DEMING – It was a game that could have gone either way. It had five lead changes, five timely interceptions and it came down to the final play when the clock struck 0:00. Down by seven, Mount Baker quarterback Kaleb Bass threw a “Hail Mary” into the end zone from 34 yards out as the buzzer sounded. Despite quadruple coverage, Kobee Malone came up with the miraculous catch for a touchdown. The Mountaineers went for the win with a two-point conversion, but Lynden defensive end Brock Heppner brought down Bass as he tried to deliver the ball, which gave the Lions the 35-34 victory at Bob Tisdale Field on Friday night.
Malone scored the first touchdown of the game from five yards out in the first quarter on an end around. However, following the kickoff, Lynden junior running back Steven DiLorenzo took his first carry of the year and sprinted 85 yards for the touchdown. The Lions would score again when 6-foot-4 senior quarterback James Marsh looked deep down field, noticed the broken coverage, and found Kobe Elsner wide open for a 63-yard touchdown.
Mountie senior running back Sam Barrett broke a few tackles, and bounced outside to score on a 28-yard run in the second quarter. But, the Lions answered back before halftime when Marsh kept the ball himself, and scored for four yards out.
The momentum kept swinging back and forth, and in the third quarter Mount Baker scored on a 10-yard touchdown run by Bass, and scored again when Marsh was looking to throw a quick pass to his right, Mountaineer defensive end Michael Kentner stuck his big hand up and swatted the ball to himself. His athletic play allowed him to gather the ball in, and sprint to the end zone. Jason Lee’s extra point gave Baker the 28-20 lead.
Marsh ended the third quarter with a 5-yard touchdown run, as well as scoring the two-point conversion on the exact same play to tie the game up. Marsh’s touchdown run was set up by a 57-yard interception return by Grant VanderYacht.
A handful of big runs by DiLorenzo in the fourth quarter allowed Lynden to quickly get down the field. Marsh scored his third touchdown of the game on a quarterback draw from 17 yards away. DiLorenzo finished with 225 yards rushing on just nine carries.
The Mountaineers comfortably drove down the field as the end of the game neared. Bass made play after play, scrambling for first downs, and completing passes down field to heady receivers that were getting out of bounds. Bass also took a giant shot to the ribs from blitzing linebacker Bodie Human as he launched the ball deep, looking for Kentner in the end zone. The incomplete pass with only a few seconds left led up to the dramatic last play of regulation.
Lynden 35
Mount Baker 34
Lyn. 13 7 8 7 – 35
MB 7 7 14 6 – 34
MB – Malone 5 run (Lee kick)
Lyn – DiLorenzo 85 run (bad snap)
Lyn – Elsner 63 pass from Marsh (Samoukovic kick)
MB – Barrett 28 run (Lee kick)
Lyn – Marsh 4 run (Samoukovich kick)
MB – Bass 10 run (Lee kick)
MB – M. Kentner 45 interception return (Lee kick)
Lyn – Marsh 5 run (Marsh run)
Lyn – Marsh 17 run (Samoukovic kick)
MB – Malone 34 pass from Bass (pass failed)
LYN MB
Rushing Att-Yards 27-264 52-262
Comp-Att-Int 8-14-2 11-18-3
Passing yards 113 176
Penalties-yards 8-65 4-30
Individual Leaders
RUSHING – Lyn: DiLorenzo 9-225, Marsh 13-35, Melendez 5-4. MB: Barrett 17-90, Lee 18-77, Bass 11-58, Malone 4-33, Harkness 1-3, Jefferson 1-1.
PASSING – Lyn: Marsh 8-14-2-113. MB: Bass 11-18-3-176.
RECEIVING – Lyn: Elsner 3-80, VanderYacht 2-12, Heppner 2-9, C. Bode 1-12. MB: M. Kentner 5-78, Malone 3-66, Lee 1-12, Smith 1-11, Barrett 1-9.
