Pioneers Head to State for Third Straight Year

BY MAKAYLA SPARKS – For Whatcom Preps

BELLINGHAM – The Nooksack Valley defense came to play as the Pioneers got the job done and booked their third consecutive trip to the state tournament with a 26-3 win over Lakeside-Nine Mile Falls at Civic Stadium on Saturday night.

Despite limited warm up due to the previous game, Nooksack Valley started the game hot and collected its first score of the game with just 45 seconds taken off the clock. Junior quarterback Evan Brown aired a ball out for senior receiver Evan Bravo who raced 37 yards to the house for an early 7-0 lead.

Bravo finished the night with 10 receptions for 150 yards.

The Eagles managed to slow down the Pioneers on their next drive, but senior running back Colton Lentz powered into the end zone on a nine-yard run to put Nooksack up 13-0 after the first quarter after senior nose tackle Adlei Whitworth forced a fumble when he sacked the Lakeside quarterback, and it was recovered by senior defensive lineman Lance VanBerkum.

Another methodical drive later, the Nooksack Valley coaching staff called the number of senior running back Colby Martin. Martin took the handoff and rumbled 14 yards for another six points and the Pioneers were out in front 19-0 in the second quarter.

Lakeside put together a strong drive to end the first half but were forced to go for a field goal as time expired. The 28-yards kick was good and the Eagles added their only points of the game to the board.

Nooksack Valley kicked the ball away to start the second half but wasted no time getting the ball back and charging down the field. With only a minute and forty seconds off the third quarter clock, Martin found the end zone once again, this time on a 33-yard run and the Pioneers were up 26-3.

The Nooksack Valley defense shined all night, with Martin totaling 12.5 tackles and two stops for a loss, and VanBerkum causing all sorts of havoc with 9.5 tackles, three tackles for loss, a quarterback sack, a tipped pass and a fumble recovery. However, they had saved their best for the last minutes of the game. With Lakeside in Pioneer territory, Bravo ripped the ball away from an Eagles receiver to halt that drive.

With 42 seconds left on the game clock, senior safety Cole Bauman intercepted a Lakeside pass attempt to put the game away, 26-3.

The win sends the number five ranked Pioneers (8-2) to their third consecutive trip to the state tournament, where they will face 12th ranked Zillah (8-2) in the first round.

Nooksack Valley      26
Lakeside-NMF          3

LAK     0    3    0    0  -   3
NV     13    6    7    0  -  26

NV - Bravo 37 pass from Brown (T. Martin kick)
NV - Lentz 9 run (kick blocked)
NV - C. Martin 14 run (run failed)
LAK - 28 yard field goal
NV - C. Martin 33 run (T. Martin kick)

LAK                        NV
32-111  Rush Att-Yards     21-119
15-26-1 Comp-Att-Int       25-36-0
91      Passing Yards      263

Individual Leaders
   RUSHING - LAK: N/A. NV: C. Martin 11-53, Lentz 4-40, Olney 4-40, Brown 2-(-14).
   PASSING - LAK: N/A. NV: Brown 25-35-0-263, Olney 0-1-0-0.
   RECEIVING - LAK: N/A. NV: Bravo 10-150, Coppinger 8-73, Olney 4-22, Bauman 2-13, Kamphouse 1-5.