


By Doug Petrowski
The Mountlake Terrace Hawks made short work of Marysville-Getchell Friday night, beating the Chargers 39-8 and securing a spot in the 3A playoffs for just the second time in the school’s 52-year history.
“I’m proud to be a Hawk,” said MTHS Head Coach Tony Umayam shortly after the game.
Junior running back Devante Downs led the Hawk offense with136 rushing yards on 24 carries and six touchdowns. Junior Chance Ragsdale contributed 115 yards on 10 carries and senior Lucas Pope added 38 yards on four carries. As a team, Mountlake Terrace gained 371 yards in total offense, 281 on the ground.
“The offense came out and imposed their will,” Umayam told the Hawks Live Sports Network following the game. “The running game set up a couple big passing plays, and the defense was stout.”
The Chargers could only muster 56 yards on the ground for the game. Marysville Getchell did gain more than 200 yards through the air, but only completed 21 of their 45 pass attempts.
The Hawks wasted little time during all of their scoring drives but one, a 12-play 73-yard drive in the first quarter. Their other scoring drives were all five plays or less; Downs capped each drive with touchdown runs.
Downs scored the Hawks’ first touchdown at the 4:24 mark of the first quarter off an eight-yard run. The score was set up by runs of 26 and 14 yards by Ragsdale. Downs had two one-yard touchdown runs in the second quarter as Mountlake Terrace built a 19-0 lead at the half.
Touchdown runs of five and three yards by Downs gave the Hawks a 32-0 lead before Marysville Gretchel (4-5) could find the end zone with 8:10 left in the fourth quarter. Downs finished off his night running 31 yards for his sixth score. with 3:39 left in the game.
Downs was busy on defense, too, getting involved with five tackles from his outside linebacker position. Junior Brett Potter led the Hawk defense with three solo tackles and assisting on four more.
Umayam not only was pleased with his team’s performance Friday night, but with how they have progressed this year. “I feel like we’re getting better and better as the season goes on,” he said.
The Hawks finished the regular season at 5-4 and will face a tough challenge in the first round of the District 1/2/3/4 football playoffs. They will meet a 7-1 Kennedy Catholic squad that is ranked fourth in the Seattle Times 3A state rankings. The Burien-based Lancers’ only loss was in their opening game against the state’s second-ranked team, Mt. Si. In their seven wins they have outscored their opponents 301-53.
The Mountlake Terrace-Kennedy Catholic playoff match-up is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 3, 7 p.m., at a site-to-be-determined in the Renton/Sea-Tac/Burien area. The Hawks Live Sports Network will broadcast the game on MLTnews.com starting 10 minutes before the scheduled kickoff.
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