DEMING – It seemed like a foregone conclusion. The undefeated, number-one ranked, Lynden Christian football team had locked down the top spot in the Northwest Conference. They had already beaten Nooksack Valley, and have steam-rolled everyone in their path.
The Mount Baker Mountaineers have had an up-and-down season, losing heartbreakers along the way, and came into Friday night with an even record of 4-4.
Would it be just a formality to play the game? Not exactly.
The Mountaineers had great practices, and lived by the mantra “why not us?” all week.
The line played inspired, their free safety played angry and Marcques George played like an All-State running back as Mount Baker defeated Lynden Christian 48-34 at Bob Tisdale Field on Friday night.
Without senior star Kade Eldridge, who will miss the remainder of the season with a broken foot, the Lyncs often went five-wide to start the game, and quickly drove down the gridiron on the first possession and got on the board first when junior quarterback Jeremiah Wright used his 6-foot-6 220-pound frame to get into the end zone from six yards out.
Mount Baker countered by driving 65 yards in seven plays, which culminated with a 17-yard touchdown run by George to tie the game, 7-7.
After trading punts, the Lyncs got on the board again, this time on a 13-yard touchdown run by Wright which saw him knife through the middle of the line, then bounce it outside before crossing the goal line.
The Mountaineers had a very quick answer as George took the handoff on the very next play from scrimmage, found the hole that was created by senior right guard Drake Pinkey and senior right tackle Jesse Harward, and sprinted 68 yards for a touchdown.
The Lyncs then had a quick drive for themselves, as Wright hooked up with junior Tyson Bajema down the left sideline for 24 yards, and followed that up with a 49-yard touchdown pass to senior Lane Dykstra.
The game of back-and-forth was on, but the momentum quickly shifted back to Lynden Christian on the next play from scrimmage when junior inside linebacker Kayden Stuit intercepted a pass that was intended for sophomore tight end Dylan Moa, and returned it to the Mount Baker 9-yard line.
Already with a 21-14 lead, and the ball inside the 10, it appeared that this would be the ideal time for the number-one ranked team in the state to put away those pesky Mountaineers, but on the very next play it was junior cornerback Landen Hanstead who jumped a slant route and intercepted the pass at the goal line and returned it out to the 36-yard line.
14 plays later, Landon Smith called his own number and buried his shoulder into the middle of the LC defense for a 1-yard touchdown run. Tanyen Staton’s extra point tied the game at 21 with 4:09 left in the first half.
The Mountaineers forced a punt, which resulted in great field position, this time starting at the Lync 47-yard line.
Seven plays later Smith faked the handoff to George and powered his way across the goal line from two yards out, and Baker held a 28-21 advantage with 1:04 left until halftime.
The Lyncs quickly drove down the field, and got all the way to the Mountie 3-yard line, but on fourth down junior defensive end Alex Maloley brought Wright down in the backfield for a quarterback sack that basically ended the first half.
Mount Baker received the second-half kickoff, but was quickly forced to punt. The Lyncs again drove into the red zone, mostly in part to a 46-yard connection from Wright to senior wide receiver Tyler Sipma. The Baker defense stiffened up, and forced LC to turn the ball over on downs four plays later.
It took eight strong plays for the Mountaineers to move the ball past midfield, but once they did it took just one to get the ball into the end zone as George did it again, this time on a 44-yard scoring run. A celebration penalty pushed the extra point attempt back 15 yards, and try for two didn’t work, so Baker’s lead was left at 34-21.
The Lyncs put together a much-needed 11-play 59-yard scoring drive that resulted with a 16-yard touchdown pass from Wright to Bajema. Braden Kuik’s kick closed the gap to just six points, 34-28.
Riding the momentum of the recent score, Sipma picked off a Baker pass on the next play from scrimmage, and LC was setting up shop in Mount Baker territory to begin the fourth quarter. Are you exhausted yet?
The Lyncs were able to pick up just one first down, but were then forced to punt. Senior Tommy Meyer delivered a high punt that was scooped up after one bounce at the 9-yard line. This was when Sipma made another unbelievable play. The All-Conference senior ripped the ball out of the returners hands and took it 13 yards for a score to tie the game at 34.
Eerily, a similar celebration penalty was called, and Kuik’s extra point turned into a 35-yard try, which he hooked right, keeping the score tied at 34 with 10:14 left in the game.
At this point, the cute story of the Mountaineers sticking with the top-ranked Lyncs was over. It was everything on the line for the next 10 minutes, with inspired seniors playing their final game at Bob Tisdale Field.
Mount Baker put together a powerful drive which consisted of runs up the gut by George, as well as a double-handoff that ultimately went to Hanstead that had Smith lead-blocking from his quarterback position. The drive finished with a 2-yard touchdown run by George, which gave the Mountaineers a 41-34 lead with a little over six minutes left.
The Lyncs were able to drive to their 45-yard line, but a deep pass down the right sideline had just enough air under it for Smith to intercept it and return to the LC 41-yard line. George would score his fifth touchdown of the game just six plays later, this time from three yards out, which gave the Mounties a two-touchdown lead.
George finished with 266 yards rushing on 26 carries.
Lynden Christian connected on some deep passes to Sipma to get into the red zone, but the Lyncs finally stalled out and turned to ball over on downs, which gave Mount Baker the win, and a shot at the postseason.
Wright completed 22 passes for 408 yards. Sipma hauled in nine passes for 156 yards.
Baker held LC to negative nine yards rushing on the game with George, Harward, Maloley, Brady West and Ethan Larson each getting multiple stops in the backfield.
The Mountaineers (5-4) will face Nooksack Valley (7-1) at Blaine High School on Thursday at 5:00. The two will play a shortened Kansas City Tie Breaker (high school overtime rules). The winner will advance to the state playoffs, the loser will battle the Lyncs (8-1) in a winner-to-state, loser-out matchup.
Mount Baker 48 Lynden Christian 34 LC 7 14 7 6 - 34 MB 7 21 6 14 - 48 LC - Wright 6 run (Kuik kick) MB - George 17 run (Staton kick) LC - Wright 13 run (kick failed) MB - George 68 run (Staton kick) LC - L. Dykstra 49 pass from Wright (Wright run) MB - Smith 1 run (Staton kick) MB - Smith 2 run (Staton kick) MB - George 44 run (pass failed) LC - Bajema 16 pass from Wright (Kuik kick) LC - Sipma 13 fumble return (kick failed) MB - George 2 run (Staton kick) MB - George 3 run (Staton kick)
LC MB 18-(-9) Rush Att-Yards 44-363 22-44-2 Comp-Att-Int 6-14-2 408 Passing Yards 68 Individual Leaders RUSHING - LC: Tolsma 6-(-1), Wright 10-(-2), Stuit 2-(-6). MB: George 26-266, Hanstead 3-49, W. Maloley 8-31, Smith 7-17. PASSING - LC: Wright 22-41-2-408, G. Dykstra 0-1-0-0. MB: Smith 6-14-2-68. RECEIVING - LC: Sipma 9-156, Bajema 7-99, L. Dykstra 4-118, Kuik 1-30, Stuit 1-5. MB: Staton 2-30, Hanstead 2-17, D. Moa 1-16, George 1-5.
Great game. Proud of our Baker Boys!! On to Blaine next Thursday. GO BAKER!!