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The 2004 Emerald City Kickoff Classic was held on Saturday, September 4, at Qwest Field. The first three games provided a great start to the Emerald City Kickoff Classic. All five games make the event a great showcase for high school football. This year’s event had a little different twist to it than last year’s. Spectators from the early games came back to watch the nightcap and became a part of history.
Over 25,000 spectators witnessed the conclusion of the fourth game’s come from behind Ballard win over Bothell, led by freshman quarterback Joey Bolinger.
National attention focused on the fifth game of the day, which featured the De La Salle Spartans of Concord, California, putting their 151-game winning streak on the line versus the three-time defending 3A state champion Bellevue Wolverines. Early in the game, both teams lived up to expectations. De La Salle scored on their first possession, but Bellevue answered on their first play from scrimmage when JR Hasty scored on a 75-yard run. The Wolverines pulled away from the Spartans snapping the nation’s longest winning streak with a 39 to 20 victory. At the end of the day the WIAA staff and member schools could look back on the Emerald City Kickoff Classic as a success for the entire Association and Washington state football. The established goals for WIAA special events are to create an additional revenue source, as well as bringing attention to high school activities. Both of these goals were exceeded…and then some.
-Todd Stordahl
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