3 takeaways from Bellevue vs. Lake Stevens: Wolverines check much-needed box

Wolverines amass 377 rushing yard in their Wing-T offense, led by Max Jones' game-high 247, in turning away Vikings, 31-21

Kason Carta has become the starting quarterback for Bellevue starting in 2024. / Photo by Todd Milles

LAKE STEVENS, Wash. - It was another titanic-program tango Friday night - Round 3.

And this time, the Bellevue Wolverines got the best of the Lake Stevens Vikings.

In a matchup of reigning WIAA champions, the No. 1 Wolverines (3A) rallied after halftime for a 31-21 victory over No. 3 Lake Stevens (4A).

Fullback Max Jones exploded for a season-high 247 rushing yards and three touchdowns. His 78-yard scoring jaunt with 80 seconds remaining put this tension-filled encounter on ice, giving Bellevue a 31-21 lead

Kolton Matson, the 2023 Gatorade state player of the year, completed 22 of 44 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns for Lake Stevens, but he also had three second-half interceptions.

Here are three takeaways from the Bellevue-Lake Stevens game:

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Kolton Matson is the reigning Gatorade state player of the year heading into senior season in 2024. / Photo by Todd Milles

BELLEVUE FINDS FIRE IN FAILURE

Even though the Wolverines went on to capture the Class 3A crown months later, this loss in September hurt badly.

Bellevue blew a three-touchdown lead in the second half, and lost to Lake Stevens, 34-31 - the second time in back-to-back season the Wolverines lost to Tom Tri's group.

"We usually outplay people. We usually outdiscipline people," Bellevue coach Michael Kneip said. "We don’t beat ourselves, and last year we did."

On Friday, it was Bellevue that had to erase a halftime deficit - and did. Linebacker Desmond Lloyd picked off Matson in the right flat and returned it to the Vikings' 26-yard line on the opening play of the second half.

Three plays later, Jones darted in from 11 yards out, and Bellevue took the lead for good, 21-14, at the 10:53 mark of the third quarter.

"Last year ... was devastating, honestly. It hurt," Jones said. "We kept that chip on our shoulders all offseason."

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JONES BECOMES WING-T WORKHORSE

For all the new starters on defense for Lake Stevens, and given its massive size disadvantage up front, all in all, the Vikings held up their end facing Bellevue's Wing-T attack.

The Wolverines got smart in the second half, deciding to constantly pound the middle of Lake Stevens' defense with Jones, who had six consecutive carries to start the action - and nine of the team's 13 rushing attempts in the third quarter.

"They told me in locker room … they were going to let me loose in the second half," Jones said. "And I just got it done."

Added Kneip: "He was amazing. He wanted the ball., and we wanted to dare them to stop it. "

He finished with 30 carries for his 247 yards, and was just behind his career-best total of 268 yards against Liberty of Issaquah in his first career start last season.

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WHAT IS GOING ON AT LAKE STEVENS?

Understandably, after watching his squad blow a second-half lead - and in the way it evaporated - Tri stewed on the sideline after the game.

Three turnovers on Matson's arm. Seven dropped passes. Missed special-teams opportunities with two missed field goals (one was blocked). And in the end, his defense gave up the decisive 78-yard touchdown run in the final minute.

"A loss is a loss - it sucks. What do you want me to tell you? I hated it last week (in overtime loss to Sumner). I hate it this week," Tri said. "Does it feel different? Not really, because I felt we made as many mistakes this week as we did last week, if not more tonight. I feel like we went backward, not forward, at least with the mental errors."

Then the topic of Matson came up, who appeared bothered, unsettled and impatient on the field for the first time in nearly a year after the team's loss to Oregon powerhouse West Linn.

"When you start dropping the ball, now the quarterback feels he has got to make plays. That is not the excuse, but that is the reality," Tri said. "I think he is trying to make plays because other guys are not making enough plays - at least that is what I am seeing, too."

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