OAK HARBOR – While a state berth wasn’t on the line in this game, there was plenty of pride on the line as Nooksack Valley defeated the Wildcats 41-13 on Friday night.
While Oak Harbor has around three times as many students as Nooksack, the Pioneers showed how strong of a team they were in the final game of the season.
Senior running back Dane Winter’s took the first handoff of the game and sprinted 73 yards for a touchdown, and senior quarterback Cole Eldridge followed that up with a 69-yard touchdown run of his own.
Eldridge scored again in the second quarter on a run to the left that looked to be sealed up, but he found a way to stay in bounds and charge toward the end zone. Eldridge also found Weidkamp on a 10-yard slant pattern for a touchdown in the same period.
Nooksack Valley has rattled off big plays all season, and in this game the defense also got in on the action on the final play of the half.
Oak Harbor had a perfect middle screen pass set up, but the pass was tipped straight into the air by middle linebacker Braden Leyba. The senior’s concentration allowed him to stay with the ball, intercept it, and return it 32 yards for a touchdown.
Winter scored the Pioneers’ final touchdown of the season on a pitch to the left, and his speed alone let little doubt in anyone’s mind as he scored from 33 yards out. The converted offensive lineman also broke 1,000 yards rushing on the season as he finished the game with 179 yards on 21 carries.
And, speaking of converted offensive linemen, right tackle Easton Zylstra was able to take a few snaps in the shotgun at quarterback late in the game. The 6-foot-3 250-pound senior blasted through the middle of the line for a five yard gain, and showed his arm strength on the next play on a deep ball down the right sideline that fell incomplete.
Eldridge had his best passing game of the season, completing 11-of-16 passes for 155 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 105 yards on eight carries. Senior Keldon Weidkamp caught five passes for 83 yards and senior Ryan Veening closed out his varsity career with a four-catch performance for 46 yards.
Although the Pioneers finished with a 3-7 record, I would put this squad up against any other three-win team in the state, from any classification.
Nooksack Valley 41
Oak Harbor 13
NV 12 23 0 6 – 41
OH 0 0 7 6 – 13
NV – Winter 73 run (pass failed)
NV – Eldridge 69 run (pass failed)
NV – Eldridge 10 run (Weidkamp pass from Eldridge)
NV – Weidkamp 10 pass from Eldridge (Whittern pass from Eldridge)
NV – Leyba 32 interception return (Conner kick)
OH – 1 yard touchdown run (kick good)
NV – Winter 33 run (kick failed)
OH – 4 yard touchdown run (kick failed)
NV OH
31-298 Rushing Att-Yards 37-116
11-17-1 Comp-Att-Int 16-32-1
155 Passing yards 193
Individual Leaders
RUSHING – NV: Winter 21-179, Eldridge 8-105, Whittern 1-9, Zylstra 1-5. OH: N/A.
PASSING – NV: Eldridge 11-16-0-155, Zylstra 0-1-0-0. OH: N/A.
RECEIVING – NV: Weidkamp 5-83, Veening 4-46, Leyba 1-20, Steele 1-6. OH: N/A.
So proud of the Nooksack Pioneers football team. I’m especially proud of Dane Winter who worked hard in the gym and to give his all to this team. AS a team you played your best and gave your all. Congratulations for ending on the high note.
Their season record doesn’t reflect the champions on this team. These kids have created a brotherhood and love each other. Great last game and genuinely good-hearted boys all with great futures! GO NOOKSACK!