With three weeks to go in the 1A and 2A Northwest Conference regular season, and two weeks left in the 3A Wesco North, it’s going to be a battle to the finish for local squads.
Week seven has seven matchups, with six of those being in-county, including an unusual late-season, non-league, cross-classification game between two local teams that is Cascadia Daily News’ game of the week.
Here’s what you should know about this week’s games.
Game of the week: Bellingham at Blaine
7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13, Blaine High School
Blaine record: 2-4 (1-1 NWC)
Blaine’s result last week: Beat Meridian, 29-28
Bellingham record: 3-3
Bellingham’s result last week: Beat Coupeville, 50-7
Final prediction: 24-21, Blaine
Blaine’s Colby Shipp breaks a tackle and runs toward the end zone Oct. 14, 2022, during a game against Bellingham. (Andy Bronson/Cascadia Daily News)
OK, there are no playoff implications here. It’s not a storied, cross-city rivalry or a matchup of perennial powerhouses. But Bellingham at Blaine on Friday could prove to be a wild and fun matchup to watch.
Both are coming off big-time wins: Blaine edged league foe Meridian, 29-28, in a game that had six lead changes. Bellingham, playing an independent schedule, shellacked Class 2B Coupeville to the tune of 50-7.
A win here for Blaine would give the Borderites their first back-to-back wins of the season heading into the final two games of the regular season against league stalwarts Lynden Christian and Nooksack Valley.
The Borderites are led offensively by junior running back Jaiden Paez, who rushed for 265 yards and a score through the first five games, according to Whatcom Preps.
Bellingham has won three in a row and would love to play spoiler to Blaine’s party and keep its momentum rolling.
The Bayhawks have the county’s top passer in Josh Leonard, who led all area players with 1,241 passing yards and 15 touchdowns through five games, according to Whatcom Preps.
Blaine player to watch: DL Ziyang Yu, junior
Yu has been one of the most disruptive defensive linemen in the county, racking up 6.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, a forced fumble and one fumble recovery through five games.
Bellingham player to watch: FS Owen Hanstead, sophomore
Hanstead has been a ballhawk for the Bayhawks and leads the county with five interceptions.
Lynden Christian at Meridian
7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13, Meridian High School
Lynden Christian record: 4-2 (1-0 NWC)
Lynden Christian’s result last week: Beat Nooksack Valley, 21-20
Meridian record: 3-3 (1-2 NWC)
Meridian’s result last week: Lost to Blaine, 29-28
Final prediction: 34-14, Lynden Christian
Lynden Christian is coming off a big-time league win over preseason favorite Nooksack Valley, while Meridian suffered a disappointing loss to Blaine last week.
The Lyncs have simply been on fire, winning four of their last five — their only hiccup during that span being a loss to the best team in the state (Royal). Meridian, meanwhile, has now lost two in a row and has no wiggle room with a pair of league losses.
Mount Baker at Nooksack Valley
7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13, Nooksack Valley High School
Mount Baker record: 2-3 (1-0 NWC)
Mount Baker’s result last week: Lost to La Center, 33-19
Nooksack Valley record: 4-2 (1-1 NWC)
Nooksack Valley’s result last week: Lost to Lynden Christain, 21-20
Final prediction: 30-20, Nooksack Valley
Nooksack Valley’s Jackson Bennett bobbles the catch but grabs it for a reception against Lynden Christian on Friday, Oct. 6. (Andy Bronson/Cascadia Daily News)
Teams who lost a game they should have won usually come back with a chip on their shoulder the following week. That’s what can be expected of Nooksack Valley, who led most of the way against Lynden Christian last week before getting edged, 21-20.
Mount Baker, on the other hand, lost a non-league tilt with 1A Trico League power La Center for the second straight year. The Mountaineers are hoping a tough out-of-conference slate will prepare them for the treacherous 1A NWC postseason battle.
Squalicum at Anacortes
7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13, Anacortes High School
Squalicum record: 3-3 (1-3 NWC)
Squalicum’s result last week: Lost to Lakewood, 46-42
Anacortes record: 6-0 (4-0 NWC)
Anacortes’ result last week: Beat Sehome, 35-9
Final prediction: 42-13, Anacortes
After losing in a shootout to Lakewood last week, Squalicum gets to go to league-leading Anacortes (tied with Lynden) in what should be another high-scoring affair (for the home team).
The Seahawks’ turnaround as a program has been fun to watch, but it won’t be pleasing for a Storm team that has lost three of its last four and is having an uncharacteristic down year. Anacortes stays undefeated.
Archbishop Murphy at Sehome
7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13, Civic Field
Archbishop Murphy record: 3-3 (2-2 NWC)
Archbishop Murphy’s result last week: Lost to Lynden, 28-21
Sehome record: 3-3 (1-3 NWC)
Sehome’s result last week: Lost to Anacortes, 35-9
Final prediction: 28-27, Sehome
Sehome is coming off a blowout loss to Anacortes, and Archbishop Murphy only lost by one score to Lynden. The Wildcats have lost two of their last three, while the Mariners have dropped four of their last five.
This is a crucial league matchup for both teams, but Nolan Wright and Andre Watson need big games to turn the Mariners’ fortunes around.
Mount Vernon at Ferndale
7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13, Ferndale High School
Mount Vernon record: 1-5 (1-5 NWC)
Mount Vernon’s result last week: Lost to Oak Harbor, 34-28
Ferndale record: 4-2 (2-2 NWC)
Ferndale result last week: Lost to Marysville Getchell, 14-13
Final prediction: 40-14, Ferndale
Ferndale’s Conner Walcker pushes away a Glacier Peak defender as he runs down the sideline for a first down on Sept. 15. (Andy Bronson/Cascadia Daily News)
While Mount Vernon has just one win on the season and is in the middle of a four-game losing streak, the Bulldogs’ last three losses were all within six points. Ferndale has lost two of its last three now after starting the season 3-0.
But after Ferndale’s upset loss to Marysville Getchell last week, expect the Golden Eagles to take their frustrations out on the visiting Bulldogs.
Burlington-Edison at Lynden
7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14, Lynden High School
Burlington-Edison record: 0-5 (0-4 NWC)
Burlington Edison’s result last week: Lost to Sedro-Woolley, 48-0
Lynden record: 5-1 (4-0 NWC)
Lynden’s result last week: Beat Archbishop Murphy, 28-21
Final prediction: 32-6, Lynden
The classic case of the league’s first-place team, Lynden (tied with Anacortes), against the league’s last-place team, Burlington-Edison. And no, this is not a trap game. Lynden is for real and Burlington-Edison should pose little threat to a Lions’ team playing in front of their home crowd.
Lynden is outscoring opponents 34-18 in league this season, while Burlington-Edison is getting outscored 31-8. The Tigers have only scored in double digits twice this season. Expect the Lions to roar.
Football standings — Oct. 9
3A Wesco North
| Football | League | Overall |
| Team | W-L | W-L |
| Arlington | 5-0 | 6-0 |
| Marysville-Pilchuck | 3-2 | 4-2 |
| Ferndale | 2-2 | 4-2 |
| Stanwood | 2-2 | 3-3 |
| Marysville-Getchell | 2-2 | 4-2 |
| Oak Harbor | 1-3 | 2-4 |
| Mount Vernon | 1-5 | 1-5 |
2A Northwest Conference
| Football | League | Overall |
| Team | W-L | W-L |
| Anacortes | 4-0 | 6-0 |
| Lynden | 4-0 | 5-1 |
| Sedro-Woolley | 3-2 | 4-2 |
| Archbishop Murphy | 2-2 | 3-3 |
| Lakewood | 1-2 | 2-3 |
| Sehome | 1-3 | 3-3 |
| Squalicum | 1-3 | 3-3 |
| Burlington-Edison | 0-4 | 0-5 |
1A Northwest Conference
| Football | League | Overall |
| Team | W-L | W-L |
| Mount Baker | 1-0 | 2-3 |
| Lynden Christian | 1-0 | 4-2 |
| Nooksack Valley | 1-1 | 4-2 |
| Blaine | 1-1 | 2-4 |
| Meridian | 1-2 | 3-3 |
Independent
| Football | League | Overall |
| Team | W-L | W-L |
| Bellingham | N/A | 3-3 |
