The Bellevue football team finally played near full strength Friday night, and the squad flexed its gridiron muscles by waxing two-year upstart Interlake 42-13 at home.
This game was a playoff tune-up, but there was plenty on the line: as in city-wide bragging rights.
“We didn’t play our best tonight, but they really put us in our place,” said Saints head coach Sheldon Cross.
Both Bellevue (7-2, 6-0) and Interlake (6-3, 3-3) have managed respectable records this season, but the Wolverines are perennial kings around these parts, while Interlake made its first playoff appearance since 1985 last year.
Interlake looked every bit the part of a team poised to dethrone the traditional powerhouse on its first play, going 72 yards for a touchdown on a pass from junior quarterback Matt Malos to senior All-State wide receiver Dylan Amell.
But senior Freddie Levine responded for the Wolverines with a 46-yard touchdown run on the team’s second play. Bellevue looked unstoppable the rest of the night as its offense rolled to the end zone five more times before the half and racked up 380 yards rushing on the night.
Junior running back Joey Mangialardi alone accounted for 245 yards and four touchdowns in the game for the Wolverines.
“We only ran five plays tonight,” said Bellevue head coach Butch Goncharoff. “We had some stuff in the book, but we figured if they’re going to give us the fullback, we’ll just go with five plays and run them to death.”
Interlake entered the contest with an offense that has been prolific this season, but the group couldn’t establish momentum after giving the Wolverines that early wake-up call.
Both squads turned their focus to getting out healthy once it became clear the game was not competitive. Malos didn’t play the second half, although he completed six of 14 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown in the game.
“The biggest priority for both Butch and I was to get out of here healthy and safe and get ready for the playoffs,” Cross said. “They’ve got a mission and we’ve got a mission.”
Interlake started the third quarter with a wildcat offense lead by Jordan Todd. The sophomore quarterback rushed 20 times in the second half, finishing with 93 yards and a touchdown that came after the Saints pulled out of a third-and-twenty at their own 38 yard line.
Interlake threatened to score again late in the fourth quarter, but Bellevue stuffed the Saints four times at the one yard line to take over on downs with just enough time to run out the clock.
“It shows why they’re a champion,” Cross said. “They’re clicking at the right time. They’re getting their guys back and clicking on all cylinders.”
