BELLINGHAM – The number three seeded Lyncs took care of business on Friday night by shutting out Granite Falls 50-0 at Civic Stadium.
The last time the Tigers were in the state tournament was in 1990. Their opponent? Of course, it was Lynden Christian, led by a fresh-faced 27-year old rookie head coach Dan Kaemingk. Granite Falls got the best of LC that evening 7-0 (in a game that was also held at Civic Stadium), but coach Kaemingk made sure Friday night wouldn’t be a replay of the contest that took place 31 years ago.
The Lyncs got off to hot start, and scored their first touchdown just 2:37 into the game on a strong Kade Eldridge 3-yard run from the wishbone formation.
Lynden Christian recovered the ensuing kickoff when Lucas VanHofwegen’s line-drive boot hit a Granite Falls player, and came straight back to the senior kicker. A few plays later it was Caleb Ryan that punched in a 2-yard run, and the Lyncs held a 14-0 lead before the Tigers had even possessed the ball.
Eldridge went on to score two more rushing touchdowns, and finished with a team-high 142 yards on 12 carries.
Senior quarterback Will Colwell completed touchdown passes to Ryan, junior Tyler Sipma and senior Jamison Hintz.
The last score of the game came when the ball was snapped over the Tiger punter’s head, and when the punter finally was able to collect the ball he was tackled in the end zone by junior linebacker Braden Kuik for a safety.
Senior linebacker Matthew Burrows led the Lync defense with eight tackles. Burrows and sophomore defensive end Jeremiah Wright each also registered a quarterback sack. Lynden Christian also stopped Granite Falls behind the line on 12 separate plays.
The Lyncs will host Tenino (who defeated Freeman 80-55) next weekend in a state quarterfinal game. Time and location has yet to be announced.
Granite Falls 0 Lynden Christian 50 GF 0 0 0 0 - 0 LC 27 21 2 0 - 50 LC - Eldridge 3 run (VanHofwegen kick) LC - Ryan 2 run (VanHofwegen kick) LC - Sipma 46 pass from Colwell (VanHofwegen kick) LC - Eldridge 57 run (kick failed) LC - Hintz 16 pass from Colwell (VanHofwegen kick) LC - Eldridge 24 run (VanHofwegen kick) LC - Ryan 8 pass from Colwell (VanHofwegen kick) LC - Safety, Kuik tackled punter in the end zone
GF LC 36-27 Rush Att-Yards 25-220 2-7-0 Comp-Att-Int 8-14-0 0 Passing Yards 130 Individual Leaders RUSHING - GF: N/A. LC: Eldridge 12-142, Sipma 3-37, Colwell 3-24, Paxton 2-15, Ryan 2-6, Dick 1-2, DenHartog 1-(-2), Owen 1-(-4). PASSING - GF: N/A. LC: Colwell 8-14-0-130. RECEIVING - GF: N/A. LC: Ryan 3-31, Penner 2-32, Sipma 1-46, Hintz 1-16, Eldridge 1-5.
