Lake Stevens Defeats Monroe 46–6 In Senior Division Playoffs

The Lake Stevens Vikings came into the North Sound Junior Football League playoffs as the undefeated No. 2 seed — and on Saturday, they looked every bit the part. Behind a deep and balanced offensive attack and a defense that made timely stops, Lake Stevens rolled to a 46–6 win over the seventh-seeded Monroe Bearcats in a first-round Junior Division playoff matchup.

From the opening whistle, Lake Stevens wasted no time setting the tone with a methodical, multi-play scoring drive. Max Tuor jumpstarted the series with a 16-yard run that put the Vikings deep in Monroe territory. Jaxon Pugmire then connected with Cameron Degrant for a 9-yard completion, moving the ball to the 10-yard line. On second-and-one, Pugmire kept it himself for a 5-yard gain to set up first-and-goal. Tuor did the rest, powering through for a 5-yard touchdown on the next play. He also converted the two-point attempt, putting Lake Stevens ahead 8–0 less than three minutes into the game.

After Monroe’s drive stalled, the Vikings were right back in business. Pugmire hit Max Tuor for a 16-yard gain, followed by a 10-yard strike to Carter May. On the next snap, Pugmire found McCoy Rabb streaking across the middle for a 22-yard touchdown, extending the lead to 14–0.

On their next possession, Lake Stevens’ Maddox Valm broke loose for another 22-yard touchdown. The Vikings converted another two-point try to close out the opening quarter with a commanding 22–0 lead.

Monroe answered with its strongest drive of the half. Quarterback Kale Koehler and backup passer Hank Edelbrock connected with MJ Thomsen for a pair of big completions, including a 29-yard gain to get inside the 20. A few plays later, Koehler found Thomsen again on fourth-and-goal from the 9-yard line for a touchdown. Though the conversion failed, the Bearcats cut the lead to 22–6.

Lake Stevens responded with a composed, time-efficient drive. May opened with a 7-yard run, and Cooper King, now under center, capped the series with a 3-yard touchdown pass to Degrant. Following another defensive stop, the Vikings struck again just before halftime. After a 25-yard run by Traveon Hayes, Pugmire connected with May for a 10-yard score — May’s second touchdown of the game. The Vikings entered the break with a commanding 38–6 lead.

Monroe opened the second half with energy. Govanni Guzman picked up 26 yards on a sweep, and Michael Hale Meitmann added a 22-yard run. But just as the Bearcats looked poised to score again, Meitmann lost the football, and Carson Robertson recovered the fumble to halt the threat.

Lake Stevens quickly capitalized. Pugmire found McCoy Rabb for a 53-yard pass — the game’s longest play — to flip the field in one snap. May and Henry Bauer combined for 19 rushing yards, and King finished the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run. The two-point attempt was good, making it 46–6.

In the final quarter, Lake Stevens continued to control the tempo, mixing in fresh legs to manage the clock. Cruz Moen, Anthony Mago, and Camden Smelter all recorded carries, with Mago breaking off a 20-yard run and Moen adding 7 yards. Monroe’s final push included a 19-yard burst from Preston Maki and several short gains from Guzman, but the Bearcats were unable to reach the end zone again.

Pugmire finished the day 10-of-14 for 81 yards and a touchdown. He also added 5 yards on the ground. King completed both of his passes for 56 yards and a score and added a rushing touchdown. May totaled 15 rushing yards, 20 receiving yards, and two touchdowns. Tuor contributed 21 rushing yards and a score, along with a 16-yard reception. Rabb posted 61 receiving yards on two catches, and Degrant hauled in a pair of receptions for 12 yards and one touchdown.

On the defensive side, Tuor and Robertson each recorded tackles, and Robertson’s fumble recovery helped stall Monroe’s second-half momentum. Jake Romero also added a tackle as the Lake Stevens defense made key stops in both halves.

With the win, Lake Stevens improves to 8–0 and advances to the semifinals of the Junior Division playoffs.

Final Score: Lake Stevens 46, Monroe 6

Player Stats

Lake Stevens (Offense):

Jaxon Pugmire: 10/14 passing, 103 yards, 2 TDs; 1 rush, 5 yards

Carter May: 3 rushes, 15 yards; 2 receptions, 20 yards, 1 TD

Max Tuor: 2 rushes, 21 yards, 1 TD; 1 reception, 16 yards

McCoy Rabb: 3 receptions, 76 yards, 1 TD

Maddox Valm: 1 rush, 22 yards, 1 TD

Cooper King: 1 rush, 3 yards, 1 TD; 2/2 passing, 56 yards, 1 TD

Henry Bauer: 2 rushes, 22 yards

Traveon Hayes: 1 rush, 25 yards

Anthony Mago: 1 rush, 20 yards

Cruz Moen: 2 rushes, 7 yards

Carson Robertson: 1 rush, 5 yards; 1 reception, 5 yards

Cameron Degrant: 2 receptions, 12 yards, 1 TD

Lake Stevens (Defense):

Carson Robertson: 1 fumble recovery

Monroe (Offense):

Kale Koehler: 3 rushes, 1 yard; 7/19 passing, 33 yards, 1 TD

Hank Edelbrock: 1 rush, 1 yard; 2/2 passing, 49 yards

MJ Thomsen: 6 rushes, 75 yards; 3 receptions, 66 yards, 1 TD

Govanni Guzman: 5 rushes, 49 yards

Michael Hale Meitmann: 1 rush, 22 yards

Miguel-Angel Garcia Angela: 2 rushes, 6 yards

Preston Maki: 1 rush, 19 yards