Just two weeks ago, Bothell High beat 4A Kingco Crown division rival Woodinville by a score of 26-10. What appeared to just be another routine Blue Train victory was far from it, as it was head coach Tom Bainter’s 100th victory at the helm of the Cougars. Bainter currently owns one of the top winning percentages in the state at .814 (101-23) and the Reporter was able to catch up with the 44-year-old in between his duties as a teacher at Bothell High and on the football field.

Q: When you took over in the year 2000, did you ever envision building a football dynasty like the Cougars have developed into?

A: Yeah, I think that is what we envisioned. I thought this was a place where we could win year in and year out, I thought it had all the things we needed — a solid program, a great facility, a community that supports you and an administration that supports you.

Q: A lot of teams barely get to play 100 games in 11 seasons, yet you’ve won 100. To what to you attribute that level of success?

A: It’s a lot of things, but No. 1 is having student-athletes that not only are talented, but are driven to work as hard as you need to work throughout the year. They’re playing other sports, they’re doing the right things and are committed to being successful. It starts there. You also have to have a group of guys that want to be committed as a coaching staff, and I’m very fortunate to have great assistants to have numerous hours throughout the season preparing their players and our team to be successful. You have to have a support system within your school, and we do, an administration that supports us, an athletic director that’s supportive… a student body that is tremendous and a community that is second-to-none. You put all of that together, and it kind of sets the recipe for success.

Q: Is there anyone on your staff currently that has been coaching with you for all 100 wins? And how special is it to share this milestone with them?

A: There’s seven or eight of us, and there are a few that have been here eight or nine years. It’s really special, but you know how the quarterback always gets credit for the win and too much of the blame for the loss? It’s the same thing with us. I’m getting too much credit. It’s our players, it’s our staff, it’s the support we get. I’m happy for everyone and the success we’ve had, it’s fun to be a little part of that — that’s for sure.

Q: Prior to the Woodinville game, did your kids know that was the milestone game for you?

A: I don’t think so, I think my wife added it up for me one time, but I never know. We don’t talk about it, we didn’t publicize it and I was actually quite surprised there was such a big (deal) about it. I had heard going in that week that we were going for 100 wins, and you sit down, start adding ‘em up, and say, ‘Hey, I guess you’re right!’ It was one of those things that I think people started talking about the week of.

Q: What was the most memorable win of those 100?

A: Obviously the nine-overtime win (state quarterfinals versus Pasco, 2006, 43-40), but the win at Ferris (state semifinals, 2007, 14-7) was a special win. Driving over there and playing in somebody else’s home place, that was a special win, as well. Probably one of those two, but they’re all special.

Q: Finally, as great as 100 wins is, I’m sure that first state title would mean even more… how much are you looking forward to that opportunity with the group of guys you have on the field this year?

A: We are looking forward to it. Our goal is always to win the Kingco title, and after week nine, we can decide either way, win, lose or draw, we’ll have to make a new goal, which is usually to move on throughout the playoffs. We have to take it one game at a time, and I think if we focus on what we do and who we are, those are the things you need to focus on to get to that (title) game. Looking ahead, that would be a wonderful thing to accomplish with this team.

• Bothell at Ballard, 7 p.m. Friday at Memorial Stadium.