No. 7 Woodinville (6-1, 3-0) will play the top team from the Crest division in two weeks to try to earn its third consecutive KingCo title.
BOTHELL — The Inglemoor football team wanted to show it could compete with the KingCo elite.
But the defending league champs were out to show that they were still the team to beat.
Woodinville raced out to an early lead against Inglemoor, which battled back but couldn’t quite break through. Ultimately, the Falcons began to pull away late in a 42-0 football win Thursday night.
The win clinched the KingCo Crown division title for No. 7 Woodinville (6-1, 3-0), which will play the top team from the Crest division in two weeks to try to earn its third consecutive KingCo title.
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“We knew Inglemoor was hungry and ready to get after it tonight and prove that they can play with some of the best teams in the league,” Woodinville coach Wayne Maxwell said. “Our guys kind of had a little chip on their shoulder, as far as proving (themselves) tonight and they were determined and focused and ready to come out.”
Woodinville, which was the Class 4A state runner up a season ago, got off to a quick start with a 95-yard touchdown return by Cage Schenck on the opening kickoff. A 22-yard score on a screen pass from quarterback Noah Stifle to Joey Johnson doubled the Falcons’ advantage and Johnson added a 7-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter to open up a 21-0 lead for Woodinville.
Both teams remained scoreless until Stifle scrambled for a 12-yard touchdown run on the final play of the third quarter. Schenck added another return score, this time for 32 yards on a punt, and a 20-yard touchdown run by backup quarterback Michael Duester capped the scoring.
Stifle finished 7 of 12 for 71 yards and a touchdown and added 28 yards and a score on the ground.
Senior Nolan Downs led the Falcons’ rushing attack with seven carries for 110 yards. Johnson added 83 yards on 12 carries.
“It feels great. We worked hard this year,” Johnson said. “We have a great group of guys. Going into the playoffs, we’re in a good spot.”
A KingCo program — either in Class 4A, 3A, or 2A — has played for a state championship in each of the past 18 years.
Inglemoor (5-2, 2-1), which totaled five wins in the previous five seasons combined, hopes that one day they’re the team keeping that streak alive for KingCo.
“Woodinville was exactly who we thought they were,” Inglemoor coach Steve Hannan said. “They’re just a little farther along than we are. … For us to say we played pretty well with Woodinville is a step forward for us.”
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