It’s here! Friday night football begins tonight! Below are previews for all eight games this weekend, and well as our predictions and a podcast that gives our thoughts on all the games, who we picked as our fantasy players for week 1 and what you need to do to get a Whatcom Preps sticker! Thank you to Jeff Bearden for being our annual week 1 guest picker.
*** We had to remove the picks from the Bellingham/Cleveland game. Cleveland backed out late, and Bellingham will now be hosting Chief Sealth. This change occurred AFTER the podcast was recorded and the graphic was finished, therefore there will be no picks for the Bellingham/Chief Sealth game.
NOOKSACK VALLEY (0-0) AT MOUNTAIN VIEW (0-0)
Time: 4:30 PM Friday
Site: McKenzie Stadium
What to expect: Last season’s matchup was a great one, with the Pioneers winning 15-14. Colton Lentz’s 85-yard touchdown run late in the contest brought the game within one point, and Joey Brown’s conversion run ultimately won it. The Thunder now have a new coach, but the 3A team from down south feel like it has unfinished business.
Player to watch: Senior running back/outside linebacker Skyler Whittern. Few athletes compare to Whittern when it comes to giving it your all. When healthy, he’s one of the best around, and you can bet with Mountain View focusing on #9, Whittern is going to get some big chances to make plays.
Historical significance: This is just the second time these two teams have squared off, and you just read about last year’s thriller. Nooksack Valley has won 10 of their last 12 games, going back to late 2021. Kicking the season off in a positive way will really boost this team.
Moving up the record book: Lentz currently stands as the ninth leading rusher in school history. He’s 35 yards away from passing Andrew Larson for 8th all-time, and he’s 40 yards away from moving past Austin O’Bryan for 7th all-time.
FERNDALE (0-0) AT LYNDEN (0-0)
Time: 7:00 PM Friday
Site: Rollie DeKoster Field
What to expect: Year after year, it’s one of the biggest and one of the best matchups in Whatcom County. It’s almost like how the NFL loves having a great Thursday night game to kickoff the season, we have this game! Both teams lost a ton from last season, so expect a lot of new faces to make big plays. Lynden might throw a little more than they have in the past few seasons with 6-foot-6 Brant Heppner at quarterback, but the Golden Eagles have a loaded secondary with numerous seniors that have been starting since they were sophomores. The Lions are on a 24-game winning streak. The last time Lynden lost was the last time Ferndale came to town.
Matchup to watch: Ferndale senior Phoenyx Finkbonner against Lynden junior Ryan Van Berkum. When Lynden has the ball, Van Berkum will be lined up at right tackle, and at 6-foot-7, he’s hard to miss. He will have to contain the speed of Finkbonner who has moved from linebacker to defensive end. You may also see this matchup with Finkbonner is placekicking, I mean, I think I’d put a kid with the height of VanBerkum out there to block an extra point, wouldn’t you?
Historical significance: Well, there’s a lot of history here, with games going back almost 80 years. From 1945 to 1963, the two teams played each other in the old Whatcom County League, with Ferndale winning 12 out of 18 games. They didn’t play each other for 30 years, until the Lions were moved up to join the Northwest League, and the two have played each other every year for the last 30 years. Ferndale holds a 16-14 advantage in the modern era.
Moving up the record book: The chances that Heppner attempts 11 passes in this game is pretty good. If he does so, without throwing an interception, he will become the first player in Whatcom County history to not throw an interception in the first 100 pass attempts of his career.
SEHOME (0-0) AT MOUNT BAKER (0-0)
Time: 7 PM Friday
Site: Bob Tisdale Field
What to expect: This is about as even of a matchup as I can think of for week one. Even though one could look at both teams and see polar opposites, picking a winner is tough. Sehome returns a lot of players in the passing game, and Mount Baker’s strength could be in its secondary. The Mountaineers will try to control the clock, and keep the ball out of Sehome’s hands.
Matchup to watch: Sehome junior running back Solomon McAlister versus Mount Baker senior linebacker Bryson Moa. Both of these players are starting for the first time in their varsity careers, and they are both the kind of players that could really tilt the advantage one way or another. It’s all about who wants it more.
Historical significance: These two teams have faced each other more times than people may think. It’s the 12th time, all of them since 2004 when the Mariners bested the Mounties 13-6. Since then Coach Lepper has led his team to victory eight out of the last 10 times, including a 55-0 win in 2011 in which senior running back Levi Wigg finished with 221 yards and four touchdowns on just 11 carries.
Moving up the record book: Sehome junior Andre Watson (55 receptions) and senior Braddock Duckworth (49 receptions) are currently in 7th place and 10 place, respectively, in career receptions in Sehome history. Five catches by Duckworth would vault him past Austin Roberts for ninth all-time, and a single reception by Watson will break a tie with Marcus Montag.
LYNDEN CHRISTIAN (0-0) AT LAKESDIE – NMF (0-0)
Time: 7 PM Friday
Site: Lakeside High School
What to expect: This is another game that could come down to the end. I would say that the Lyncs have more talent, but a six hour bus ride could take their legs in the beginning of the game. Look for the Eagles to strike early, and the Lyncs to show their power late.
Player to watch: Junior tight end/linebacker Trey Bosman. This guy just makes plays. Every time I saw him on film last year, he was a difference maker all over the field. I’m excited to see what he brings this year, and you can bet that it will be huge.
Historical significance: It’s the first meeting of these two schools, although Lynden Christian used to play Lakeside of Seattle back in the 1990’s! The Lyncs have been dominant as of late, winning 41 of their last 50 games.
Moving up the record book: As of right now, senior quarterback Jeremiah Wright has completed 66% of his career pass attempts, which is good enough for second all-time in Whatcom County history. The tricky thing about averages is that it can both go and go down, but if he can manage to make it go up a little bit, he could surpass Josh Kraght who finished his amazing career by completing 66.5% of his passes.
PORT ANGELES (0-0) AT BLAINE (0-0)
Time: 7 PM Friday
Site: Blaine High School
What to expect: Hopes are high for the new regime in the border city. Coach Andy Olson takes over a program that has had its share of ups and down recently, and he’ll hope to start things off right. Look for the Borderites to go on the attack early and often with numerous playmakers on the outside.
Player to watch: Senior tight end/defensive end Conner Dalry. Now playing the H-back position, it just warms my heart. The only thing I love more than watching someone play the H-back position is watching someone like Dalry play the H-back position! His explosiveness is going to allow him to thrive at the new spot, and he’s also a big time receiving threat (although I think he’d rather block people).
Historical significance: This is just the third meeting between the two schools, with Port Angeles winning last season and the Borderites winning two years ago. More than winning the rubber match, just getting off to a good start can really help the confidence of the young Blaine squad.
Moving up the record book: You gotta start somewhere, and it starts right here for Olson. He takes over for Jay Dodd, who finished his coaching career as the Borderite’s all-time winningest coach with 73 victories.
NEW WESTMINSTER, BC (0-0) AT SQUALICUM (0-0)
Time: 7 PM Friday
Site: Civic Stadium
What to expect: You just never know about those Canadian teams. But, usually, when it comes to the teams up north, New West is generally regarded as one of the stronger ones year in and year out. Look for the Storm to feature junior Marcus Nixon as the new dual-threat quarterback. Squalicum has always done very well under Nick Lucey, especially when he has a running threat at the QB position.
Player to watch: Junior running back/inside linebacker Malaki Smith. I really enjoyed what I saw last season in Smith’s limited time at the varsity level. Now bigger, stronger and faster, I think he could be a huge impact player for the Storm on both sides of the ball.
Historical significance: New West has yet to score a victory over the Storm, as Squalicum has outscored the Hyacks 99-35 in their only two previous meetings. In the 2004 matchup, James Lordan and Richard Watkines combined for 246 yards and six touchdowns on just 12 carries.
Moving up the record book: Nixon is currently ranked 18th on his school’s all-time rushing list. If he surpasses 62 yards on the ground tonight, he will move up two spots and pass Ryan Ebbesen and Devante Powell.
GRANITE FALLS (0-0) AT MERIDIAN (0-0)
Time: 7 PM Friday
Site: Meridian High School
What to expect: I expect some pretty big things out of the Trojans this season, as they are returning a lot of good players, especially on the line. Last season, Meridian put over 250 yards both rushing and receiving against the Tigers, but rumor has it that Granite Falls is much improved, especially with its new transfer at quarterback.
Player to watch: Junior center Carson Campbell. He’s smart, he’s strong, he’s the ideal high school center. Look for him to open up huge gaps in the middle of the field for Joshtyn Elmer and Landen Downey to run through.
Historical significance:The Trojans are 13-0 against the Tigers all-time. In fact, the closest matchup that there’s ever been between these two teams was in 1988 when Meridian won 38-6. In that game, Trojan running back Todd Pfannenstiel went off for 156 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
Moving up the record book: Elmer currently sits at 15th place in school history for career rushing yards. He’s just 18 yards away from tying Mike Lindstrom, who led the Trojans to their first ever state championship appearance in 1984.
CHIEF SEALTH (0-0) AT BELLINGHAM (0-0)
Time: 1 PM Saturday
Site: Civic Stadium
What to expect: Well, it was supposed to be the Bayhawks hosting Cleveland, but after the opposition pulled out late against Bellingham it will now be the Bayhawks taking on Chief Sealth. Look for a pass happy offense from Bellingham, especially with new trigger man, Josh Leonard, behind center. As long as the Bayhawks don’t get in their own way, they should be just fine in the opener on Saturday afternoon.
Player to watch: Junior guard/defensive tackle Finnegan Jensen. Extremely powerful at 305 pounds, as he continues to play with dominant force, he will continue to make a name for himself. A road grater on offense, and not fun to block when he’s lined up across from you on defense.
Historical significance: This will be the first meeting between the two schools, in fact to my knowledge, the only time Chief Sealth played a Whatcom County team was in 2019 when it opened the season against Blaine. A last second change can throw off any team, but once you’re on the field, you just play ball.
Moving up the record book: Since 2015, only five players at Bellingham have had more career tackles for loss than junior linebacker Tyler Frost. If he replicates the season he had last year, he will be able to pass all of them. Frost currently has 14.5, the other players are Christian Butenschoen (15.5), Jade Dudoward (16), Jack Fields (18), Nicholas Oesterling (19) and Brahm VanWoerden (26.5).
Impressive coverage. I tried to share it on FB, but could not.