We are now onto week eight! Below are previews for all six games this weekend, as well as our predictions, a podcast that gives our thoughts on all the games and who we picked as our fantasy players for week 8! Thank you to Eric Trent for being our guest picker, and thank you to Ferndale senior Phoenyx Finkbonner for the intro.
BELLINGHAM (4-3) AT FRIDAY HARBOR (4-2)
Time: 6:30 PM Friday
Site: Friday Harbor High School
What to expect: The Bayhawk offense has been extremely explosive this year, and we’ll see how it fares on the natural grass on the island. A muddy field could slow Bellingham down, but not much else has been able to. During their four-game winning streak, the Bayhawks are averaging 10.6 yards per play. That’s an easy way to pick up first downs and move the ball down the field. During the season, the defense has allowed just 4.5 yards per play, and averages two interceptions a game. The Wolverines tend to keep it on the ground, but Bellingham will be well-prepared if they go to the air.
Player to watch: Senior right tackle/defensive tackle Jesse Harward. He gets the job done on every play. A force in the trenches, and if the weather doesn’t cooperate, you can bet that Bellingham will run the ball behind this big-time run blocker.
Historical significance: This will be the sixth matchup between these two teams, all of which have been since 2014. The Wolverines have won just one of them, a 7-6 game to end the 2014 season, which saw Tanner Aliff run for 106 yards and a touchdown in his final varsity game.
Moving up the record book: Senior quarterback Josh Leonard is 61 yards away from becoming the first payer in school history to pass for 2,000 yards in a season.
BLAINE (2-5) AT LYNDEN CHRISTIAN (2-5)
Time: 7:00 PM Friday
Site: Lynden Christian High School
What to expect: The Lyncs are rolling right now, and it’s going to be a very tall task for the visiting Borderites. Lynden Christian is showing that it is one of the top teams in the 1A classification, and it’s due to all aspects of the game. Blaine has gone through its share of growing pains, and there have been some exciting moments, but to win this one will take some big bounces to come the way of the orange and black.
Matchup to watch: Blaine senior Justin Minjarez versus Lynden Christian senior Kayden Stuit. Although he’s usually lined up at tight end, the Lyncs like to isolate Stuit out wide from time to time, and putting Minjarez on him might be the way to go. He has the speed to match, but out-muscling Stuit will be difficult.
Historical significance: This will be the 61st matchup since 1973, with Blaine winning just 19 of them. One of them was the 2012 game when the Borderites won 30-0 behind the 318 yards rushing of Whatcom County’s all-time leading rusher Mario Gobbato.
Moving up the record book: LC senior Jeremiah Wright is one touchdown away from becoming the 10th player in school history to score 20 career touchdowns.
MERIDIAN (3-4) AT MOUNT BAKER (2-5)
Time: 7 PM Friday
Site: Bob Tisdale Field
What to expect: Always a great rivalry game, and I expect this one to come down to the very end. Both of the Mountaineers’ wins this season have come at home, but the Baker defense has allowed more yards and points than it’s used to giving up. With that, the Trojan offense has the ability to put up numbers, and it is averaging almost 26 points per game. This one could come down to the extra points after each touchdown, which team will convert more?
Matchup to watch: Meridian junior Lincoln Hoefer versus Mount Baker junior Caden Mosher. Hoefer can be extremely tough to block on the edge, but Mosher’s improvement at tight end this season has been great. Hoefer’s athletic ability alone is pretty amazing, considering he’s 6’5″ and weighs 250 pounds.
Historical significance: A lot of history here, as these two teams have met 104 times. Recently, the Mountaineers have won 12 of the last 16. In the game 50 years ago, Mount Baker won 7-6 behind a 40-yard touchdown pass from Mark Lehman to Doug Monaghan.
Moving up the record book: Meridian senior Joshtyn Elmer is just 18 yards away from becoming the seventh player in school history to surpass 3,000 all-purpose yards.
SEHOME (4-3) AT SQUALICUM (3-4)
Time: 7 PM Friday
Site: Civic Stadium
What to expect: There will be a ton of local talent on the field, for two teams that are hovering around the .500 mark. Two contrasting styles as well, as the Storm will try to run the ball, and the Mariners will look to unload it down the field. Although, the Sehome running game has been quite strong lately, and it averaged over six yards a carry last week for the first time this season. It might play into the Storm’s hands as their defense allows just over four yards per carry.
Matchup to watch: Sehome junior defensive back Grady Evans versus Squalicum sophomore wide receiver Ansen Asbjornsen. The Storm doesn’t throw the ball down the field too often, but when they do, the Mariners better be ready for the speedy sophomore. Evans played awesome on defense last week in supporting the run defense, and he has the athletic ability to stay with Asbjornsen.
Historical significance: This the 22nd meeting between these two rivals, with Squalicum winning 13 of them. Sehome won the initial meeting in 1998, 20-14. Mariner quarterback Paul Nicholes threw three touchdown passes, two to Gary Gould and one to Owen Rhoades.
Moving up the record book: Sehome senior Braddock Duckworth is now tied with current NFL player Taylor Rapp for third on Sehome’s career reception list with 81.
STANWOOD (3-4) AT FERNDALE (5-2)
Time: 7 PM Friday
Site: Ferndale High School
What to expect: Ball control will be the name of the game here. Two teams that love to run the heck out of the ball, and maintain long drives. Out of the seven games played, there has been only one in which the Golden Eagle offense ran the ball less than 50 times. That was the loss at Marysville-Getchell. The Chargers were able to keep the ball away from Ferndale, and that is what the Spartans will have to do in order to be successful.
Player to watch: Ferndale junior running back/inside linebacker Talan Bungard. I would bet that he will get a steady diet of dives and traps in this one. He is the workhorse of Whatcom County, and has carried the ball 128 times, 29 more times than the second place player. His knack for making plays on defense will also be huge against the ground-and-pound Spartans.
Historical significance: Since 1971, these two teams have faced each other 30 times, with Ferndale winning 24 of them. The last time Stanwood beat Ferndale was 30 years ago. In 1971, the Golden Eagles defeated the Spartans 20-0 behind the 100+ rushing yards from Jeff Hannah and Greg Boraker.
Moving up the record book: Last week, senior quarterback Bishop Ootsey passed Cooper Clark to become the 15th leading passer in school history.
LYNDEN (6-1) AT LAKEWOOD (2-4)
Time: 7 PM Friday
Site: Lakewood High School
What to expect: The Lions are well-rested and they should be ready for the big-time passing attack of the Cougars. The Lynden defense will give up some big plays, but rarely give up touchdowns. Look for some great in-game schemes by the Lions, which will result in a big-play on defense which will then springboard it’s offense into a scoring powerhouse. Lynden has solidified a postseason berth, but will not let up. This time of the season is what being a Lion is all about.
Player to watch: Senior wide receiver/cornerback Cooper Moore. I love every part of his game, and there really is no weakness. He has turned into a big-play receiver that is averaging almost 20 yards per catch, while also standing out defensively. He will be tested against the air-raid Cougars, and you can bet he will be up for the test.
Historical significance: This will be just the ninth time that these two teams have met, and the Cougars have just one win, which came in 2017. The first meeting came in 2014 with Lynden winning 38-21, and the Lions were aided that evening by Jordan Wittenberg who caught a school-record 13 passes.
Moving up the record book: Junior quarterback Brant Heppner is now 165 yards away from passing James Marsh to become the 10th leading passer in school history.
