LYNDEN – It came down to the final play of the game. Down by seven at the Mountaineer 29-yard line with three seconds to go, Lynden junior quarterback Baylor Ayres avoided senior defensive end Kris Flowers, stepped up in the pocket, looked to the left side of the end zone and heaved up a pass toward Kaleo Jandoc and Brock Heppner. Mount Baker senior cornerback Chris Van Liew jumped in between them to deflect the pass, and just like that the jam-packed crowd at Rollie DeKoster Field saw the Mounties defeat the Lions for the first time since 1990.
It was much like last year’s classic week one matchup when Baker quarterback Kaleb Bass hit Kobee Malone on a deep pass in the end zone as the regulation time expired. The Mountaineers were also down by seven before that play happened, ultimately elected to go for the two-point conversion after the touchdown, but came up short, losing 35-34.
Just for Lynden to be on the 29-yard line going in with three seconds to go was an amazing feat in itself. Just moments earlier, the Lions were on their own 9-yard line facing a 4th-and-23 situation after three incompletions and a penalty. Ayres hooked up with Heppner deep down the left sideline for a 62-yard connection that set up the late game dramatics.
Both offenses looked strong in the first quarter, with each team putting together long, impressive drives that ended with 1-yard touchdown runs. The Mountaineers took the lead in the second quarter when junior quarterback Mason Jacoby found senior tight end Waylon Kentner on a 6-yard touchdown pass, and halftime came with a 14-7 score.
Mount Baker sophomore Jesse Sande returned the second half kickoff 19 yards, and junior running back Toby Jefferson followed that up with a tackle-breaking 41-yard run up the left side line. Jefferson finished with a game-high 101 yards rushing on 15 carries. Senior running back Jason Lee scored 10 plays later on a 2-yard plunge when he followed the block of his 284-pound left tackle, Victor Schuener. Lee finished with 78 yards on the ground.
After a few alternating possessions, Lynden put together a strong 5-play, 62-yard drive that ended with Ayres scoring from five yards out. It would end up being the final scoring play of the game.
The Lions threatened about halfway through the fourth quarter, but junior cornerback Ayden Rodriguez intercepted a pass at his own 2-yard line.
Although the Lions outgained the Mountaineers in total offense, it was three timely interceptions for Mount Baker that helped them with this huge victory. In additions to Rodriguez’s late game interception, Jacoby and senior Mark Tikhonov also picked off passes.
Lynden senior running back Steven DiLorenzo led his team on the ground with 75 yards on 15 carries, and Ayres completed 6-of-15 passes for 166 yards.
The Mountaineers (1-0) will host Sehome (1-0) this Friday in Beason Bowl II. The Lions (0-1) will travel to Ferndale (0-1) on Friday to take on their rival Golden Eagles.
Mount Baker 21
Lynden 14
MB 7 7 7 0 – 21
LYN 7 0 0 7 – 14
LYN – DiLorenzo 1 run (Samoukovic kick)
MB – Jacoby 1 run (Zavala kick)
MB – Kentner 6 pass from Jacoby (Zavala kick)
MB – Lee 2 run (Zavala kick)
LYN – Ayres 5 run (Samoukovic kick)
MB LYN
49-256 Rushing Att-Yards 29-141
5-14-0 Comp-Att-Int 9-24-3
32 Passing yards 221
Individual Leaders
RUSHING – MB: Jefferson 15-101, Lee 18-78, Rodriguez 4-39, Tikhonov 6-33, Sane 2-3, Jacoby 4-2. LYN: DiLorenzo 15-75, Heppner 7-40, Ayres 5-28, Wheeler 2-(-2).
PASSING – MB: Jacoby 5-14-0-32. LYN: Ayres 6-15-0-166, Heppner 3-9-3-55.
RECEIVING – MB: Kentner 3-24, Rodriguez 1-5, Lee 1-3. LYN: E. Bode 4-82, Heppner 3-94, Jandoc 1-36, Lohrer 1-9.
