Coach: Robb Myhre, 20th season with Nooksack Valley (104-94)
Home Field: Sid Lambert Field at Nooksack Valley High School
Last Season: 5-5 (1-5 NWC)
Key Losses: QB/LB Austin O’Bryan; WR/S Evan Neitling; WR/CB Baylor Galley; OT/DE Landon Bruland; WR/CB Ty Rawls; LB Cooper Clawson; C/DT Hayden Hester; WR/CB Halston Boersema.
Top Returnees: OL/DL Easton Zylstra; WR/LB Ryan Veening; QB/S Cole Eldridge; WR/S Scout Whittern; K Aidan Conner; RB/LB Dane Winter.
2018 RESULTS
Nooksack Valley 28, Sehome 21
Nooksack Valley 50, Granite Falls 6
Nooksack Valley 47, King’s 7
Meridian 21, Nooksack Valley 14
Lynden Christian 38, Nooksack Valley 19
Mount Baker 55, Nooksack Valley 21
Meridian 40, Nooksack Valley 27
Lynden Christian 41, Nooksack Valley 0
Nooksack Valley 19, Mount Baker 16
Nooksack Valley 26, Stanwood 16
2019 SCHEDULE
09/06 – at Sehome – 7:30 PM
09/13 – at Granite Falls – 7 PM
09/20 – King’s – 7 PM
09/27 – at Meridian – 7 PM
10/04 – Lynden Christian – 7 PM
10/11 – at Mount Baker – 7 PM
10/18 – Meridian – 7 PM
10/25 – at Lynden Christian – 7 PM
11/01 – Mount Baker – 7 PM
Easton Zylstra – Senior – Offensive Tackle/Defensive Tackle
Not just a great athlete for his size. He is a great athlete. A three-year starter on both sides of the ball, he will be the dominant player for the Pioneers on both lines.
Ryan Veening – Senior – Tight End/Inside Linebacker
A major difference maker as a receiver. He provides a great target for his new quarterback, and also possesses soft hands. He will also be playing a new position this year, moving from defensive end to middle linebacker. If anyone can do it, he can.
Cole Eldridge – Senior – Quarterback/Safety
Just because he moved from running back doesn’t mean he doesn’t know how to play quarterback. He has been a backup all throughout high school, and after playing both running back and wide receiver in 2018, he steps into the starting role behind center.
Dane Winter – Senior – Running Back/Linebacker
Another position change. This former offensive lineman will now be taking handoffs. One of the fastest players on the team, the adjustment should be just fine. He was also the leading tackler on the team last season, and will remain in his linebacker spot on defense.
Biggest Strengths: Good senior group, and special teams. Although a handful of players are switching positions, a good group of players are returning. Every kicker returns as well, and Coach Myhre is very happy about his special teams group.
Biggest Weakness: Depth on the line and inexperience at receiver and corner. With just 12 total linemen in the entire program (grade 9-12), the Pioneers can’t afford to get injured up front. They also could be very young on the outside. New receivers and corner backs will need to learn on the fly.
Who will be Nooksack Valley’s break-out player?
Scout Whittern – Junior – Wide Receiver/Safety/Kicker
A dynamic athlete that can do a lot of different things. He’ll be in on a lot of different plays on offense, running routes, taking handoffs and executing double passes. Defensively, he will roam the field with reckless abandon, and a lay a lick when needed. He’s also the kickoff guy, and he hit a long field goal last year. He’ll also punt when needed, and return kicks. Not many athletes come along like Whittern.
The Pioneers began 2018 with a three-game winning streak, followed that up with a four-game losing streak and then finished the season winning their final two games. Many athletes return to put on the purple, and consistency could be the key to a postseason berth.
Senior Cole Eldridge started last season at running back, and was moved to wide receiver when it was desperately needed. All this time he was the backup quarterback, and he completed each of his five pass attempts. Now he’s the main man behind center, and his grasp of the offense continues to get better and better.
Seniors Braden Leyba and Dane Winter will start the season splitting time at running back. Leyba has patiently waited his turn, and he is a shifty runner with good speed. Winter is a former lineman, and is one of the fastest players on the team. He’ll be a load to bring down, and his power running will compliment Leyba’s style very well.
At 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, senior Ryan Veening will be a major difference maker as a receiver. Junior Scout Whittern can do a little bit of everything, and his overall athleticism at wide receiver will allow him to make plays all over the field. The Pioneers play with four receivers, and numerous players are vying for the other two spots.
With few linemen on the roster, it will be up to the starters on the line to be able to play through pain, and be well conditioned. Senior Easton Zylstra (6-3 250) is starting for the third year on the offensive line, and will be the anchor up front. Senior Levi Harlan (6-1 205) provides excellent toughness, especially after attending boot camp a year early at Fort Benning, Georgia over the summer. Junior Alex Clawson (6-0 255) will play center, and the rest of the line will be fought out by senior Levi DeWeber (6-0 190), juniors Liam Coppinger (6-3 215) and Jacob Franson (5-11 180) and sophomore Gerrit Bruland (6-0 175).
With Nooksack Valley’s traditional 4-3 defense, the defensive line needs to get after it. Zylstra and Clawson supply great size at defensive tackle. Senior Clancy Coppinger (6-5 180) spent more time in the weight room over the summer than anyone over the summer, and he’s ready to take over at defensive end. Liam Coppinger and junior Cameron Bauman (6-3 180) will also play defensive end.
Veening played at defensive end last season, but he will take over as the middle linebacker in 2019. He will be flanked by Winter, who led the team in tackles last season. Leyba has the inside track to start at linebacker as well.
Whittern and Eldridge both return at safety after getting valuable playing time in 2018. Whittern is a hard hitter and Eldridge is a dynamic athlete that intercepted a pair of passes last season. The corner back positions are still up for grabs. Senior first-year player Nate Steele is battling with fellow senior Keldon Weidkamp, junior Aidan Conner and sophomore Jordan Silva.
The kicking game looks strong with Conner, Whittern and Eldridge returning. Last season Conner hit on 24 extra points, Whittern connected on a long field goal, kicked off and shared the punting duties with Eldridge.
2018 STATISTICAL LEADERS
RUSHING
| PLAYER | ATT | YARDS | AVG | TD |
| Austin O’Bryan | 160 | 874 | 5.5 | 11 |
| Cole Eldridge | 61 | 184 | 3.0 | 3 |
| Devin Lackey | 27 | 179 | 6.6 | 1 |
| Scout Whittern | 17 | 101 | 5.9 | 2 |
| Evan Neitling | 14 | 56 | 4.0 | 0 |
PASSING
| PLAYER | ATT | COM | COM% | YARDS | AVG | TD | INT | RATING |
| Austin O’Bryan | 258 | 138 | 53.5% | 1901 | 7.37 | 17 | 17 | 71.9 |
| Cole Eldridge | 5 | 5 | 100.0% | 86 | 17.20 | 0 | 0 | 118.8 |
RECEIVING
| PLAYER | REC | YARDS | AVG | TD |
| Evan Neitling | 44 | 719 | 16.3 | 6 |
| Ty Rawls | 36 | 464 | 12.9 | 5 |
| Cole Eldridge | 19 | 253 | 13.3 | 1 |
| Halston Boersema | 15 | 191 | 12.7 | 2 |
| Ryan Veening | 14 | 182 | 13.0 | 1 |
KICK RETURNING
| PLAYER | KR | YARDS | AVG | TD |
| Evan Neitling | 14 | 415 | 29.6 | 1 |
| Cole Eldridge | 12 | 204 | 17.0 | 0 |
| Austin O’Bryan | 4 | 46 | 11.5 | 0 |
| Ty Rawls | 6 | 38 | 6.3 | 0 |
| Ryan Veening | 1 | 17 | 17.0 | 0 |
PUNT RETURNING
| PLAYER | PR | YARDS | AVG | TD |
| Cole Eldridge | 6 | 40 | 6.7 | 0 |
| Evan Neitling | 4 | 19 | 4.8 | 0 |
PUNTING
| PLAYER | ATT | YARDS | AVG |
| Scout Whittern | 11 | 393 | 35.7 |
| Cole Eldridge | 9 | 229 | 25.4 |
DEFENSE (assisted tackles are counted as half a tackle)
| PLAYER | TKLS | TFL | SACKS | INT | FF | FR | PD |
| Dane Winter | 83 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Cooper Clawson | 70 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Landon Bruland | 34 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| Austin O’Bryan | 53 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Ty Rawls | 34.5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Cole Eldridge | 26.5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Scout Whittern | 35.5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Easton Zylstra | 21.5 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Hayden Hester | 25 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Halston Boersema | 14 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Adam Dugger | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Hunter Morgan | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Ryan Veening | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Evan Neitling | 13.5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jordan Prink | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dawson Kimball | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Devin Lackey | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Braden Leyba | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Clancy Coppinger | 1.5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| James Triplett | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brady Peninger | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nick Averys | 2.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Eli Gorskikh | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Cameron Bauman | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Liam Coppinger | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Baylor Galley | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jordan Silva | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jordan Bennett | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Levi Harlan | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kamryn Turner | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Clawson | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
SCORING
| PLAYER | TD | FG | 2PT | XP | PTS |
| Austin O’Bryan | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 68 |
| Evan Neitling | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 |
| Ty Rawls | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 |
| Cole Eldridge | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 |
| Scout Whittern | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 27 |
| Aidan Conner | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 24 |
| Halston Boersema | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Jordan Silva | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Devin Lackey | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Ryan Veening | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
2019 ROSTER:
| # | Name | Positions | Grade | Ht | Weight |
| 1 | Collin Averill | QB, LB | 10 | 6-0 | 165 |
| 2 | Cameron Bauman | TE, DE | 11 | 6-3 | 180 |
| 3 | Cole Eldridge | QB, S | 12 | 6-1 | 195 |
| 4 | Caleb Kingma | WR, LB | 10 | 6-0 | 150 |
| 7 | Nate Steele | WR,DB | 12 | 5-11 | 155 |
| 8 | Aidan Conner | WR, C, K | 10 | 5-9 | 145 |
| 10 | Judah Morlas | RB, LB | 9 | 5-7 | 140 |
| 11 | Brady Peninger | WR, LB | 11 | 5-10 | 160 |
| 12 | Bennett De Lange | QB, DB | 9 | 6-0 | 140 |
| 13 | Quantell Abell-Hopkins | QB, LB | 11 | 6-2 | 200 |
| 14 | Ethan Foote | WR, DB | 10 | 5-7 | 140 |
| 18 | Mathew Lankhaar | WR, C | 11 | 5-9 | 135 |
| 21 | Scout Whittern | WR, S, K | 11 | 6-0 | 180 |
| 22 | Jackson Lackey | RB,LB | 9 | 5-7 | 120 |
| 23 | Braden Leyba | RB, LB | 12 | 5-9 | 165 |
| 25 | Jordan Silva | RB, DB | 10 | 5-8 | 140 |
| 28 | Ryan Veening | TE, LB | 12 | 6-3 | 225 |
| 31 | Thomas Abell-Stean | WR, DB | 9 | 5-0 | 90 |
| 34 | Keldon Weidkamp | WR, DB | 12 | 6-2 | 175 |
| 42 | Ryan Hughes | WR. LB | 9 | 5-9 | 135 |
| 43 | Dawson Kimball | WR, DB | 10 | 6-1 | 145 |
| 44 | Dane Winter | RB, LB | 12 | 5-11 | 190 |
| 51 | Liam Coppinger | OL, DE | 11 | 6-3 | 215 |
| 52 | Levi Deweber | OL, LB | 12 | 6-0 | 190 |
| 53 | Alex Clawson | C, DL | 11 | 6-0 | 255 |
| 55 | Nick Dykstra | OL,DE | 10 | 6-0 | 200 |
| 56 | Jacob Franson | OL, LB | 11 | 5-11 | 180 |
| 60 | Levi Harlan | OL, DL | 12 | 6-1 | 205 |
| 61 | Easton Zylstra | T, DL | 11 | 6-3 | 250 |
| 67 | Gerrit Bruland | OL, DL | 10 | 6-0 | 175 |
| 68 | Kamryn Turner | G, DT | 10 | 6-0 | 245 |
| 71 | Austin Barrett | OL, DL | 9 | 5-7 | 165 |
| 72 | Moses Zamudio | OL, DL | 10 | 5-9 | 215 |
| 78 | Brayden Sorensen | OL,DL | 9 | 6-2 | 230 |
| 81 | Clancy Coppinger | TE, DE | 12 | 6-5 | 180 |
| 85 | Kade Eldridge | TE, DE | 9 | 6-3 | 220 |
| 85 | Giovani Aure | WR, DB | 9 | 5-5 | 125 |
| 86 | Jordan Bennett | WR, DB | 10 | 5-4 | 140 |
| 87 | James Triplett | RB, DB | 10 | 5-10 | 140 |
| 88 | Jeff Boykin | WR, LB | 11 | 5-8 | 165 |
