After a narrow loss to Glacier Peak the week before, Arlington must have worked out some of their frustration on Lynnwood.
Hosting the Royals in their home opener Sept. 11, Arlington scored nine touchdowns, eight of them on the ground, culminating in a 61-0 dethroning of the Wesco South 3A team.
It was also a chance for the Eagles to work on their running game after proving extremely capable of passing the ball the week before.
“One of our goals is we feel like we can win if we have 100 yards rushing,” said Arlington coach Greg Dailer. “We know we can throw the ball, but we need to be able to control the running game a little better.”
“We did, apparently,” Dailer said, adding that he had missed the game for induction into West Liberty University’s hall of fame where he had been a first-team Div. II all-American.
Senior running back Jake Parduhn ran for three touchdowns and 104 yards, with all three scores coming before halftime. Fellow running back Riley Cobb had a five-yard run for a touchdown in Arlington’s second score of the first quarter.
Sophomore Blake McPherson led the team in scoring with four touchdowns in the second half of the game, all rushing. The half began with quarterback Andy Smith’s 20-yard pass to junior receiver Griffin Ginnis for a 34-0 lead.
“Lynnwood gave up a lot of rushing the week before, so it was good to work on that. We tried to throw the ball in the first half but they did a good job defending us. They gave us the run,” Dailer said. “They really put the pass away from us in the first half so we had to be able to run it, which we did, so that was good.”
Senior Brandon Pierce converted seven of nine extra point attempts in the game.
In Dailer’s absence, defensive coordinator Judd Hunter coached the Eagles to the shutout. Arlington’s defense held Lynnwood to 87 yards of total offense.
With Arlington running another prolific passing offense against similarly dynamic Jackson next week, last year’s 50-49 overtime thriller could be a template for the rematch. Jackson is coming off of 62-point output in week two and boasts a stronger defense than Lynnwood.
“It should be an offensive showdown, I think,” Dailer said. “I know they can move the ball and I hope we can. I think it will be another wild one between Arlington and Jackson.”
The coach added that he thinks his team has yet to play up to its potential. Picked to finish second in the Wesco North coaches poll, Dailer said the team’s play hasn’t earned that yet.
“I think the team feels like they have a lot to prove,” he added. “We played well in the first game but we gave up 52 points. We have a lot of improving to do. It was nice to get the shutout, but we’ll have a lot of work to do against Jackson.”
That game will take place at Everett Memorial Stadium Sept. 18 at 7 p.m.
