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Every win counts as fall postseason rapidly approaches

Prep teams earn needed bounce-back wins to solidify playoff positioning

By Connor J. Benintendi Staff Reporter

The postseason is approaching fast for most sports, with only a few games left on regular season schedules. Some teams have already locked up playoff spots while others fight to earn their place. 

Don’t miss these highlights from Whatcom County’s prep sports teams over the past week.

Girls soccer

Lynden defeated Oak Harbor 2-0 on Oct. 13, bouncing back from a difficult loss to Class 3A Mount Vernon. It was a much-needed win for the Lions, who were 2-2-2 over their previous six games.

Sophomore forward Faith VanBrocklin opened up the game’s scoring on a goal that was assisted by junior forward Mallary Villars. Senior forward Megan Sloane tapped in Lynden’s second goal in the second half, assisted once again by Villars.

The Lions’ defense held on for the remainder of the match to secure the win, advancing to 6-3-3 overall and 2-2-2 in Northwest Conference contests.

Sehome picked up two wins last week after suffering its first loss of the season to Oak Harbor on Oct. 6. The Mariners defeated rival NWC title-contender Bellingham 2-1 on Oct. 10, followed by a 3-1 win over Anacortes Oct. 12. 

With the back-to-back victories, Sehome reclaimed first place in the NWC after relinquishing it in the loss to Oak Harbor. The Mariners sit at 11-1-1 overall and 7-1 in conference play with three games remaining in the regular season.

In 1A, one team has been obliterating the competition since entering its league schedule. Lynden Christian has won six straight, outscoring its opponents 39-1 over that stretch. The red-hot Lyncs are 8-2-2 overall and 4-0 in conference play. 

The four remaining games on their regular season schedule are all teams they have beaten over this stretch of victories, giving them a good chance of going undefeated in the NWC.


Girls swim and dive

Squalicum snuck by Mount Vernon 91.5-84.5 on Oct. 13, earning three new district-qualifying times in the process.

Mackenzie Millican took first in the 50-yard freestyle with her final time of 28.22 seconds. Michaela Lemcke earned a district-qualifying time with her fourth-place finish (29.87 seconds). Amelia Balogh took the top spot in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 1:00.96. 

Alexa Hulbert posted a new district-qualifying time (6:57.90), finishing first in the 500-yard freestyle. Her second-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle was also a new district-qualifying time, clocking in at 2:33.05.

Mars Molina, Balogh, Lemcke and Millican teamed up to take first in the 200-yard freestyle relay with their final time of 1:55.62.

Blaine’s Hunter Vezzetti fumbles and Bellingham recovers the ball during the scuffle.
Blaine’s Hunter Vezzetti fumbles and Bellingham recovers the ball in the first quarter. Blaine beat Bellingham 44-18 on Oct. 14. (Andy Bronson/Cascadia Daily News)

Football

Nooksack Valley got back on track after its loss to Lynden Christian with a 28-20 win over Mount Baker on Oct. 14. The Pioneers remain among the top 1A brass in the state and showed that with the gritty win. NV is now 6-1 overall and 2-1 in NWC games.

LC remains unstoppable, earning another blowout victory with a 51-0 win over Meridian on Oct. 14. The Lyncs have not allowed more than 14 points to any opponent all season, and now flaunt a gaudy point differential of 274-46.

Lynden stayed unbeaten as well, defeating Burlington-Edison 35-23 on Oct. 14. The defending 2A state champions are 7-0 overall and 5-0 in league contests. 

Blaine earned its first win of the season in a 44-18 rout of Bellingham on Oct. 14. Sehome picked up a 42-14 win over Archbishop Murphy, getting back on track after dropping its last two games. The Mariners now sit at 4-3 overall and 2-3 in NWC games.

Cross country

Whatcom County cross country teams gathered at Lake Padden for the 2022 Lake Lap Invite on Oct. 13, with Bellingham, Blaine, Ferndale, Lynden Christian, Lummi, Meridian, Mount Baker, Sehome and Squalicum’s squads all in attendance.

There were two races on the 2.6-mile course, with varsity and junior varsity athletes all running together. The girls ran one race and the boys ran another.

Leading the way for the boys was Lynden Christian’s Andrew Luce, completing the course 57 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher with a time of 13:05.50. Sehome’s Sawyer Fleming (14:32.80) finished second and Squalicum’s Ty Hoffman (14:38.90) took third.

The next four finishers were all Sehome: Addison Verret (fourth), Garrett Wenzel (fifth), Jackson Rogers (sixth) and Campbell Phillips (seventh). Bellingham’s Gavin May led the way for the Bayhawks with his time of 15:11.10.

For the girls, Vashon Island’s Madeline Yarkin finished first with her time of 17:03.60. Behind Yarkin was a platoon of Mariners, as Sehome’s Jessa Parfet (17:53.20), Abby Rusk (17:53.80), Paili Airth (18:22.70) and Lucy Major (18:23.60) finished second through fifth, respectively.

Mount Baker’s Erica Cook took sixth with her time of 18:48.60. Bellingham’s Erin Gardner (18:54.20) and Lynden Christian’s Lydia TerBeek (19:04.30) were close behind in seventh and eighth.

Whatcom County teams will meet once again for the NWC Cross Country Championships at Civic Stadium at 4 p.m. on Oct. 19.

Football standings — Oct. 18

3A Wesco North

FootballLeagueOverall
TeamW-LW-L
Stanwood5-07-0
Ferndale5-05-2
Arlington4-25-2
Marysville-Pilchuck2-33-4
Oak Harbor1-41-6
Marysville-Getchell1-41-6
Mount Vernon0-50-7

2A Northwest Conference

FootballLeagueOverall
TeamW-LW-L
Anacortes5-07-0
Lynden5-07-0
Squalicum3-24-3
Sedro-Woolley3-25-2
Sehome2-34-3
Burlington-Edison1-42-5
Lakewood1-42-5
Archbishop Murphy0-50-6

1A Northwest Conference

FootballLeagueOverall
TeamW-LW-L
Lynden Christian2-07-0
Nooksack Valley2-16-1
Mount Baker1-13-4
Meridian1-24-3
Blaine0-21-6

Independent

FootballLeagueOverall
TeamW-LW-L
BellinghamN/A2-5

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