When Bellevue faces off against the undefeated Union Titans in Saturday’s Class 3A state championship game, they’ll be facing a squad that doesn’t care about the Wolverines decade-long 3A dominance.
That’s because Union (13-0) of Camas wasn’t even around the last time Bellevue won a state title. The second-year school opened its doors in 2007 and has reached Saturday’s 4 p.m. contest in the Tacoma Dome with a string of wins over previously unbeaten teams in Lakes and Ferndale.
Meanwhile Bellevue, who defeated Capital 28-6 in Monday’s rescheduled state semi-final, has not lost since last year’s semi’s, where Coach Butch Goncharoff’s Wolverines were beaten by eventual state runner-up O’Dea.
“Butch planted it in our heads when we lost to O’Dea…we knew we had to get back to state this year,” said Bellevue senior linebacker Jamal Atofau. “We’re just going to keep doing what we’re doing.”
What they’re doing is continuing to win despite injuries and accidents. Monday’s game against Capital was rescheduled after a bus carrying 38 members of Bellevue’s team overturned on Interstate 5 following a four-vehicle accident caused by an unsecured ladder crashing into the road.
The worst injuries to the players were sore necks and backs. Starting defensive lineman Stephan Grey will miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury, while Goncharoff suffered a separated shoulder, bruised vertebrae and cuts on his back after flying through a bus window.
As many as 15 of Bellevue’s players were game-time decisions in the Capital game, Goncharoff said, noting nine of those players probably wouldn’t have played had it been a regular season game.
“You hit a semi (truck) at 65 mph, roll over and flip, you’re lucky to be here, no matter what,” Goncharoff said after the game. “The fact we were walking, let alone playing, was amazing.”
Bellevue took an alternate route to the stadium, bypassing the section of I-5 where the accident took place, instead opting to take Highway 167.
“It was different getting back on the bus, it was definitely a little bit weird,” said junior lineman Jake Hiller. “It definitely wasn’t normal.”
When the Wolverines take the bus to Tacoma, they’ll be facing an opponent who is used to knocking off undefeated teams. Last week, it was Lakes in the semi-finals. The week before, it was Ferndale, who had been ranked as the No.2 3A team most of the season before Union knocked them off at home 21-14.
“They’re a great team,” Goncharoff said. “They have a great coach and a great program.”
It will be the fourth year the Wolverines have entered the title game with an unblemished record, as Bellevue went undefeated in 2001, 2004 and 2006.
It also will be the third-straight season the state title will be decided between two undefeated teams.
“Undefeated in the title game,” Goncharoff said. “That’s what the finals are all about.”
Joel Willits can be reached at 425-453-5045 or at jwillits@bellevuereporter.com.
Bellevue-Union at a glance
How Bellevue wins: The Wolverines continue to pound out the ball and score early. Dangerous running back Peter Nguyen continues to get loose for big gains, having already rushed for 1,220 yards and 17 touchdowns. Opportunistic defense continues to smother opposing offense.
How Union wins: The Titans offense has enough firepower to match Bellevue’s scoring. Union prevents Bellevue from eating up the clock with long drives. Titans take advantage of any Wolverine turnover. Union stops the big run and forces Bellevue to either grind it out with short runs, or gets ahead early and makes the Wolverines pass.
Bellevue key player: RB Peter Nguyen. Since missing five games with a knee injury, Nguyen’s been nearly unstoppable. In the win over Capital, he broke off for gains of 15, 27, 29, and 42 yards, as well as returned a punt 54 yards that set up Bellevue’s second touchdown.
Union key player: Union RB Blake Russell. A big runner at 6’0”, 190 pounds, the running back/defensive lineman scored two touchdowns in Union’s win over Lakes.
X-factor: Bellevue’s ability to convert on fourth down. The Wolverines seem to know they can gain at least two yards on each carry, which is why they most often go for it on fourth down once they get close to midfield. Bellevue has made a season of demoralizing defenses; just when you think you’ve held the Wolverines, they come out and turn a fourth-and-two into a first-and-ten.
Prediction: Bellevue 24, Union 14
2008 State Championship football
Today’s games:
Class 1A: Christian (12-1) vs. Cashmere (12-0), 10 a.m.
Class 2A: Lynden (11-2) vs. Prosser (13-0), 1 p.m.
Class 3A: Union (13-0) vs. Bellevue (13-0), 4 p.m.
Class 1B: Wishkah Valley (12-0) vs. LaCrosse-Washtucna-Kahlotus (12-0), 7:30 p.m.
