Beat the unbeatable. Conquer the unconquerable. Slay the giant.
That’s the task the Lakes High football team faces tonight.
The second-ranked Lancers will try to topple top-ranked Bellevue in the Class 3A state quarterfinals at 7:30 p.m. at Harry E. Lang Stadium.
If ever the talent-laden Lancers (11-0) were to take on the role of “underdog,” this is the game. Bellevue (11-0) has been practically perfect since coach Butch Goncharoff took over the program in 2000. The Wolverines have gone 141-12 under Goncharoff, claiming an unprecedented string of state titles – eight Class 3A crowns in the past 10 seasons.
And the Wolverines just keep getting better.
“This Bellevue team is definitely better than last year,” Skyline coach Mat Taylor said.
Taylor would know. His Spartans were the last team to beat the Wolverines – a 28-21 win on Sept. 11, 2010 – and lost to Bellevue earlier this season, a 31-17 loss on Sept. 9. Also, Skyline is one of four Washington teams to have recorded victories against Bellevue since 2001. The others are Issaquah, O’Dea and Prosser.
The News Tribune spoke to three coaches – Liberty High’s Steve Valach, Ferndale’s Jamie Plenkovich and Taylor – who have experience facing the Wolverines and sought their insight on how to beat Bellevue.
There’s no single path to victory, but a few factors can contribute to beating Bellevue.
DON’T BE A HERO
Defensive linemen and linebackers might be tempted to surge into the backfield and tackle ballcarries for losses, but penetration will only lead to Bellevue breaking big plays. Instead of going for the ball, defenders must stay home, clog the line of scrimmage and read their keys.
That requires a defense to be patient and unselfish, Taylor said.
“Regardless of scheme, you have to build confidence in your kids, especially the defense, and develop an unselfish attitude to do only the job you give them,” he said. “Bellevue will numb you, then run a counter or scissors and break a long run. All that takes is for one kid to get his eyes in the backfield.”
When Liberty prepared to meet Bellevue in the 2009 state title game, Valach had the Patriots practice with his son’s miniature football to drill into them the importance of reading their keys and not going for the ball.
“There will be a ball in a guy’s belly,” he said, “and then pulled out at the last second.”
ADAPT TO CHANGE
Bellevue has run the wing-T to perfection for more than a decade, but the Wolverines are constantly reinventing themselves and adding wrinkles to game plans. Valach expects Lakes will see something new tonight.
“Right when you think you’re familiar with them, they’ll have something new they’ll do,” Valach said. “There’s always a wrinkle when they’re expecting a competitive game.”
Bellevue has added a passing attack this year and it has kept teams off balance. Quarterback Tyler Hasty threw for 151 yards on 5-of-10 accuracy in the 31-17 win at Skyline this season.
“We did a good job against the wing-T and running game,” Taylor said. “People always say if you can get Bellevue to throw the ball, that’s how to beat them. Well, they threw the ball and they won.”
Not all changes are so noticeable.
Against Ferndale in the 2005 Class 3A state title game, Bellevue tweaked a few blocking schemes and flustered the Golden Eagles, who trailed 24-7 at halftime.
“They were blocking things differently and took away our keys,” Plenkovich said. “It took us the first half to make adjustments. We slowed them down in the second half.”
Ferndale, led by Jake Locker, outscored Bellevue 21-7 after halftime in a 31-28 loss.
PREVENT THE BIG PLAY
Liberty took this approach when it met the Wolverines in the 2009 state title game. It worked – kind of.
Instead of ripping off a long scoring play on its first possession, Bellevue ground out a 17-play, 80-yard drive that spanned almost nine minutes.
“Most high school teams can’t sustain a 10- or 12-play drive without making a mistake,” Valach said. “Problem with Bellevue is they don’t turn the ball over.”
The Wolverines aren’t always perfect. Bellevue fumbled twice in the first quarter against Lakes in the 2010 semifinals, but the Lancers couldn’t capitalize. Lakes had three first-half turnovers and Bellevue reeled off 28 consecutive second-quarter points.
Valach’s strategy has merit. Liberty hung with the Wolverines in the title game – it trailed by two points early in the fourth quarter before falling, 23-17 – and pushed Bellevue in the regular season that year in a 27-21 loss.
“Stay close, prevent the big play and protect the football,” Valach said. “We’ve done that and been closer.”
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
A scout team will never be able to fully replicate Bellevue’s offense, but there are ways to provide better looks.
As a member of the same league, Liberty has grown familiar with Bellevue’s basics, things that might go overlooked by first-time opponents.
“The speed of how they get to the line of scrimmage, the snap count and get off the ball,” Valach said, “everything is faster than it looks on film.”
Ferndale benefitted from running a similar version of Bellevue’s wing-T system.
“Being a wing-T team was definitely very helpful,” Plenkovich said. “It’s a huge help when you’re preparing. The kids understand the offense inside and out. The scout team look is better than it might be.”
Lakes does not run the wing-T, but the Lancers have had the benefit of facing wing-T teams in the past two weeks, not to mention the experience of playing Bellevue in the semifinals last season.
DON’T FORGET THE ‘D’
As great as Bellevue’s wing-T-powered offense has been over the past decade, the Wolverines’ defense has been just as superb.
“Known for the wing-T, but the defense is great,” Valach said. “Defensively, they’ve been lights out all these years.”
Bellevue tormented Washington-bound quarterback Jeff Lindquist in its 43-28 win at Mercer Island this season.
“Lindquist had no time to throw, they couldn’t run the ball at all,” said Plenkovich, who watched film of the game in preparation for Ferndale’s playoff game against the Islanders. “They had to roll him out to get time to throw.”
BE OPTIMISTIC
Can Lakes become the first team to beat Bellevue in the playoffs since O’Dea in the 2007 semifinals? The Lancers have reason to be confident.
Just like Bellevue, Lakes has steamrolled opponents, winning by an average of 44.3 points per game. At least one set of national rankings pegs the Wolverines and Lancers as nearly even. Rivals.com has Bellevue rated No. 18 and Lakes No. 19, making tonight’s game the first between Washington teams ranked in a top-25 national poll.
Toppling the dominant program in the state won’t be easy and it will be Lakes’ toughest test – physically and mentally – of the season, but Bellevue can be beaten.
Doug Pacey: 253-597-8271
doug.pacey@thenewstribune.com
blog.thenewstribune.com/preps
Twitter: @DougPaceyTNT
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