BURLINGTON – The defending 2A state champion Lions have been getting everyone’s best shot, and they got another one on Friday night, this time from their rival Burlington-Edison. However, Lynden made more plays in the second half and came out with a 35-23 victory at Kirkby Field.
The Lions marched right down the field to begin the game, going 58 yards on 12 plays, with a 1-yard touchdown run by senior Lane Heeringa as the exclamation mark.
The Tigers returned the favor, and looked sharp doing it, as they drove 80 yards on 10 plays and they tied it up when junior running back Xavier Aguilar broke loose for a 28-yard touchdown scamper.
Lynden stayed composed, and had another deliberate smash-mouth drive which took 14 plays, and ended with another touchdown run by Heeringa. This time from five yards out.
Burlington-Edison then scored on a wild play, on its next play from scrimmage. A Tiger back carried the ball for a few yards, but fumbled the ball late in the play. It was scooped up by sophomore wide receiver Hamza Abdalle, and he raced 80 yards for a touchdown.
The Lions then fumbled the ball two plays later, and the Tigers had full momentum at the point, and they had the ball at the Lynden 30-yard line. The Lynden defense stiffened up, though, and eight plays later it was senior inside linebacker Chris Elenbaas who wrestled the ball away from a Burlington player at the 8-yard line, and he returned it 22 yards.
The Lions had the momentum back, with the score tied at 14, but ultimately turned the ball over on downs at their own 38-yard line. Nine plays later, junior kicker Jacob Gonzalez put the Tigers up 17-14 when he connected on a 41-yard field goal just before halftime.
Burlington-Edison was receiving the ball to start the second half, and put together a long drive, but an incomplete pass on fourth down gave Lynden the ball back at the Lion 26-yard line.
Five plays later it was Lynden senior running back Campbell Nolte who broke free around the left side, and took off for a 55-yard touchdown run. It was the first rushing play to that point for the Lions that went for over 10 yards, and it came at just the right moment as it gave Lynden a 21-17 lead halfway through the third quarter.
It was a lead that they were able to hold on to for the rest of the contest.
The Lions then forced a punt, the only one of the game, in which the Tigers needed to kick out of their own end zone. Senior Kaedan Hermanutz’s return gave Lynden great field position, at the Burlington-Edison 28-yard line.
Nine plays later Hermanutz found his sophomore tight end Isaiah Oudman on a quick pass for a 4-yard touchdown which gave Lynden a 28-17 lead early in the fourth quarter.
The Tigers then drove 75 yards on 10 plays, with Abdalle scoring his second touchdown of the game, this time on a 15-yard pass from junior quarterback Cade Knutzen. Burlington tried for two, but was stopped short by Oudman.
Now with a 28-23 lead, Lynden was able to run more clock, and put together its last strong drive of the game. Heeringa ended the drive by scoring his third touchdown of the game.
Heeringa also spear-headed the Lynden defense with 11 tackles, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble.
The Lions (7-0) will be back at home on Friday to take on Lakewood (2-5) at 7:00.
Lynden 35 Burlington-Edison 23 LYN 7 7 7 14 - 35 B-E 7 10 0 6 - 23 LYN - Heeringa 1 run (Petz kick) B-E - Aguilar 28 run (Gonzalez kick) LYN - Heeringa 5 run (Petz kick) B-E - Abdalle 80 run (Gonzalez kick) B-E - Gonzalez 41 FG LYN - Nolte 55 run (Petz kick) LYN - I. Oudman 4 pass from Hermanutz (Petz kick) B-E - Abdalle 15 pass from Knutzen (run failed) LYN - Heeringa 1 run (Petz kick) LYN B-E 40-183 Rush Att-Yards 35-245 12-18-0 Comp-Att-Int 9-16-0 114 Passing Yards 67 Individual Leaders RUSHING - LYN: Nolte 6-69, Heeringa 18-64, Hermanutz 11-44, Heppner 5-6. B-E: N/A. PASSING - LYN: Hermanutz 6-10-0-66, Heppner 6-8-0-48. B-E: N/A. RECEIVING - LYN: Stanley 6-69, Petz 3-31, Anker 1-6, Heeringa 1-4, I. Oudman 1-4. B-E: N/A.
