Graham-Kapowsin routs Lake Stevens 44-7 in WIAA 4A football state championship

Graham-Kapowsin’s Eagles waited 24 hours before giving coach Eric Kurle his birthday gift.

Kurle turned 54 on Friday. Then his football team went out and gave their coach his first state championship with a 44-7 Class 4A victory over Lake Stevens at Mount Tahoma High on Saturday night.

The Eagles swarmed defensively. And they ran it with ease on offense.

Quarterback Josh Wood and running back Zack Lee each ran for more than 100 yards in the first half, and Graham-Kapowsin rolled up 298 yards of total offense in the first 24 minutes as the Eagles built a 24-7 lead by halftime.

For Lake Stevens, it was the second championship loss in the last three games contested. The Vikings lost to Union, 52-20, back in 2018. There was no 2020 championship game, with the playoffs being erased by the Covid-19 pandemic.