CONNOR’S PICKS
Boys basketball: Meridian at Nooksack Valley
7:15 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16, Nooksack Valley High School
Even though neither of these teams may be in the mix for the Northwest Conference title, they will be among the five local Class 1A squads vying for two state berths.
Nooksack Valley (8-5, 4-5 NWC) is currently in seventh in the league hierarchy, but the Pioneers are second among 1A teams behind only undefeated Lynden Christian (13-0, 7-0 NWC).
NV’s turnaround has been notable, as the Pioneers finished last season 10-13 overall (5-10 NWC).
Meridian (8-6, 4-5 NWC) is in 11th as the Trojans continue to work through a difficult conference schedule.
The intrigue with this matchup comes from the potential these teams may meet again in the postseason. LC is likely to secure the first state berth out of 1A District 1, and one of these teams will have a chance to clinch the second.
Neither of these two teams made the 1A state tournament a season ago, as LC and Blaine captured the pair of berths, and each finished top-three in the state.
NV hasn’t been to state since 2011 and Meridian last went in 2020.
WWU: Men’s basketball vs. Alaska Anchorage
7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 18, Carver Gym
Western Washington University men’s basketball, which is coming off a seven-point loss to No. 6 nationally ranked Saint Martin’s, has shown it can compete with the best.
That loss on Saturday, Jan. 6 snapped a six-game win streak for Western (10-4, 2-1 Great Northwest Athletic Conference), which will return home from a two-game road trip to host Alaska Anchorage (11-3, 1-2 GNAC) in this game.
Alaska Anchorage has been puzzling thus far. The Seawolves’ strong overall record has come almost entirely in non-league play, with their only league win coming against Alaska Fairbanks on Jan. 6.
Western guard Kai Johnson (21.7 points per game) has been sensational for the Vikings, as the junior has scored at least 20 points in nine games this season. Additionally, he’s scored at least 30 twice.
Senior guard Tyson Gilbert (13.4 points per game) has been Alaska Anchorage’s top scoring option, as he has scored in double figures in 12 of the Seawolves’ 14 games.
Even though Western should certainly be the favorite to win this one, the GNAC remains as unpredictable as ever.
Recreation: Galbraith Mountain: Community Race Series No. 3
7:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 13, Galbraith Mountain
With colder, wetter conditions forecast for the coming weeks, the Galbraith Community Race Series is bound to get even more interesting.
This is the third race of four total, spanning November 2023 to February 2024 on a monthly cadence. The full course is available on the event’s website, and this race features a 7.5-mile short course (9 a.m. start) and a 12.5-mile long course (8:30 a.m. start).
A kids race that is approximately 2 miles long begins at 10 a.m.
Pacific Multisports times all the events, with awards handed out both on an individual race basis and at season end.
FULL CALENDAR
Friday, Jan. 12
Boys basketball
Squalicum at Mount Baker, 7:15 p.m.
Girls basketball
Mount Baker at Squalicum, 7:15 p.m.
Boys wrestling
Bellingham at Anacortes, 6 p.m.
Girls wrestling
Ferndale at Ladies Premier Tourney, 5 p.m., Marysville-Pilchuck High School
Girls bowling
Meridian at Nooksack Valley, 3:15 p.m., Mt. Baker Lanes
Ferndale at Squalicum, 3:30 p.m., 20th Century Bowl
Recreation
Adult drop-in soccer, noon, Bellingham Sportsplex
Saturday, Jan. 13
Boys basketball
Anacortes at Lynden Christian, 2:15 p.m.
Sehome at Sedro-Woolley, 2:30 p.m.
Nooksack Valley at Ferndale, 7:15 p.m.
Girls basketball
Sehome at Sedro-Woolley, 1 p.m.
Ferndale at Nooksack Valley, 7:15 p.m.
Boys wrestling
Sehome, Squalicum at MP Premier Tourney, 9:30 a.m., Marysville-Pilchuck High School
Ferndale at Dave Holter Memorial Tourney, 10 a.m., Kelso High School
Girls wrestling
Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden, Mount Baker, Squalicum at Blaine, 10 a.m.
Boys swim
Bellingham, Sehome, Squalicum at Northwest Conference Boys Dive Invite, 10 a.m., Fidalgo Pool
WWU
Men’s basketball at Seattle Pacific, 4:15 p.m., Brougham Pavilion
Women’s basketball vs. Northwest Nazarene, 7 p.m., Carver Gym
WCC
Women’s basketball vs. Shoreline, 2 p.m., Whatcom Pavilion
Men’s basketball vs. Shoreline, 4 p.m., Whatcom Pavilion
NHL
Seattle Kraken at Columbus Blue Jackets, 4 p.m.
Recreation
Galbraith Mountain: Community Race Series #3, 7:30 a.m., Galbraith Mountain
Sunday, Jan. 14
Recreation
Sunday Funday Cornhole Tournament, 11 a.m., Volli Bellingham
Walking soccer, 6 p.m., Bellingham Sportsplex
Monday, Jan. 15
Boys basketball
Lynden at King’s, 2 p.m., ShoWare Center
Lakewood at Bellingham, 7:15 p.m.
Oak Harbor at Lynden Christian, 7:15 p.m.
Mount Baker at Blaine, 7:15 p.m.
Girls basketball
Union at Nooksack Valley, 3:30 p.m., University of Puget Sound
Blaine at Mount Baker, 7 p.m.
Bellingham at Lakewood, 7:15 p.m.
Lynden Christian at Oak Harbor, 7:15 p.m.
NHL
Seattle Kraken at Pittsburgh Penguins, 3 p.m.
Recreation
Women’s O40 Drop-in Soccer, 6 p.m., Bellingham Sportsplex
Men’s O40 Drop-in Soccer, 6 p.m., Bellingham Sportsplex
Tuesday, Jan. 16
Boys basketball
Sedro-Woolley at Squalicum, 7:15 p.m.
Sehome at Anacortes, 7:15 p.m.
Meridian at Nooksack Valley, 7:15 p.m.
Girls basketball
Squalicum at Sedro-Woolley, 7:15 p.m.
Anacortes at Sehome, 7:15 p.m.
Nooksack Valley at Meridian, 7:15 p.m.
Boys wrestling
Ferndale at Snohomish, 6 p.m.
Girls wrestling
Squalicum at Burlington-Edison, 6 p.m.
Boys swim
Anacortes at Ferndale, 3:30 p.m
Lynden at Sehome, 3:30 p.m., Arne Hanna Aquatic Center
Girls bowling
Meridian at Ferndale, 3:15 p.m., Mt. Baker Lanes
Squalicum at Blaine, 3:15 p.m., Mt. Baker Lanes
NHL
Seattle Kraken at New York Rangers, 4 p.m.
Recreation
January Senior Stroll, 9 a.m., Whistle Lake Trailhead, Anacortes
Therapeutic Movement and Meditation, 6 p.m., Bloedel Donovan Park’s Community Building
Wednesday, Jan. 17
Boys basketball
Lynden at Burlington-Edison, 7:15 p.m.
Ferndale at Mount Vernon, 7:15 p.m.
Girls basketball
Friday Harbor at Bellingham, 4 p.m.
Burlington-Edison at Lynden, 7:15 p.m.
Mount Vernon at Ferndale, 7:15 p.m.
Boys wrestling
Lakewood at Blaine, 6 p.m.
Girls wrestling
Sehome at Lakewood, 6 p.m.
Girls bowling
Cascade (Everett) at Nooksack Valley, 3:15 p.m., Mt. Baker Lanes
WCC
Women’s basketball at Olympic College, 5 p.m.
Men’s basketball at Olympic College, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 18
Boys basketball
Nooksack Valley at Mount Baker, 7:15 p.m.
Lynden Christian at Sehome, 7:15 p.m.
Girls basketball
Sehome at Lynden Christian, 7:15 p.m.
Sultan at Meridian, 7:15 p.m.
Mount Baker at Nooksack Valley, 7:15 p.m.
Girls wrestling
Bellingham, Meridian at Ferndale, 6 p.m.
Nooksack Valley, Blaine at Lynden, 6 p.m.
Boys swim
Bellingham at Sehome, 3:30 p.m., Arne Hanna Aquatic Center
Ferndale at Oak Harbor, 4 p.m., Vanderzicht Memorial
WWU
Women’s basketball at Saint Martin’s, 5:15 p.m., Marcus Pavilion
Men’s basketball vs. Alaska Anchorage, 7 p.m., Carver Gym
NHL
Seattle Kraken at Edmonton Oilers, 6 p.m.
Recreation
Fire and Story Festival, 5 p.m., West Laurel Street & Granary Avenue
Friday, Jan. 19
Boys basketball
Mount Vernon at Lynden, 7:15 p.m.
Blaine at Burlington-Edison, 7:15 p.m.
Ferndale at Anacortes, 7:15 p.m.
Girls basketball
Lynden at Mount Vernon, 7:15 p.m.
Anacortes at Ferndale, 7:15 p.m.
Burlington-Edison at Blaine, 7:15 p.m.
Girls wrestling
Blaine at Lady Huskie Invite, 4 p.m., Othello High School
Boys swim
Bellingham, Sehome, Squalicum at NWC Invitational Dive, 2:55 p.m., Fidalgo Pool
Girls bowling
Nooksack at Ferndale, 3:15 p.m., Mt. Baker Lanes
Blaine at Meridian, 3:15 p.m., Mt. Baker Lanes
Saturday, Jan. 20
Boys basketball
Bellingham at Squalicum, 7:15 p.m.
Sedro-Woolley at Meridian, 7:15 p.m.
Girls basketball
Meridian at Sedro-Woolley, 1 p.m.
Squalicum at Bellingham, 5 p.m.
Boys wrestling
Blaine at Quincy Mat Animal Boys Wrestling Tournament, 9 a.m., Quincy High School
Girls wrestling
Bellingham, Mount Baker at Mountlake Terrace Tourney, 9 a.m., Mountlake Terrace High School
Blaine at Lady Huskie Invite, 10 a.m., Othello High School
Boys swim
Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden, Sehome, Squalicum at NWC Swim/Dive Invitational, 9 a.m., Fidalgo Pool
WWU
Women’s basketball at Western Oregon, 2 p.m., New PE building
Men’s basketball vs. Alaska Fairbanks, 7 p.m., Carver Gym
WCC
Women’s basketball at Bellevue College, 2 p.m.
Men’s basketball at Bellevue College, 4 p.m.
Recreation
Freestyle Figure Skating, 7 a.m., Bellingham Sportsplex
Saturday Morning Lily Lake, 8:30 a.m, Samish Overlook Day Use Area
Winter Community Work Party, 10 a.m., East Meadow Park
Sunday, Jan. 21
NHL
Toronto Maple Leafs at Seattle Kraken, 6 p.m.
Recreation
Drop-in Hockey, 6:45 a.m., Bellingham Sportsplex
Walking soccer, 6 p.m., Bellingham Sportsplex
CDN’s sports calendar is published online Thursdays and in print Fridays. To submit an event for consideration, email connorbenintendi@cascadiadaily.com. News Producer Eric Trent compiled the featured listings.
