and Joey Cotto had a great catch in the last inning to make the second out of the inning by jumping to reach over the fence to catch a potential foul ball.”

Following that game, Mount Si had an 8-0 shutout against Bellevue High School on April 10, in which Kairis threw all seven innings, allowing only three hits and throwing six strikeouts.

Habben praised Kairis for being the biggest surprise this year for the team.

“He has stepped up and filled one of the roles of a starting pitcher. He has been throwing very well this season and has stepped up for some very big games for us. This is his first year throwing on varsity, and he has been very successful throwing each one of his pitches for strikes,” he said.

After that win, Mount Si traveled to Mercer Island to take on the Islanders, but fell, 5-4. It was the first conference loss for Mount Si, and left them at 9-2.

Habben said he wishes he could redo that one.

“The only game so far I wish we could go back and play differently would be the loss at Mercer Island. We had a 4-0 lead and did not capitalize on the opportunities we had to score more runs and add to the score,” Habben said. “We let them get back into the game, and they were able to get the momentum back that we had gotten in the first two innings.”

With nine games left, Mount Si is sitting at 9-2 with a 5-1 conference record. That wasn’t an easy task, Habben said.

“KingCo 3A this year is very tough. Anything can happen at any moment, which was evident on Friday against Mercer Island,” he said.

While Mount Si did lose that one, the team still has a strong chance at the KingCo title with continued solid play. With their strong record, they have a great chance at a high playoff seed as well, and Habben does not want an early playoff exit in his first season.

“We plan on taking this season one day and one game at a time,” he said. “We can’t look ahead to anything, and must focus on what our jobs are that day and go from there. All we can do is work hard to get better each day and take care of business day in and day out.”

The Wildcats are in the midst of another great season, and once again find themselves poised to make a strong push for the state title. Habben said they still have a long way to go, but the team is headed in the right direction.

Nov. 22nd, 2012 - Mount Si Football Faces Perennial Powerhouse Bellevue in State 3A Semi-Finals

Once my school reached the semi-finals, I had another article published. By now, after how close my score predictions had been in the previous games, I had a lot of attention on this article. Bellevue ended up winning 37-7, and winning the state championship as well.

Original Article: http://www.livingsnoqualmie.com/mount-si-football-faces-perennial-powerhouse-bellevue-in-state-3a-semi-final/

Overview

Mount Si has had the best football season in school history and are one of the four final 3A teams in the state. They have the #2 ranking in state, an 11-1 overall record with playoffs, and the Wildcat’s are set to march on in the post-season.

However, the next opponent is #1 Bellevue. Not only is Bellevue #1 in Washington with a 12-0 overall record, but they are ranked #4 in the entire nation by USA Today. This isn’t the first time these two teams have met. Bellevue and Mount Si had a huge showdown October 12th, which Bellevue won 49-10.

Both teams are in the spot light, a new place for Mount Si. This is their first time in the Tacoma Dome, and the deepest the school has ever been in the state playoffs. Bellevue, on the other hand, has won the state title game nine of the last eleven years. They consistently are a powerhouse program in the state and send players each season to big colleges. This is just another season for the Wolverines.

Prediction

The first time these schools met, Bellevue destroyed the Wildcats like I had predicted. In Mount Si’s defense, some people have brought up that they were nervous with all the hype surrounding the game. That very well could have been the case, but I saw Mount Si being shut down in every area of the game.

Bellevue has speed, and had numerous big runs against the Wildcat defense totaling for 319 rushing yards. Their running backs did it all on very few carries too. Myles Jack had only 5 carries for 105 yard and two touchdowns. John Nguyen had 10 carries for 98 yards and a touchdown.

The Wolverines’ defense also shut down Mount Si’s explosive offense. They rattled junior quarterback Nick Mitchell, picking off two passes and holding him to a 40% completion percentage. The secondary did a great job of taking WR Trent Riley out of the game, holding him to only 56 yards and 3 catches. Bellevue totaled 419 yards while Mount Si was only able to match with 191.

This time, I don’t expect anything different. Mount Si simply does not have the speed and talent to keep up with Bellevue, and this one should be over by the second quarter once again. For every star Mount Si has on the field, Bellevue has two of their own.

But Mount Si still should be very proud of what they have accomplished. They are a good team and the best group to ever call themselves Wildcats. No Mount Si football team has ever made it to the Tacoma Dome, and they always will be the first. But, the road ends here at the hands of the Bellevue Wolverines.

Prediction: Bellevue 56 Mount Si 13

Nov. 16th, 2012 - State 3A Football Playoffs: Mount Si Faces Kennedy in Rematch

In the third round game, I had this article published. My score prediction was again very close to accurate, as the final was 38-7.

Original Article: http://www.livingsnoqualmie.com/state-3a-football-playoffs-mount-si-faces-kennedy-in-rematch/

Overview

Mount Si is fresh off their blowout win over Glacier Peak. The win puts them deeper in the playoffs, and sets up a game vs. #4 Kennedy High School.

Last week, Mount Si won their second playoff game versus Glacier Peak. As I had predicted, it was a blowout and Mount Si won 52-19. A win over Kennedy this Saturday and Mount Si will be one of the final four teams in the tournament and play in the Tacoma Dome versus the winner of the Peninsula-Bellevue game.

But what makes this game bigger is the fact that it is a rematch from opening week. In week one, Mount Si traveled to Burien to take on Kennedy. It was expected to be a close game, but the Wildcats blew the Lancers out 30-0. This time though, Mount Si hosts Kennedy and the Lancers are ready for revenge.

After Kennedy’s loss to Mount Si, they won seven straight to finish 7-1 and secured the #4 ranking in state. In the playoffs thus far, they beat Mountlake Terrace 35-29 and then Columbia River High School 20-14.

Prediction

Mount Si dominated Kennedy the first time these two schools met. Since then, almost a whole season has passed by. Both teams have worked out the kinks and gotten stronger. But how much does that really change in this match up? Not a whole lot.

Kennedy struggled versus two teams so far in the playoffs, while Mount Si has blown out their two opponents. Kennedy has yet to play a top-10 ranked team this post-season while Mount Si did versus Glacier Peak and blew them out. Last week, I made the point that Glacier Peak had an overachieving record because of a weaker conference. That is the case with Kennedy as well. Like Glacier Peak, Kennedy’s one loss was to a talented KingCo opponent and they were unable to score a single point.

When both teams take the field, this game will resemble the first time they played. Mount Si is a flat-out better team, and Kennedy won’t stand much of a chance this time either. We will see another blowout win for the Wildcats as they march on to the Tacoma Dome.

Prediction: Mount Si 42 Kennedy 7

Nov. 9th, 2012 - Mount Si Football Continues March into Post-Season

This is the article I wrote for Mount Si's second round playoff game. This score prediction was close too, as the final ended up being 52-19.

Original Article: http://www.livingsnoqualmie.com/mount-si-football-continues-march-into-post-season/

Overview

The Mount Si football team is one of just 16 3A schools left in the state, and the race for the state championship is becoming more intense. The #2 Wildcats take on #6 Glacier Peak Grizzlies this Friday, looking to continue one of the best seasons in school history.

Last Friday Mount Si embarrassed Auburn Mountainview High School 52-7. It was just like any other Mount Si game this season, with backups coming in at the end and videogame-like stats from Nick Mitchell, Trent Riley and others to go along with it.

But Glacier Peak is a very tough team, coming in with an identical record like Mount Si of 9-1. Located in Snohomish, they won the WesCo 3A title, and their only defeat was a 41-14 dismantling at the hands of Bothell. They have three wins vs. teams in the state playoffs this year, and one loss to a playoff team (Bothell). They won their first game in the playoffs 28-0 over Seattle Prep.

A new school, Glacier Peak has quickly become a force in the WesCo conference. This game is a rematch from the 2010 playoffs. That game came down to an overtime thriller, which Mount Si was able to win. Some of the older players for the Grizzlies certainly remember that game, and revenge will be on their mind.

Prediction

This will be a tougher contest for Mount Si than they are accustomed to. When you really look through the rosters of both schools, they appear similar. Glacier Peak has a good offense, led by Senior quarterback Chris Becerra, and they can get into some high scoring affairs.

But when you look at stats, the teams begin to separate, and Mount Si comes out ahead. The Glacier Peak defense has been known to give up quite a few points to opponents all season, and their defensive unit is allowing 18.8 points per game. Mount Si’s defense, on the other hand, has only given up 4.5 points per game this season.

Against the four playoff teams Glacier Peak has played this year, all of them were able to score at least 31 points. Two of them were able to pass 40 points. The exception is Seattle Prep, but they are 5-5, and have not been known to put up any threat offensively this year.

In the end, Mount Si has an offense that can rip this Glacier Peak defense to shreds like we have seen other teams do this season. The Wildcat defense is very strong, unlike any defense Glacier Peak has seen this year. Many look at this game as being close due to the records, but Mount Si’s record truly shows their talent level. Glacier Peak has overachieved in a weaker conference. When they did play a KingCo opponent in 6-4 Bothell, they were embarrassed. Mount Si should run away with this one.

Prediction: Mount Si 42 Glacier Peak 17

Nov. 2nd, 2012 - Mount Si Football Opens Post-Season Today!

My third published article was about Mount Si's opening round playoff game against Auburn Mountainview High School. My score prediction was very close, as Mount Si won 52-7.

Original Article: http://www.livingsnoqualmie.com/mount-si-football-opens-post-season-today/

Overview

The Mount Si football team begins their post-season play this Friday as they play host to the Auburn Mountainview Lions.

The Wildcat’s capped off one of the best seasons in school history, finishing 8-1, and securing the #2 ranking in all of 3A KingCo. The one loss of course, coming at the hands of conference-rival and 3A #1 Bellevue High School, who also is ranked #5 in the entire nation.

Auburn Mountainview comes in with only a 3-6 record. The Lions had a huge game last week vs. Bonny Lake High School, wuth the winner getting a spot in the 32-team state playoffs. Auburn Mountainview won 30-26 and clinched third place in the South Puget Sound League. Third place in the SPSL automatically gets in, even with a losing record.

Mount Si will be playing their final game at home on Friday, and a win will be the first step on a possible title run. The game starts on Friday at Mount Si High School, with kickoff at 7:30.

Prediction

Mount Si is one of the best teams in the state, and Auburn Mountanview plays in a very weak SPSL conference. Auburn Mountainview has played four games vs. playoff teams this year, and lost all of them by a combined score of 127-35. Mount Si, on the other hand, played six playoff teams this year, going 5-1 vs. them and winning by a combined score of 210-62.

Expect a huge game from the Wildcat starters, and Mount Si should have this game wrapped up by halftime. The gap between these two schools in talent is immense, and we will see another blow out as Mount Si cruises to the next round of the playoffs.

Prediction: Mount Si 49 Auburn Mountainview 7

Oct. 18th, 2012 - #3 Mount Si Volleyball Takes on #1 Mercer Island

Originally we had the idea that I would write articles for all Mount Si sports. But we only came out with one non-football article. After this, we stuck to football.

Original Article: http://www.livingsnoqualmie.com/bens-sports-beat-3-mount-si-volleyball-takes-on-1-mercer-island/

Mount Si High School is going into another big time game on Thursday, this time the girls volleyball team hosts Mercer Island in a battle of #1 vs #3.

The Wildcats come in ranked #3 in 3A. Mercer Island comes in with the top spot at #1. This isn’t the first time these two schools have met this year. Earlier this year, when Mount Si had the #1 ranking and Mercer Island had the #3 ranking, they played at Mercer Island. But the Wildcats lost 3-2, blowing 10-point leads in two sets, one of which was a loss. That propelled Mercer Island to #1, and the Wildcats fell out of the top spot.

It was the Wildcats only loss of the year. Other than that game, they have dominated all opponents. All games but three have been 3-0 Mount Si wins, except two wins of 3-1 vs Lake Washington and Bellevue. They are 11-1 on the year.

Mercer Island on the other hand is 12-0, and has beaten all opponents 3-0 except Skyline in the opener (3-1), and Mount Si 3-2.

The game will determine the season champion of KingCo 3A/2A, and the winner will most likely be ranked  #1 in the state. A Mercer Island win would give them an outright season conference title, and a Wildcat win would give Mercer Island and Mount Si a share of the season conference title.

It is sure to be an exciting game, with Mercer Island reportedly bringing around 100-125 fans according to Ann Meisner, Mercer Island’s Athletics coordinator.

The JV team plays at 5:30, and the big game between both school’s Varsity teams is at 7:00pm on Thursday night. Come out and support Mount Si as they try to get revenge vs Mercer Island!

Oct. 11th, 2012 - #2 Mount Si Prepares for Epic Showdown with #1 Bellevue

My first article ever published. I had a lot of attention on this article, due to the magnitude of the game and, and the score prediction against my own school.

Original Article: http://www.livingsnoqualmie.com/bens-breakdown-2-mount-si-prepares-for-epic-showdown-with-1-bellevue/

When the top two teams in any league play, it is always a huge game, and a rare occurrence. On Friday though, we will get to see the two best 3A high school teams in the state go at it. #2 Mount Si (6-0) will host #1 Bellevue (6-0) here in Snoqualmie, and the excitement has already begun for the Wildcat’s biggest game in school history.

Bellevue High School comes in with national prominence. On top of being the #1 team in the state of Washington, they also are ranked #5 in the whole country by the Max Preps. Mount Si is not nationally ranked, but still comes in as the #2 team in the state.

What to know about Mount Si

Mount Si is currently having their best football season in school history, and have never been ranked as high as they are now. They are a team led by experienced seniors and win their games on the defensive side of the ball. The linebacker core is led by senior Hank Van Liew and juniors Evan Johnson and Beau Shain, and the Wildcat’s potent secondary features seniors Trent Riley, Jimbo Davis, and Hunter Malberg. The defense has allowed just 14 points in the team’s six games. Four of the games have been shutouts. They are fresh off a 51-0 win over Lake Washington last Friday.

The offense is led by junior quarterback Nick Mitchell, who has passed for 766 yards, 8 touchdowns, with only 1 interception this season (stats are through first five games of season. Stats from last week’s game vs. Lake Washington are not yet available).  Mitchell’s had a great season so far, with the only problem being his troubling completion percentage (45%). Mitchell has taken advantage of a lethal group of receivers, who flaunt Trent Riley as the top target. Riley missed his junior year with a serious knee injury, but has come back with exceptional play so far as the team’s top target.

And finally, Mount Si senior kicker Cameron Van Winkle is ranked as the #7 kicker in the nation by Rivals.com, and has committed to kick for University of Washington next year. Last week vs. Lake Washington, Van Winkle set the Washington State High School record for career field goals made by any kicker in state history. He kicked for the USA National Football team last summer.

What to know about Bellevue

The Bellevue Wolverines have had a long tradition of football dominance, and are not new to spotlight games like this one. The Wolverines have won the 3A State Football title nine times since 2001, including the last four years. They have sent many players to play college football at big time programs as far and prominent as University of Michigan, and are the high school of former Washington Huskies E.J. Savannah and J.R. Hasty. The Pittsburgh Steeler’s 2012 first round pick David DeCastro out of Stanford is a Bellevue High School alumni.

The football program gained national attention in 2003 after beating De La Salle High School from Concord, California. De La Salle was riding a national record-setting 13-year, 151 game winning streak, but Bellevue won 39-20. They are known for using the Wing-T offense, which died off for most programs after World War II. They run the ball all over their opponents, and hardly ever pass. They are a regular in the national top 25 high school football teams each year and are currently #5.

This season is nothing new for Bellevue, and they are the favorite for the state title once again. They have a very strong defense as well, and have only allowed 38 points in their six games. However 24 of those points were given up to powerhouse Trinity High School from Euless, Texas in week one. Bellevue’s last game was against Interlake High School, which the Wolverine’s won 70-7.

The defense is dominant like Mount Si, and senior linebackers Myles Jack (committed to UCLA) and Sean Constantine (committed to Washington) lead the Wolverines defense that has shut down all in-state opponents they have played. They play with a lot of speed, and get to the ball very quickly. And on offense, it is all running for the Wolverines. Myles Jack and junior Budda Baker are very fast and can avoid tackles all over. Baker will be one of the top prospects in the country next season, and even as a junior, already has offers from Notre Dame, Arizona, UCLA, Purdue, Washington, and Washington State among others.

Prediction

Mount Si will be playing by far the best team they’ve faced this season. They lucked out with a “cupcake” schedule this year as they have only faced one team that is above .500.  Don’t get me wrong, they are a very good team. But even though just one spot separates these two schools in the rankings, Bellevue is head and shoulders above Mount Si.

The Wildcat’s defense will slow down Bellevue’s rushing attack, but won’t be able to for the whole game. Bellevue’s defense will be unlike anything the Wildcats have seen this year. The play of junior QB Nick Mitchell will be a big factor if Mount Si can stay competitive. His lack of experience vs. this kind of talent really could hurt his play. He will need to be smart with his passes, avoid incompletions and keep the ball moving.

In the end, Mount Si’s defense should keep Bellevue to a season-low in points, but they won’t be able to move the ball on this Bellevue defense. They will be overmatched, and for every star Mount Si has on the field, Bellevue will have two of their own. Mount Si should be able to get Van Winkle into field goal range a couple of times, but not much else.

Final Score: Bellevue 28 Mount Si 6