Lake Stevens Claims NSL Bantam Division Title With Impressive Win Over Snohomish

Lake Stevens, a program that hadn’t lost a game in three years, lived up to every bit of the hype in the Junior division championship of the North Sound Jr Football League on Saturday night at Monroe High School. The Panthers had earned their spot in the title game with a gritty 7‑0 semifinal win over Everett, but they faced a juggernaut in Lake Stevens—one that methodically and emphatically delivered a 46‑0 victory.

From the opening whistle Lake Stevens took command. On their first meaningful possession they marched into position behind crisp blocking and decisive runs. Oakoley Burns broke through for 11 yards early and the drive culminated when Tucker Walters burst ahead 17 yards for the touchdown, as the Vikings took an early 6-0 lead.

Snohomish tried to respond, but their offense struggled to gain traction against Lake Stevens’ swarming defense. On their first possession, the Panthers were pushed backward on consecutive runs by Jaxon Alde, followed by an incomplete third-down pass from Hayden Williams. Lake Stevens’ defense, anchored by Ryko Hicks and Tanner Krich, consistently closed running lanes and applied pressure, setting the tone early.

Despite Snohomish’s early struggles on offense, their defense briefly showed signs of resistance. On Lake Stevens’ opening series, defensive lineman Waylon Wellnitz broke through for a standout play, sacking Vikings quarterback Oakoley Burns for a three-yard loss. It was one of the few moments where the Panthers were able to stall Lake Stevens’ momentum. But the Vikings adjusted quickly, turning to Burns’ legs and Lane Henderson’s power running to move the chains and recover the drive.

Late in the first quarter Lake Stevens struck again. Burns hit John ”JJ” Ledoux on a six‑yard pass, and the next run by Burns covered eight yards into the end zone. Another conversion put the Vikings firmly ahead 20‑0 as the first quarter closed.

In the second quarter Lake Stevens broke the game open. Burns launched a 54‑yard strike to Walters, who turned it into a touchdown. Another conversion made it 28‑0. Then Burns orchestrated a methodical drive culminating in a two‑yard run by Burns himself for a touchdown and the successful conversion pushed it to 36‑0 by halftime.

Coming out of halftime the Vikings continued to roll. Early in the third quarter Burns broke free for a 31‑yard run and Isaac Duron added a 37‑yard gain before Frank Shields punched in a one‑yard touchdown run. With another two‑point kick the lead ballooned to 38‑0. Later in the quarter Burns added a 20‑yard run to score again and the conversion brought the margin to 46‑0. The game was effectively decided.

 Snohomish’s offense never found traction. Alde carried 18 times for 52 yards and caught one pass for five yards, but the Vikings’ front seven constantly fed him tackles for losses or minimal gains. Williams attempted a pass and connected once for two yards, but the Panthers could not sustain drives or overcome Lake Stevens’ dominance. Defensively they showed flashes of grit. Alde had four tackles and three sacks, Christopher Morales Remigio had two tackles and two sacks, and Austin Tillman posted two tackles and three sacks—but even that wasn’t enough.

        Lake Stevens delivered a balanced, dominant performance. Burns rushed 11 times for 114 yards, completed eight of 12 passes for 143 yards, and threw for two touchdowns. Walters added 27 rushing yards and two receptions for 108 yards with two scores. Duron, Shields, Henderson and others all chipped in. On defense, Tanner Krich and Ryko Hicks each had two sacks, while Burns and Ledoux each added one. The Panthers simply could not answer.

        This wasn’t merely a championship win; it was a showcase of their collective talent as a team.

Player Stats

Lake Stevens Vikings – Offense:

• Oakoley Burns: 11 carries, 114 yards, 2 TDs; 8/12 passing, 143 yards, 2 TDs

• Tucker Walters: 3 carries, 27 yards; 2 receptions, 108 yards, 2 TDs

• Isaac Duron: 3 carries, 39 yards

• Logan Conway: 2 carries, 28 yards, 1 TD

• Lane Henderson: 2 carries, 16 yards

• Frank Shields: 4 carries, 5 yards, 1 TD

• John “JJ” Ledoux: 1 carry, 2 yards; 2 receptions, 14 yards

• Carter Sharpe: 1 reception, 4 yards

• Zachary Opdahl: 3 carries, 28 yards

• Liam Andresen: 1 pass attempt, 4 yards

• Jaden Mason: 1 carry, 2 yards

Lake Stevens Vikings – Defense:

• Tanner Krich: 2 sacks

• Ryko Hicks: 2 sacks

• Oakoley Burns: 1 sack

• John ”JJ” Ledoux: 1 sack

Snohomish Panthers – Offense:

• Jaxon Alde: 18 carries, 52 yards; 1 reception, 5 yards

• Hayden Williams: 2 pass attempts, 4 yards

• Austin Tillman: 1 carry, 2 yards

• Waylon Wellnitz: 2 carries, 4 yards

Snohomish Panthers – Defense:

• Austin Tillman: 3 sacks

• Jaxon Alde: 4 tackles, 3 sacks

• Christopher Morales Remigio: 2 sacks

• Treven Strickland: 2 sacks

• Waylon Wellnitz: 2 sacks

• Hayden Williams: 1 sack