Mount Si crashes party, tops Woodinville 28-6

BOTHELL — It was as if the visiting Mount Si football team came in and put its feet up on the furniture of the new house.

The Wildcats crashed Woodinville's plush, home stadium almost like they owned the place.

The visitors attacked on defense, were opportunistic on offense and spoiled the first game at remodeled Pop Keeney Stadium with a 28-6 nonleague victory Thursday night.

Mount Si quarterback Ian Ilgenfritz directed the offense with efficiency, completing 8 of 12 passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns.

"Everyone played really well and our defense got big stops all game," said Ilgenfritz. "Our offensive line was just dominant. We moved the ball and did what we wanted to. It was just a good game for us.

"We didn't necessarily spoil [the stadium reopening], but we wanted to come out and beat them."

Ilgenfritz put the Falcons in dire straits with 5 minutes, 46 seconds left in game by finding streaking sophomore Trent Riley for a 54-yard scoring strike and a 21-6 lead.

"We knew their corners weren't obeying our outside, and we decided to go over the top on them," said Ilgenfritz. "They were over-commiting on our slants, so we decided to run a slant and go.

"I don't think they thought we were going to run that [play]. This is a good start."

Matt Bankston rambled into the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown run with 2:23 left to give Mount Si a 28-6 lead and salt the game away. Bankston led the Wildcats with 66 yards rushing on 13 carries.

The Pop Keeney facelift includes a new parking area, new covered visiting grandstands, locker rooms, FieldTurf surface and concessions stands. The changes were funded by a $149 million bond sale and sale of surrounding school district property to the City of Bothell.

Mount Si, picked to finish fourth in KingCo 3A/2A in the preseason coaches' poll, returns six starters on both sides of the ball and looks for its fourth trip to state in five years. The Wildcats looked every bit capable of giving Bellevue and Liberty a tussle at the top of the conference.

"They are a good physical football team," said Woodinville coach Wayne Maxwell. "They are going to do a great job of competing in their conference. Liberty and Bellevue and Mount Si are going to go at it and have some good football games."

The Falcons, selected by coaches to finish third in KingCo 4A's Crown Division, couldn't match Mount Si's precision on offense. Woodinville was flagged 10 times for 75 yards in penalties.

The Wildcats were efficient on offense and stubborn on defense, building a 14-0 lead just 13:25 into the game.

Mount Si scored on its first two possessions as Aladdin Schirmer ripped off 9-yard touchdown run with 4:10 to go in the first quarter to cap a 10-play, 85-yard scoring march.

Then, Alec Diechman intercepted a Brett Arrivey pass and returned it to the Woodinville 40 on the next possession. That started a five-play touchdown drive as tight end Joe Farmer made a diving grab just over the goal line for a 6-yard score with 10:35 to go in the first half.

Joe Ip booted field goals of 29 and 34 yards late in the first half for the Falcons.