ARLINGTON — The Eagles needed a little help, but took home the Wesco North title after a 27-13 win against Snohomish Oct. 22.
But it wasn’t easy, as Arlington didn’t score until the third quarter.
“We started slow, but we put things together throughout the game and accomplished the goal we set out at the beginning of the season,” said Arlington head coach Greg Dailer.
The good news was that Arlington’s defense kept the Panthers’ offense in check long enough to make a comeback. Eagles quarterback Skylor Elgarico found Griffin Ginnis late in the third quarter for a 6-yard score.
That score opened up the floodgates for the Eagles, who then scored 21 in the fourth to earn the victory — and the division title.
Colton Hordyk scored on a 3-yard scamper on Arlington’s next drive to take a 13-6 lead. The junior then gave the Eagles some breathing room with a 52-yard punt return for a score.
The win puts the Eagles’ record at 6-2 overall and 4-1 in conference — and gives them the No. 1 seed in the cross-over games with the Wesco South. The Eagles drew familiar foe Henry M. Jackson, a team that they defeated 35-30 earlier this season in a non-conference game. Despite the earlier win, however, Dailer said the Eagles will have to start fresh against Timberwolves this time.
“Last time our philosophy was to just get into the I (formation) and give the ball to (Riley) Cobb, but we can’t do that,” said Dailer about Cobb, who is out for the season with a broken ankle. “So we’re going to spread it out a little more this time and balance our attack a little more.”
The Eagles will also be without Blake McPherson, who will be rehabilitating a knee injury that will keep in out until next season, but they defeated Jackson without the junior two months ago.
Dailer, who is in his fourth year as head coach, has played Jackson more than any other Wesco South team, as they have had meetings in just about each of his years at Arlington.
“We’re getting pretty used to playing Jackson around here,” he said.
Also scoring against Snohomish was Tre Mandenhall on a 75-yard run in the fourth quarter.
