Large wrestling tournaments have returned, as multiple girls wrestling teams traveled south to events with 16 or more teams. Boys teams stayed mostly local, competing in duals.
The Northwest Conference basketball standings continued to divide, as familiar favorites are emerging in the early season.
Western Washington University basketball teams were quiet, with the women idling and the men winning one game last week over Langara College.
Here’s an overview of what you may have missed from the last week of winter sports.
Boys basketball
Four boys basketball teams remain undefeated in NWC games into the season’s third week, with Lynden, Lynden Christian, Bellingham and Anacortes leading the way.
LC (5-0, 3-0 NWC) currently leads the conference after winning three games since Friday, Dec. 8. The Lyncs routed Sedro-Woolley and Seattle Academy by a combined 56 points before beating Mount Vernon, 72-62, on Monday, Dec. 11.
The Lyncs have found success even without their best player, Jeremiah Wright, who suffered an elbow injury in LC’s state quarterfinal football game on Nov. 17.
Lynden (4-1, 3-0 NWC) lost to Class 4A Jackson, 60-59, on Dec. 8, before bouncing back on Tuesday, Dec. 12. The Lions beat Squalicum, 63-42, for their third league victory of the season.
After finishing 7-14 last season and winning just five league games, Bellingham (4-0, 3-0 NWC) has been hot early in the new season. The Bayhawks beat Nooksack Valley, 67-50, on Saturday, Dec. 9 before fending off Sedro-Woolley 65-51 on Dec. 11.
Bellingham’s five seniors have the Bayhawks in the mix for the league lead early.
Anacortes (2-0, 2-0 NWC) began its season late, on Dec. 9, but has won both of its games since. The Seahawks beat Mount Baker 77-47 in its first game before downing Burlington-Edison, 83-63, on Dec. 11.
Despite losing 10 seniors at the end of last season, Sehome (3-2, 2-1 NWC) has remained competitive. Sehome beat Mariner 69-32 on Dec. 9 but dropped a close game against Mount Baker, 56-50, on Dec. 12.
Sehome still has plenty of veteran leadership, with four seniors and four juniors.
Nooksack Valley, Blaine, Squalicum, Ferndale and Mount Baker each have one league win. Meridian, which is 2-2 overall, is yet to earn a NWC victory.
Girls basketball
The NWC girls basketball standings are split early in the year. Seven teams have at least two league wins, while six have none.
Locally, Sehome, Lynden and Nooksack Valley are leading the group.
Lynden (6-0, 3-0 NWC) is in first place and currently has a point differential of 204-91 in league contests. The Lions steamrolled Lakewood 69-20 on Dec. 7 before routing Squalicum, 65-38, on Dec. 12.
While the start is encouraging, Lynden began last season 9-0 before finishing 20-6 and being bounced in the first round of the 2A state tournament.
Sehome (4-0, 3-0 NWC) has rolled its success from last season (first regional berth since 2014–15) into the new season, and the Mariners picked up two wins since Dec. 7. The first win was a 45-35 victory over Meridian, before Sehome rolled up Mount Baker, 62-24, on Dec. 12.
NV (4-0, 2-0 NWC), the reigning 1A state champion, is beating league opponents by an average of 58.5 points thus far. The Pioneers crushed Sedro-Woolley 84-23 on Dec. 6 and went on to roll Bellingham, 72-16, on Dec. 9.
Still, a favorite repeat state champion, the Pioneers will not be slowing down anytime soon.
Ferndale (4-2, 3-1 NWC) is off to a solid start, currently sitting in third place in the conference standings. The Golden Eagles played back-to-back games Dec. 11–12, winning one. They beat Meridian, 44-32, in the first game but lost to Class 4A Lake Stevens, 77-42, the next night.
The Lyncs are without their best player, Grace Hintz, for the season, but Lynden Christian (3-2, 2-1 NWC) remains in seventh place in the conference. LC’s most recent win was a 54-26 victory over Mount Vernon on Dec. 11.
Blaine (3-1, 1-1 NWC) is the only local team with one league win, and the Borderites’ last game was a narrow 54-51 loss to Oak Harbor on Dec. 9.
Meridian, Squalicum, Mount Baker and Bellingham are yet to earn a NWC victory thus far.
Boys wrestling
Blaine, Bellingham, Mount Baker and Squalicum are all 2-0 in dual meets through the first week of the season.
Sehome, Mount Baker and Lynden visited Blaine for a four-team meet on Dec. 6. The Borderites and Mountaineers dominated the event, each picking up two wins.
Blaine beat Lynden, 66-19, in its first dual before rolling past Sehome 78-6. Mount Baker won its dual over Sehome, 66-16, and went on to beat Lynden 60-16.
Nooksack Valley, Meridian and Squalicum visited Bellingham on Dec. 7, and the latter two earned a pair of victories. Bellingham toppled NV 60-15 before beating Meridian, 60-15. Squalicum outlasted Meridian 41-21 and downed NV 48-18.
Girls wrestling
Mount Baker, Meridian, Blaine and Lynden’s girls wrestling teams attended the 31-team Lake Stevens Valkyrie Invite at Cavalero Mid High School on Dec. 9.
Lynden’s Belen Lopez led all local wrestlers, beating Curtis’ Ryley Nager by a 10-7 decision in the 170-pound first-place match. Lopez finished second in the state at 155 pounds last season.
Mount Baker’s Sadie Schenk finished second in the 125-pound weight class, losing to Oak Harbor’s Genesis Egli in the first-place match. The Mountaineers’ Lauren Valum also finished fourth in the 130-pound weight class, and Ana Camacho took sixth at 110 pounds.
Meridian was led by Sukhpreet Kaur, who took fourth in the 115-pound weight class. Three other Trojans finished sixth in their respective weight classes in Hailey Horsmon, Kerri Barnes and Aaliyah Fuentes.
Lucyanna Dahl led all Blaine wrestlers, taking third at 155 pounds after pinning Peninsula’s Lindsey Shipp. Makenna Lausier finished sixth in the 105-pound weight class for the Borderites.
Squalicum, Bellingham and Ferndale made the trip to the 16-team Everett High School Girls Wrestling Tournament the same day, and multiple wrestlers posted solid finishes.
Three Squalicum wrestlers finished first overall in their respective weight classes. Brooke Legoe took first at 140 pounds, Bella Phillips finished atop the 190-pound bracket and Taylor Stone won the 235-pound class.
Sophia Moreno (fifth, 125 pounds), Sadie Wilson (third, 145 pounds) and Lynnette Stumblingbear (sixth, 155 pounds) also placed in their weight classes for the Storm.
Ferndale’s Cecilia Carlson finished first at 135 pounds to lead the Golden Eagles, while Leslie Valencia captured third at 120 pounds. Four other Ferndale wrestlers placed in their respective weight classes, as well.
Bellingham was led by a pair of second-place finishes from Cheyenne Laub (110/115-pound weight class) and Mallorie Lynch (170-pound weight class). Maddison Blankenship also took third at 190 pounds.
GNAC men’s basketball standings — Dec. 13
| Men’s basketball | League | Overall |
| Team | W-L | W-L |
| Montana State Billings | 2-0 | 6-4 |
| Northwest Nazarene | 2-0 | 4-4 |
| Western Washington | 1-0 | 8-3 |
| Saint Martin’s | 1-1 | 10-1 |
| Central Washington | 1-1 | 6-3 |
| Seattle Pacific | 1-1 | 6-7 |
| Alaska Fairbanks | 1-1 | 2-6 |
| Simon Fraser | 0-1 | 2-8 |
| Alaska Anchorage | 0-2 | 8-2 |
| Western Oregon | 0-2 | 3-6 |
GNAC women’s basketball standings — Dec. 13
| Women’s basketball | League | Overall |
| Team | W-L | W-L |
| Montana State Billings | 2-0 | 10-2 |
| Central Washington | 2-0 | 8-3 |
| Seattle Pacific | 2-0 | 4-5 |
| Western Washington | 1-0 | 7-1 |
| Western Oregon | 1-1 | 6-5 |
| Northwest Nazarene | 1-1 | 4-5 |
| Simon Fraser | 0-1 | 7-5 |
| Alaska Anchorage | 0-2 | 4-5 |
| Saint Martin’s | 0-2 | 2-6 |
| Alaska Fairbanks | 0-2 | 2-10 |
Boys basketball, Northwest Conference — Dec. 13
| Boys basketball | League | Overall |
| Team | W-L | W-L |
| Lynden Christian | 3-0 | 5-0 |
| Bellingham | 3-0 | 4-0 |
| Lynden | 3-0 | 4-1 |
| Anacortes | 2-0 | 2-0 |
| Mount Vernon | 2-1 | 5-1 |
| Nooksack Valley | 2-1 | 3-1 |
| Sehome | 2-1 | 3-2 |
| Lakewood | 2-1 | 3-2 |
| Meridian | 1-2 | 3-2 |
| Blaine | 1-2 | 2-3 |
| Mount Baker | 1-2 | 2-4 |
| Squalicum | 1-2 | 1-3 |
| Ferndale | 1-2 | 1-3 |
| Burlington-Edison | 0-3 | 2-4 |
| Oak Harbor | 0-3 | 1-4 |
| Sedro-Woolley | 0-3 | 1-4 |
Girls basketball, Northwest Conference — Dec. 13
| Girls basketball | League | Overall |
| Team | W-L | W-L |
| Lynden | 3-0 | 6-0 |
| Nooksack Valley | 3-0 | 5-0 |
| Sehome | 3-0 | 4-0 |
| Ferndale | 3-0 | 4-2 |
| Burlington-Edison | 3-0 | 3-2 |
| Anacortes | 2-1 | 4-1 |
| Lynden Christian | 2-1 | 3-2 |
| Blaine | 1-2 | 3-2 |
| Sedro-Woolley | 1-2 | 3-2 |
| Lakewood | 1-2 | 3-2 |
| Oak Harbor | 1-2 | 1-3 |
| Mount Baker | 0-2 | 3-4 |
| Mount Vernon | 0-2 | 1-2 |
| Bellingham | 0-3 | 2-4 |
| Meridian | 0-3 | 1-3 |
| Squalicum | 0-3 | 1-4 |
Standings were updated at 11:53 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 14 to reflect the outcomes of Wednesday’s games.
