3A | Preview: Bellevue vs. Union

Bellevue Wolverines

Coach: Butch Goncharoff, 100-8 in his ninth season.

Season snapshot: 13-0 overall, 6-0 in KingCo 3A. Nonleague schedule included wins against Central Catholic (Portland) and California High, from the San Francisco Bay Area. Beat league rival Liberty in state quarterfinals. The team bus overturned on the drive to the semifinal game last Friday, and it was rescheduled for Monday, when the Wolverines beat Capital 28-5.

Scouting report: No surprise here: The Wolverines run extremely well in their wing-T offense, averaging 284 rushing yards. On defense, Bellevue is extremely disciplined and rarely allows big plays.

Three to watch

• LB/S Jamal Atofau (5-10, 190, Sr.), KingCo 3A defensive player of year, excellent defending the run and pass, an important part of Bellevue's special teams.

• RB Peter Nguyen (5-9, 185, Sr.), All-KingCo 3A back has run for more than 1,000 yards for the second consecutive season.

• DL Julius Moore (6-1, 250, Jr.), All-KingCo 3A player is strongest force on solid defensive line.

Numerology: 5-0. Bellevue's record in state-championship games this decade.

Playoff pedigree: The Wolverines have won five state championships this decade, and Saturday is their sixth state final in eight years. They advanced to the semifinals last season before losing to O'Dea.

Quick kick: "Had he not gotten hurt, we'd be talking about an all-state kid." — Goncharoff on Nguyen, who missed five games with a knee injury.

Inside slant: Tight end Nick Moyer is the son of former Seahawks safety Paul Moyer, an assistant coach for the Wolverines.

Tom Wyrwich

Union Titans

Coach: Cale Piland, 19-3 in two seasons at Union.

Season snapshot: 13-0 overall, 5-0 in Greater St. Helens 3A League. Union beat four 4A GSHL teams to open the season — Skyview, Evergreen, Battle Ground and Heritage. After playoff victories over Rainier Beach and Timberline, the Titans shocked No. 2 Ferndale 21-14 when Mitch Saylor returned a blocked field goal 65 yards for the winning TD. They followed with a 28-7 semifinal win over No. 3 Lakes.

Scouting report: You might see the diverse Titans operate out of the I formation or with four to five wideouts. RB Brian Russell keys the ground game, but QB Brandon Weller will also drop back and throw. Union turns mistakes into TDs in a hurry. Bellevue runs wing-T better than most anyone, but Titans were solid against Ferndale's version.

Three to watch

• QB Brandon Weller (5-10, 175, Jr.), has completed 59 of 170 passes for 1,497 yards with 20 TDs and 7 INTs.

• RB Brian Russell (6-0, 190, Jr.), recorded his ninth 100-yard rushing game of the season against Lakes (16 carries, 128 yards), giving him 1,466 yards and 23 TDs this season.

• WR/DB Mitch Saylor (6-6, 205, Jr.), GSHL Offensive Player of the Year has 38 catches for 660 yards and 15 TDs.

Numerology: 8. Number of senior starters (three on offense, five on defense).

Playoff pedigree: A second-year school, Union nearly made the playoffs last year, tying for third in its league.

Quick kick: "We're here for a reason. We did not take an easy road to get here. We deserve to be here." — Piland on Union's attitude against top-ranked Bellevue.

Inside slant: Piland coached one year at Juanita (2000) before taking the head-coaching job at Evergreen of Vancouver, near his alma mater of Mountain View. His 2004 Evergreen team beat Skyline in the 4A state final, 28-14. Piland and defensive coordinator Ken Frisch played at Pacific Lutheran and were part of the 1993 NAIA national-title team.

Sandy Ringer