Bothell blasts Rogers, 57-14, in state playoffs; Issaquah is next this Friday

It's Issaquah High — again. In Week 1 on Sept. 5, Bothell's Luke Proulx ran for his first score of the season and quarterback Mitchell Muller threw his first touchdown pass in the Cougars' 36-14 nonleague victory over the Eagles at Qwest Field in Seattle.

By Andy Nystrom • November 14, 2009 1:50 am
Bothell High senior wide receiver Bobby Gagnon fends off a Rogers High defender on his way to a touchdown during the second quarter of Friday night's 57-14 Cougar victory in the opening round of the 4A state playoffs at Pop Keeney Field. No. 1-ranked Bothell upped its record to 11-0.
Bothell High senior wide receiver Bobby Gagnon fends off a Rogers High defender on his way to a touchdown during the second quarter of Friday night's 57-14 Cougar victory in the opening round of the 4A state playoffs at Pop Keeney Field. No. 1-ranked Bothell upped its record to 11-0.

It’s Issaquah High — again.

In Week 1 on Sept. 5, Bothell’s Luke Proulx ran for his first score of the season and quarterback Mitchell Muller threw his first touchdown pass in the Cougars’ 36-14 nonleague victory over the Eagles at Qwest Field in Seattle.

Since then, No. 1-ranked Bothell has racked up 10 more wins and Proulx and Muller have lit up the scoreboard and visited the end zone many, many more times, including a host of scores in the Cougars’ 57-14 thrashing of Rogers last Friday night in the opening round of the 4A state playoffs at Pop Keeney Field.

At 7 p.m. this Friday, the two foes will square off again in the state quarterfinals at Pop Keeney. Issaquah (8-3) defeated Jackson, 48-28, last Saturday to advance in the tournament.

“Of course, it’s a great game and we get to celebrate it over the weekend,” said senior tight end Kevin Knapp, who caught two of Muller’s passes for TDs against Rogers. “But come Monday, we’ve got to be ready for practice and have another great week of practice.”

And Issaquah will be ready for some revenge in what surely will be a much closer game.

“It has to get tougher, because it’s win or you’re done,” Knapp added.

Knapp found the end zone first against Rogers on a 43-yard pass, and then Muller’s hand got hotter when he hooked up with John Sullivan (18 yards) and Michael Hartvigson (3 yards) to give Bothell a 21-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Muller finished with six touchdown tosses, including one more each to Knapp and Hartvigson and one to Bobby Gagnon.

“It was really big coming out in the second series of offensive (plays),” said Knapp, whose Cougars amassed a 34-0 lead in the second quarter. “You’ve gotta come out and score first, you can’t be tentative. It sets the tone of the game.”

Rogers rebounded with a pair of touchdowns to cut the Cougars’ lead to 34-14 in the second quarter. But Bothell never let the visiting Rams get any closer.

Although the Cougars led big at halftime, 41-14, they didn’t take Rogers for granted and continued to play well in the third quarter to put the game away.

“In the locker room, we were just talking about, ‘Come on, guys, just play the Blue way'” said Hartvigson. “It’s like smack-in-the-mouth (football) all four quarters.”

Offensive lineman Landon Lydig is enjoying his time in the spotlight with his teammates this season. Victories have piled up, and the Cougars need three more to notch a state title.

“Well, it feels good to come out and know we have a chance at state this year,” he said. “So, we’re pretty happy with what we’ve been doing this year.”