We’re back for more football action! Below are previews for all seven games this weekend, and well as our predictions and a podcast that gives our thoughts on all the games and who we picked as our fantasy players for week 8! Thank you to Camden Raymond for being our guest picker, and thank you to Squalicum junior Zack Watt for the podcast intro!
MARYSVILLE-PILCHUCK (1-6) AT BELLINGHAM (1-6)
Time: 7 PM Thursday
Site: Civic Stadium
What to expect: A lot of running the football from the Tomahawks. Perhaps no team in the Northwest Conference wants to run the ball more, and slow the game down than Marysville-Pilchuck. The Bayhawks will be up for this, and most likely put their best guys in the box to try and force long third downs.
Player to watch: Junior wide receiver/safety/punter Owen Hanstead. The guy does everything out there, and very rarely leaves the field. His biggest moments in this one is being the last line of defense just in case a Tomahawk running back springs one through the Bellingham defense.
Historical significance: This is the first time these two teams have played each other.
Moving up the record book: As of now, Ben Leonard has passed for 602 yards, which is is the seventh most in school history in a sophomore season.
LAKEWOOD (2-5) AT LYNDEN (6-1)
Time: 7 PM Friday
Site: Rollie DeKoster Field
What to expect: The Lions should have a little easier time of it after these past few games, which were all decided by a touchdown or less. I see a steady dose of Max Assink running the ball, and Brant Heppner spreading the wealth through the air.
Player to watch: Senior tight end/outside linebacker Isaiah Oudman. A walking mismatch when he lines up outside, and he’s much faster than you think. Also, a terror on the edge as a defender.
Historical significance: These two teams have played each other nine times, with Lynden winning eight of them. The first meeting was in 2014 with the Lions winning 38-21, a game in which Jordan Wittenberg caught a school-record 13 passes.
Moving up the record book: Heppner has rushed for 26 touchdowns, which is tied with Jordan Hastings and James Marsh for the third most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in school history, and he’s just one behind the person currently in second place, his brother Brock.
SQUALICUM (4-3) AT SEHOME (5-2)
Time: 7 PM Friday
Site: Civic Stadium
What to expect: A lot on the line in this one, with the winner likely securing a postseason berth for the “Round-0f-32” in Week 10. Last year’s game was one of the games of the year, and this one could be very similar. Two great teams, that know each other extremely well.
Matchup to watch: Squalicum junior outside linebacker Laki Fagaautau against Sehome junior left tackle Cole Turrell. Although there will be a lot of great athletes in this one doing there thing on the perimeter in this game, the hard work of these two could really dictate how this game ends up.
Historical significance: In 22 matchups, the Storm has won 13 of them; however the Mariners have won the last two. Sehome won the first meeting 20-14 in 1998, with all three Mariner touchdowns coming through the air from quarterback Paul Nicholes. Two went to Gary Gould, and one was caught by Owen Rhoades. Squalicum’s touchdowns came on the ground from Andy Kammenga and Tim James.
Moving up the record book: Sehome senior Andre Watson has already caught more passes than anyone in Whatcom County history (171), but he’s creeping up on some other county records as he is currently fifth in receiving yards (2380) and second in receiving touchdowns (35).
SEDRO-WOOLLEY (6-1) AT FERNDALE (3-4)
Time: 7 PM Friday
Site: Ferndale High School
What to expect: Most likely, a very fast paced game, in terms of time. Both teams will want to keep the ball on the ground, and control the clock. The Cubs are new to the WesCo 3A North, and were unbeaten until dropping their game last week to Mount Vernon, a team that the Golden Eagles beat in overtime earlier in the season.
Player to watch: Sophomore running back/safety Elliott Lenssen. He scored the lone touchdown for Ferndale last week, and I would imagine he’s going to get more involved with the offense after starting all season defensively. A threat in the return game as well, he has a different gear than most players.
Historical significance: Despite playing each other just once over the last eight years, these two teams have quite the history going back to the 1960’s. The Golden Eagles are 37-11 since 1969 against the Cubs, including winning 19 in a row from 1994-2012.
Moving up the record book: The Talan Bungard watch has been on all year, as we’ve seen him climb his way up the school’s all-time rushing list. He’s currently 15 yards behind Casey Locker for ninth place.
NOOKSACK VALLEY (6-1) AT MONTESANO (4-3)
Time: 7 PM Friday
Site: Jack Rottle Field
What to expect: The Pioneers can relax a little bit, as they have basically secured a postseason berth, but they will still have to stay sharp in this one that appears to be a trap game. The Bulldogs are always tough, and have a reputation for giving teams from Whatcom County great games.
Player to watch: Senior guard/defensive tackle Adlei Whitworth. He has been putting up some big numbers the past few weeks, and can be completely unblockable at times. His strength is also a huge factor, especially when playing on the offensive line.
Historical significance: This is just the third time these two teams have played each other, after a pair of meetings in 2014 and 2015. The Pioneers won the 2014 game 40-34 behind the 280 yards passing, 148 yards rushing and five total touchdowns of Tanner Myhre.
Moving up the record book: Only four players in Whatcom County history have ever scored over 400 points in their career. Jed Schleimer, Mario Gobbato, Ben Peterson and now Colton Lentz.
LYNDEN CHRISTIAN (4-3) AT MERIDIAN (5-2)
Time: 7 PM Friday
Site: Meridian High School
What to expect: This should be a close one, with both teams ranked highly in all the different ranking systems. The Lyncs have suffered injuries to some key players, and the Trojans will have to be on top of their game to get this one at home. Both teams are extremely balanced, and like to really open up the playbook. This is the perfect game to go and watch if you don’t root for any team in particular, but you want to see fun high school football.
Matchup to watch: Lynden Christian running back/linebacker Hollis Owen against Meridian running back/linebacker Landen Downey. No matter which team has the ball, these two great players will collide many times.
Historical significance: There’s a lot of history here, with both teams players each other 82 times over the last 51 years. The Lyncs have won just 29 of them, but have also won the last five in a row.
Moving up the record book: Meridian senior quarterback Jaeger Fyfe has completed 360 passes in his career, which is the fifth most in school history.
BLAINE (5-2) AT MOUNT BAKER (4-3)
Time: 7 PM Friday
Site: Bob Tisdale Field
What to expect: The longest rivalry in Whatcom County high school football, and a must-win game for both teams. Although both teams are clearly within the best 24 1A teams in the state, neither team has won a conference game yet this season, which is hard to believe. There will be a lot of passion on the field, and I wouldn’t expect the ball to be in the air a whole lot.
Matchup to watch: Blaine senior defensive end Blake Koreski against Mount Baker junior right tackle Kaiden Riedesel. After missing last week, Koreski should be good to go in this one, and as the strong side defensive end, he will be tested by Riedesel who is extremely talented.
Historical significance: These two rivals first played each other in 1931, with a total of 106 games between the two. The Mountaineers have won 62, the Borderites have won 40 and there have been four ties. In the final game of the 1991 season, Mount Baker defeated Blaine 33-13 behind the 165 yards rushing and three touchdowns of Brian Gardner.
Moving up the record book: Over the last 30 years, only two players in Mount Baker school history have had over 800 kickoff return yards. Scott McKeever, and current senior Brady Bruland.
