​PURPLE & GOLD CLUB

RON BLACKEN

Ron Blacken excelled at football throughout his career at Lake Stevens. Completely dominant on the gridiron in junior high school, he scored so many touchdowns that he was “a man among boys.” For the Vikings, Ron played running back, quarterback, receiver, linebacker, and safety. As a junior he led the league in tackles, and he punted, kicked field goals, and returned kicks.  That year he led the Vikings to the league championship and the state playoffs. Because of serious injury that next summer, he returned to Lake after a year of recovery, inspiring the Everett Herald to announce in a headline, “Blacken is Back.” His senior year, with Blacken again in the lead, Lake Stevens won another league championship and played against Hoquiam, the eventual state champion, in the semi final game, where he returned a kickoff for a ninety-yard touchdown. As a senior, Ron averaged an incredible 232 yards of total offense, and head football coach Bob Bear called Ron Blacken “The Franchise.” In basketball as a senior, Ron led his Gary Mose-coached team to a number one ranking in state with twenty-one victories, and elicited from then-Husky basketball and Lake grad Marv Harshman the comment, “When THAT man has the ball you’d better just get out of the way.” Ron Blacken is thought by many to have been Lake’s greatest athlete of the 1970s.

Following graduation from LSHS in 1977, Ron accepted a scholarship to play football at the University of Washington.  Ron distinguished himself at the wide receiver position with significant catches throughout his career, including two bowl games.  After graduating from the UW, Ron signed a free agent contract with the Denver Broncos.  Ron later returned to Lake Stevens where he now makes his home.