Bothell, Issaquah meet in opener

By DARREN FESSENDEN
SPECIAL TO THE P-I

For some football fans, Thursday afternoon will be all about taking off from work early, racing home or to a local pub and catching the first NFL action of the year. For others, like pretty much the whole town of Bothell, it will be about taking off from work early and heading out to Pop Keeney Stadium to catch the first high school action of the season.

The NFL game starts at 4 p.m., which is about the same time folks start congregating outside Pop Keeney for a 7 p.m. game. Leave work on time and you'll be sorry.

The intimacy of Bothell's home field, along with the opponent -- Issaquah -- makes for a very intriguing opening night.

The Eagles (6-4), who reached the state-qualifying round in 2007, have moved up to 4A and are playing in the KingCo Crest Division. They are led by junior running back/defensive back Grant Gellatly (5-10, 175) and are expected to vie with Eastlake for second place in the division behind defending Class 3A state champion Skyline.

The Cougars (13-1), the 4A state runner-up the past two years, are in the Crown Division with usual suspects Woodinville and Inglemoor.

Bothell lost a lot of key players, including Cory Burk (the league's defensive player of the year) and four other first-team all-league selections. But as is customary with Tom Bainter's Cougars, due to their gigantic feeder program, they have a lot coming back.

Center Jackson Pierce (6-0, 230) and linebacker Trey Burwick (5-8, 213) were first-team all-league selections. Patrick Ottorbech (5-7, 187) was a second-team selection at linebacker, and forms a lethal backfield duo with Burwick (who happens to be the best blocking fullback Bainter has ever had).

Honorable-mention selection Robby Storm (6-0, 209) also returns at linebacker. Kurt Stottlemyer (5-10, 171) anchors a veteran secondary featuring three starters taller than 6-3.

With Johnny Hekker in Corvallis as Oregon State's starting punter, the signal-calling duties have been handed to 5-11, 165-pound senior James Korn. He is the son of Bothell assistant and former Bothell quarterback Ted Korn.

Another pivotal game Thursday features South Puget Sound League 4A North favorites. Federal Way (8-2), the 2007 division champion, hosts Auburn (8-3), a 2006 Class 3A state semifinalist that is back to full form after suffering through inexperience last season.

Fellow North foes Auburn-Riverside (5-5), which moves up to 4A, and Kent-Meridian (5-5) face off at French Field. In the SPSL South, Beamer (2-8) travels to Spanaway Lake (3-7). Finally, Tyee (1-8) plays at Mount Rainier (1-9) in Seamount League action.

All game times are 7 p.m.

 

Top Ticket (this weekend's big football games)

Auburn vs. Federal Way | Today, 7 p.m., Federal Way Memorial Stadium |

Prediction: Federal Way, 24-21. Give me an A, give me another A, give me two more A's! Auburn is back in 4A, but Federal Way is for real.

O'Dea vs. Capital | Friday, 7 p.m., Ingersoll Stadium (Olympia) | Prediction: O'Dea, 28-17. Irish lost three straight openers to Capital from 2003 to 2005 but won't lose this one.

Issaquah vs. Bothell | Friday, 7 p.m., Pop Keeney Stadium (Bothell) |

Prediction: Bothell, 24-17. No one's stopped the Blue Train at Pop Keeney since 2005.

Meadowdale vs. Edmonds-Woodway | Friday, 8 p.m., Edmonds Stadium |

Prediction: E-W, 35-21. WesCo 4A favorite vs. WesCo 3A favorite: And everyone knows 4 > 3.

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