BY MAKAYLA SPARKS – For Whatcom Preps
NOOKSACK – After the incredible football played between the Mount Baker Mountaineers and Nooksack Valley Pioneers during the 2022 season, the atmosphere was full of excitement Friday night, when the two teams faced off for the first time this season at Sid Lambert Field.
The Pioneers’ senior night, and last scheduled home game, went the way of the home team with Nooksack Valley taking the 49-19 victory.
The first score of the game didn’t come until late in the first quarter when Nooksack Valley senior running back Skyler Whittern took the handoff from and broke multiple tackles before rushing into the end zone from 28 yards out. With 3:15 left in the first quarter, the Pioneers had the 7-0 lead.
Twenty seconds later, the Mountaineers returned the favor when Mount Baker junior running back Dylan Moa ran for a touchdown one play after senior Tanyen Staton returned the kickoff to the 83 yards to the Nooksack 3-yard line. The kick was no good, leaving the score at 7-6 Pioneers.
Just before time ran out on the first quarter, the Pioneers took a chance on 4th-and-15. Senior quarterback Joey Brown connected with junior wide receiver receiver Cole Bauman on 23-yard touchdown pass on a corner route. Brown’s successful extra point kick put Nooksack’s lead at 14-6.
The Pioneers enter the second quarter with the momentum and their foot on the gas pedal.
Whittern scored his second rushing touchdown of the game a minute and a half into the quarter. The 73-yard touchdown put his team up 20-6. Just over a minute later, Brown threw the ball up for junior wide receiver Cory Olney who took it to the house on a 64-yard touchdown reception.
Junior running back Colton Lentz ran in for the two-point conversation and eight points were added to Nooksack’s lead.
Whittern then scored his third touchdown of the game, this time of the short-yardage variety, from three yards out, and that was followed by a 7-yard touchdown run by Brown. The two teams went into the locker room at halftime, with Nooksack Valley leading 42-6.
Rainy conditions in the second half forced the Pioneers to slow down but they hung on to the momentum, scoring first in the third quarter. Whittern rushed for a two yard score, his fourth touchdown of the game, pushing the Nooksack lead out to 49-6.
Whittern became the 12th player in school history to score four touchdowns in a single game, and he finished the game with 161 yards rushing on eight carries.
The fourth quarter saw some life from the Mountaineers. Moa scored his second touchdown of the game on a 14-yard run to start the final quarter of play. Mount Baker had the last touchdown of the game on a 50 yard rushing touchdown carried by sophomore running back Brice Cooper, closing the score to 49-19 in favor of Nooksack Valley.
The Mountaineers (2-5) will host Meridian (3-4) on Friday at 7:00, while the Pioneers (5-2) have a bye week coming up, and will be back in action the following Friday against Blaine (2-5).
Nooksack Valley 49 Mount Baker 19 MB 6 0 0 13 - 19 NV 14 28 7 0 - 49 NV - Whittern 28 run (Vigre kick) MB - D. Moa 3 run (kick failed) NV - Bauman 23 pass from J. Brown (J. Brown kick) NV - Whittern 73 run (kick failed) NV - Olney 64 pass from J. Brown (Lentz run) NV - Whittern 3 run (J. Brown kick) NV - J. Brown 7 run (J. Brown kick) NV - Whittern 3 run (J. Brown kick) MB - D. Moa 13 run (Staton kick) MB - Cooper 50 run (kick failed) MB NV 27-114 Rush Att-Yards 35-299 7-20-0 Comp-Att-Int 9-14-0 74 Passing Yards 196 Individual Leaders RUSHING - MB: Cooper 1-50, D. Moa 11-48, Bruland 6-21, B. Moa 3-9, Smith 1-0, Maloley 1-(-5), Tigilau 4-(-9). NV: Whittern 8-161, J. Brown 6-62, Lentz 13-48, Olney 2-24, Hester 1-4, Huante 1-2, E. Brown 4-(-2). PASSING - MB: Tigilau 6-18-0-66, Smith 1-2-0-8. NV: J. Brown 9-13-0-196, E. Brown 0-1-0-0. RECEIVING - MB: Staton 2-45, Hanstead 2-15, Ross 1-11, Mosher 1-8, D. Moa 1-(-5). NV: Olney 5-144, Bauman 2-40, Bennett 2-12.
