1991 Cascade High School
Football team

Cascade High is the last 3A/4A Snohomish County school to win a football state championship. The Bruins, coached by Hall of Fame coach Terry Ennis, were 7-1 during the regular season losing only to defending 2A champion Tumwater. It was a typical Ennis team with a Wing-T offense and dominate defense. The offense’s running game out-rushed the opponents 3609 to 915 yards and scored 33.4 points per game to 5.3. The defense shutout its opponents 6 times.

In the playoffs, the Bruins first defeated Kent Meridian 35-14 then at Mariner High’s Goddard Stadium, outscored Wilson High 43-14. In the semi-finals at Spokane’s Joe Albi Stadium, the Bruins met Shadle Park and beat them 21-0. In the State Championship Game, KingBowl XV, Cascade held the Puyallup Vikings to 7 points on 7 rushing yards and although the Vikings passed for 167 yards, Cascade’s defenders intercepted 3 passes. The Bruins won 14-7 with Cascade uncharacteristically scoring its two touchdowns through the air.

Cascade players received several post-season honors. Jerry Jensen, Travis Cruse, Sean McGowan, Jordi LaPaine, Ty Curley, and Dan Gilday were All-WESCO on either one or both the offensive and defensive teams. Jensen and LaPaine were selected to the All-State Team (Jensen, LB and LaPaine, OL). LaPaine was honored as the state’s Lineman of the Year. Four team members went on to play college football: Jensen (UW), LaPaine (Boise St.), Cruse (WWU), and McGowan (Simon Frazier U.). After UW, Jensen played in the NFL two years with the Carolina Panthers and is now Athletic Director at Archbishop Murphy High School.

Class 3A was the highest classification for high schools during this time.