High School Sports Blog

Mason Kelley covers High School Sports for The Seattle Times. Sandy Ringer is also a frequent contributor to this blog.

October 24, 2009 at 2:38 PM

Bothell's first words on the KingCo championship

Bothell senior Michael Hartvigson's 18th birthday is surely going to be a memorable one -- it falls on the same day (Thursday, Oct. 29) as the KingCo championship against Skyline.

The 6-foot-6, 241-pound tight end/defensive end remembers all too well the Spartans come-from-behind 16-12 win last year and says the Cougars are eager to prepare for this one.

"We're going to have a great week of practice," said Hartvigson, a Washington commit. "Coach [Tom] Bainter's going to have us ready to go."

Cougars senior lineman Colin Porter echoed those sentiments: "I think we'll have our best week of practice. Everyone's excited. Both teams are going to bring it. It's going to be a great game."

No. 1 Skyline and No. 2 Bothell have been the top two ranked teams in Class 4A all season.

Bainter said a couple players are dealing with the flu, but otherwise the team is healthy. The Cougars, he said, are as ready as they'll ever be for their biggest test of the year.

"When it comes down to it, most kids play their whole high-school career and they never play in truly a meaningful game, and what an opportunity for us," Bainter said. "Win, lose or draw, we're going to play the best team in the state and one of the best teams in the country in our hometown. You have to welcome that. You really do."

And this year the game is at Pop Keeney Stadium, Bothell's home field. Something not lost on Porter, a newcomer to the Cougars team this season.

"It'll be an advantage," said Porter, another Huskies commit. "Playing at Pop Keeney after the first game I really learned what it's like to play a home game here. I've played here away, and at home there's nothing like it. When that sound echoes in the stands, it'll get to them (the Spartans). It'll catch them by surprise, I know that for a fact."

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Bothell's first words on the KingCo championship

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