BLAINE – The Mountaineers and the Pioneers were both able to avenge losses from earlier this season, and by doing so, they are both headed to the 1A State Playoffs.
Mount Baker and Nooksack Valley faced each other in the first game of the Kansas City Tie Breaker, with the Mountaineers having the first possession. After five consecutive running plays, that alternated between senior running backs Wilhem Maloley and Marcques George, Baker found itself with a 4th-and-1 predicament just inside the 5-yard line.
The Mountaineers elected to go for it, and pitched the ball to Whatcom County’s leading rusher (George), but he was bottled up for no gain, and brought down by a host of Pioneer tacklers which was led by 290-pound junior Duke Halaapiapi.
Because of the turnover on downs, Nooksack Valley now got its chance from the 25-yard line.
The Pioneers began with a quarterback sweep around left end, but Joey Brown was brought down in the backfield by junior defensive end Alex Maloley. Brown mishandled the next snap, and was brought down for a loss by George. On 3rd-and-long, Brown then completed a pass to senior tight end Ryan Hughes, but it wasn’t enough to move the chains. Junior kicker Jorgen Vigre came out onto the field to win the game, but his 38-yard field goal attempt was wide right.
Nooksack Valley controlled the ball first in the second set of possessions, and fared much better this time. Aided by an 18-yard run by Brown, the Pioneers got as close as the 2-yard line, but a 4th-and-goal run by sophomore Colton Lentz didn’t get the yardage, and now the Mountaineers would have their chance at winning the mini-playoff.
Two plays later it was senior quarterback Landon Smith who dropped back to pass, six broken tackles later he had gained five yards on his own, which brought the ball to the 21-yard line. George took the handoff on the very next play, followed blocks by Drake Pinkey, Vance Lawrence and Brady West to score a touchdown, and send the Mountaineers to the 1A State Playoffs.
The Pioneers then hustled into the locker room, put on their home purple jerseys, and faced off against Lynden Christian for the second playoff spot.
The Lyncs had the first possession, and an 18-yard pass from Jeremiah Wright to Lane Dykstra quickly got LC inside the 10-yard line, but they ultimately had to settle for a 26-yard field goal attempt by Braden Kuik. The kick was partially blocked by Hughes, and ended up short.
Nooksack Valley was able to pick up a few yards, but again had to trot Vigre out to kick a field goal, this time from 34 yards out. The potential game-winning kick was hooked to the right, and another set of possessions was forthcoming.
The Pioneers moved the ball a little stronger this time out, and a 16-yard run by Brown on 4th down moved the ball inside the 5-yard line. A holding penalty, coupled with an injury to Brown, pushed Nooksack back a few yards. Brown was able to return two plays later, but the Pioneers couldn’t convert on third down. Vigre came out for his third field goal attempt of the evening, and this time he was good from 30 yards out, and Nooksack Valley now had to hold the Lync offense.
Lynden Christian was able to pick up a quick first down, but a holding penalty pushed the Lyncs back to the 22-yard line. Wright then completed a quick 4-yard pass to Tyler Sipma, but the play came up short and brought up fourth down for LC. Kuik came onto the field to try and keep the Lyncs’ season alive, but his kick was pushed wide left, and the Pioneers were victorious and will go to the state playoffs for the first time since 2017.
