Unlike last week, the Skyview Storm did not need a gigantic second half comeback to capture a playoff victory. No, Saturday night inside the Tacoma Dome it was all Skyview as the Storm rolled to a 38-14 4A Semifinals victory over previously unbeaten Lake Stevens.
Skyview displayed a complete team effort in dismantling the #8 ranked Vikings. The defense made the first big play of the night when DL Dylan Bratlie recovered a fumble setting up Skyview on the Vikings side of the 50. It did not take long for Skyview to move down the short field and get on the scoreboard with a Parker Henry 1 yard touchdown run, his 31st rushing touchdown of the season. Later in the quarter the Storm looked to go up 14-0 when Reiley Henderson took a screen pass from QB Kieran McDonagh in for a score, however the play was called back on a very questionable holding call. Still, Skyview led 7-0 after 1 quarter and appeared to be in complete control of the game. In the second quarter McDonagh continued his surgical like precision as he carved up the Vikings defense with perfect passes to WR’s Forrest Russell, Mo Morrision and Reiley Henderson. McDonagh also made several plays with his legs, rushing for big gains as well as avoiding pressure and keeping pass plays alive, plays he then turned into big gains down the field. Henderson got his touchdown in the second quarter on a 7 yard pass from McDonagh, when the Storm lined up in their jumbo set and faked the run to Henry, only to have McDonagh hit Henderson on a fade in the left corner of the end zone. On their next possession McDonagh scored his first of 2 rushing touchdowns, this one a 26 yard run in which he made several Vikings defenders miss him along the way. Up 21-0 Skyview looked like they were going to go up four scored before the half when Russell took a pass from McDonagh up the right sidelines, however Lake Stevens stripped the ball from Russell and returned it out near mid field, then drove the short distance and got on the board with when QB Jake Nelson threw a 14 yard pass to WR Brady Pahukoa. Despite the Strom’s turnover, they still appeared fully in control up 21-7 at halftime.
In the second half, Skyview’s defense continued to shine. LB Jabari Marshall either made, or was in on just about every tackle and the unit as a whole just always appeared to have someone in position to make the play to force a Vikings punt. Then, the McDonagh-led offense keep their foot on the gas, adding two more scores in the third quarter, a 1 yard McDonagh run and a 16 yard pass from McDonagh to Russell. Taking the 35-7 lead into the forth quarter, Skyview looked to RB Parker Henry to run out the clock and secure their spot in next weekends 4A State Championship game. Henry, who was obviously the Vikings number one priority, finished the night with 77 yards rushing on 19 carries and the one touchdown. McDonagh passed for 339 yards and two scores and added 65 yards rushing and two more touchdowns, for a total of 404 yards of total offense and 4 touchdowns. Russell finished the game with 10 catches for 144 yards and a touchdown, while Henderson 5 of his own for 60 yards. Mo Morrison only had 2 grabs on the night, but both were huge plays that added up to 84 yards. Hayden Schuh, added the final points of the night for Skyview when he kicked a 31 yard field goal, giving Skyview the 38-14 victory.
Skyview improves their record to 11-2 on the season with the win. The Storm will play Skyline (10-3) at The Tacoma Dome Saturday, 7:30 p.m. in the Finals of the WIAA 4A State Playoffs.