Coach: Blake VanDalen, 2nd season with Lynden (5-6)
Home Field: Rollie DeKoster Field at Lynden High School
Last Season: 5-6 (3-3 NWC)
Key Losses: LB Gage Bates; OL/DE Trey LaBounty; WR/S Aaron Weidenaar; OL/DL Cole Crass; DL Jordan Brockmeyer; WR/DB Cory Warner.
Top Returnees: QB/S/P James Marsh; LT/NT Jacob Kettels; DT Payton Scott; RB/S Eric Martin-Mann; WR/CB Kobe Elsner.
Click HERE to listen to Coach Blake VanDalen’s interview with The Doug Lange Network. For more interviews, go to www.onthedln.com
2017 RESULTS
Lynden 38, Terry Fox, BC 7
Ferndale 19, Lynden 16
Lynden 40, Bellingham 14
Sedro Woolley 34. Lynden 20
Lakewood 26, Lynden 14
Lynden 35, Blaine 12
Lynden 56, Anacortes 20
Burlington-Edison 33, Lynden 13
Eastlake 42, Lynden 7
Lynden 28, Sedro Woolley 7
Tumwater 23, Lynden 21
2018 SCHEDULE
08/31 – at Mount Baker – 7 PM
09/07 – Ferndale – 7 PM
09/14 – Lord Tweedsmuir, BC – 7 PM
09/21 – Archbishop Murphy – 7 PM
09/28 – at Lakewood – 7 PM
10/05 – Burlington-Edison – 7 PM
10/12 – at Sedro Woolley – 7 PM
10/19 – Vancouver College, BC – 7 PM
The weight room got a workout this past summer in Lynden, and it was needed. Coach VanDalen knew that in order to survive his team’s brutal schedule, his team would need to be bigger and stronger this season. He was impressed with his players’ commitment to weight training, and it’s showing on the field.
“All of our key guys put a ton of time in the weight room this summer,” the second-year head coach said. “We call it the ‘gauntlet’ (referring to the schedule). Baker and Ferndale are hard-nosed teams, and they will show us what we’re doing wrong. We’ll be ready for our league games.”
Back at quarterback is senior James Marsh. He missed the beginning of the 2017 season, but showed flashes of brilliance when he returned after the fourth game. He ran for 10 touchdowns, and threw for nine more, and now at 100% health he could have a huge impact this season. Junior Brock Heppner will be extremely valuable as an experienced backup. He threw for 768 yards last season.
Seniors Eric Martin-Mann and Trevin Melendez each return, and they give the Lions a potent one-two attack from the backfield. Martin-Mann (677 yards, 6.2 average) is shifty, and his quickness will allow him to escape would-be tacklers. Melendez (288, 4.3) is the power-back, and at nearly 200 pounds is a load to bring down.
Lynden receivers always seem to put up big numbers, and this should be another one of those seasons. Senior Kobe Elsner returns, and he led the Lions in receptions last season. In fact, his stats (29 catches for 347 yards) are eerily similar to his father’s (Mike Elsner) stats from his junior season (33-477) at Bellingham. Seniors Carson Bode (24-321-3 TD’s) and Grant VanderYacht (11-189-2) also return along with fellow senior Dakota Baar as well as Heppner.
The offensive line will be anchored by 6-foot-5 270-pound senior Jacob Kettels at left tackle. Cooper Brown (6-1 240) is a returning starter and will line up at left guard. Junior Marty Karb suffered a season-ending surgery, and senior Kaden Mayberry will take his place at center. Senior Houston DeJong (6-2 265) will start at right guard and junior Harley Vandenberg (6-4 240) will be the right tackle. This group will also be welcomed back by formal long-time offensive line coach, Ed Bomber.
Defense has been Lynden’s calling card for years, and defensive coordinator Blake Witman has his troops ready to go. Heppner and Melendez will be the defensive ends, giving quickness to the position. The interior line will be inter-changeable with Kettels in the middle, with seniors Payton Scott and Brown on each side. They will be spelled from time to time by 225-pound senior Kevin Antontio (who squats 590 pounds) and 165-pound junior Steven DiLorenzo (who can bench press 340 pounds).
Gone is Lynden’s all-time tackler Gage Bates, and in steps senior Preston King and junior Bodie Human. Mayberry will also get time at inside linebacker. VanDalen likes his prospects at linebacker, stating that they each bring a little something different to the table.
Elsner (three interceptions last season) and VanderYacht return as the corner backs, and they are being pushed by seniors Elijah VanderHaak and Owen Bode. Marsh, Martin-Mann and senior Brendan Kleindel will all split time at safety.
The left-footed junior Marko Samoukovic is back at kicker, and should be the top kicker in the county. He connected on 30 extra points and five field goals last season. Marsh averaged 34.2 yards per punt last season. Martin-Mann totaled 344 yards in kick returns, including a touchdown.
2017 STATISTICAL LEADERS
(Returning players have the * after their names)
RUSHING
| Rank | Player | Season | Games | Att. | Yards | TD | Yds./Att. | Yds./Gm. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eric Martin-Mann* | 2017 | 11 | 109 | 677 | 3 | 6.21 | 61.5 |
| 2 | James Marsh* | 2017 | 7 | 90 | 416 | 10 | 4.62 | 59.4 |
| 3 | Trevin Melendez* | 2017 | 11 | 67 | 288 | 3 | 4.30 | 26.2 |
| 4 | Cory Warner | 2017 | 5 | 15 | 105 | 2 | 7.00 | 21.0 |
| 5 | Brock Heppner* | 2017 | 8 | 34 | 77 | 4 | 2.26 | 9.6 |
PASSING
| Rank | Player | Season | Games | Comp. | Att. | Comp %. | Yards | TD | Int | Rating | Yds./Att. | Yds./Comp. | Yds./Gm. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Marsh* | 2017 | 7 | 80 | 138 | 57.97% | 1034 | 9 | 11 | 70.14 | 7.49 | 12.9 | 147.7 |
| 2 | Brock Heppner* | 2017 | 8 | 54 | 117 | 46.15% | 768 | 3 | 7 | 51.51 | 6.56 | 14.2 | 96.0 |
RECEIVING
| Rank | Player | Team | Season | Games | Recpt. | Yards | TD | Yds./Att. | Yds./Gm. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aaron Weidenaar | Lynden | 2017 | 8 | 25 | 440 | 5 | 17.60 | 55.0 |
| 2 | Kobe Elsner* | Lynden | 2017 | 10 | 29 | 347 | 1 | 11.97 | 34.7 |
| 3 | Carson Bode* | Lynden | 2017 | 10 | 24 | 321 | 3 | 13.38 | 32.1 |
| 4 | Cory Warner | Lynden | 2017 | 5 | 15 | 219 | 0 | 14.60 | 43.8 |
| 5 | Grant Vander Yacht* | Lynden | 2017 | 6 | 11 | 189 | 2 | 17.18 | 31.5 |
| 6 | Blake Silves | Lynden | 2017 | 4 | 10 | 124 | 0 | 12.40 | 31.0 |
| 7 | Eric Martin-Mann* | Lynden | 2017 | 11 | 10 | 121 | 0 | 12.10 | 11.0 |
KICK RETURNING
| Rank | Player | Season | Games | Returns | Yards | TD | Yds./Att. | Yds./Gm. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eric Martin-Mann* | 2017 | 11 | 11 | 344 | 1 | 31.27 | 31.3 |
| 2 | Trevin Melendez* | 2017 | 11 | 11 | 203 | 0 | 18.45 | 18.5 |
PUNT RETURNING
| Rank | Player | Season | Games | Returns | Yards | TD | Yds./Att. | Yds./Gm. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eric Martin-Mann* | 2017 | 11 | 7 | 53 | 0 | 7.57 | 4.8 |
| 2 | Cory Warner | 2017 | 5 | 5 | 29 | 0 | 5.80 | 5.8 |
PUNTING
| Rank | Player | Season | Punts | Yds./Att. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Marsh* | 2017 | 14 | 34.21 |
| 2 | Cory Warner | 2017 | 6 | 35.00 |
INTERCEPTIONS
| Rank | Player | Season | Int. | Yards | Yds./Att. | TD | Yds./Gm. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gage Bates | 2017 | 3 | 98 | 32.67 | 1 | 32.7 |
| 2 | Brock Heppner* | 2017 | 1 | 33 | 33.00 | 0 | 4.1 |
| 3 | Eric Bode* | 2017 | 1 | 27 | 27.00 | 0 | 27.0 |
| 4 | Trevin Melendez* | 2017 | 1 | 19 | 19.00 | 1 | 1.7 |
| 5 | James Marsh* | 2017 | 2 | 18 | 9.00 | 0 | 2.6 |
| 6 | Kobe Elsner* | 2017 | 3 | 3 | 1.00 | 0 | 0.3 |
| 7 | Derric Lloyd | 2017 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 8 | Grant Vander Yacht* | 2017 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.0 |
SCORING
| Rank | Player | Season | TD | FGs | 2-Pt Conv | PAT | Total Points | Points/Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Marsh* | 2017 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 8.6 |
| 2 | Marko Samoukovic* | 2017 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 30 | 45 | 4.1 |
| 3 | Aaron Weidenaar | 2017 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 3.8 |
| 4 | Brock Heppner* | 2017 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 3.0 |
| 5 | Trevin Melendez* | 2017 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 2.2 |
| 6 | Eric Martin-Mann* | 2017 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 2.2 |
| 7 | Carson Bode* | 2017 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 1.8 |
2018 ROSTER
