A football pipeline, beginning in northern Whatcom County, is forming across the Cascade mountains and into Cheney in Spokane County.
The Eastern Washington University football team currently has three former local stars on its roster, and it’s gaining three more: Ferndale’s Conner Walcker, Lynden Christian’s Kayden Stuit and Nooksack Valley’s John Stremler.
The surge in Whatcom County talent heading to play NCAA Division I college football with the Eagles is a result of the high school programs being as competitive as they have ever been, the trio said.
“Whatcom County definitely has the most eyes its ever had on it,” Stuit said. “A lot of [college coaches] are coming out here, and they’re like, ‘Oh, there’s athletes up there.’ So, I just think the sky’s the limit for the next guys.”
Walcker said he would like to see the trend continue — and he expects it to.
“I feel like Whatcom County’s been progressively getting better as the years have gone on,” Walcker added. “I’m excited to see more guys come to Eastern from Whatcom County.”
Stuit, a 6-foot-3, 230-pound three-star athlete, was ranked No. 40 overall in the state of Washington by 247Sports and was the 2023 1A Northwest Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He is also a major part of the Lyncs’ boys basketball team that is currently undefeated (13-0) and on a quest for a third straight state championship.
On offense, Stuit finished his senior regular season with 30 receptions for 475 yards and six touchdowns from the tight end position, according to Whatcom Preps, which is where he will play at EWU.
Both Stuit and Stremler impressed the Eagles’ coaching staff during EWU’s high school team camp it hosts annually in late June.
Stremler, who will play defensive end at the next level, finished his senior campaign with 47.5 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks, according to Whatcom Preps. He also forced two fumbles and recovered one.
“Going to team camp and talking to coaches, it just felt like a family,” said Stremler, who went largely unnoticed on his recruiting path despite being an All-NWC offensive and defensive lineman as a senior. “I got to talk to quite a few of their players during camp and on the visits. They’re all just great people.”
Walcker, like Stuit, was ranked a three-star athlete and listed as the No. 36 overall recruit in the state. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound senior racked up 1,118 total yards and 14 touchdowns on offense and added 112 total tackles, five tackles for loss and five pass breakups on defense.
After being an All-WESCO 3A North first-team selection at running back and linebacker, Walcker will play the latter at EWU.
Staying close to home was Walcker’s primary motivation to commit to the Eagles, in addition to the way the program recruited him. While other programs were in the mix, including Washington State University, EWU’s coaching staff made it clear they had a place for Walcker.
“It felt like home,” Walcker said. “Eastern, when they offer you, you know it’s a committable offer. Other schools [will] throw out offers just because, but you don’t know if they’re committable or not.”
Stuit had a similar experience. Marc Anderson, EWU’s associate head coach and tight ends coach, made it a point to call Stuit weekly before making the nearly six-hour drive to LC’s game against Nooksack Valley on Oct. 6, 2023, to watch him play.
“That’s a big deal,” Stuit said. “It’s a big commitment to come all the way over to the westside.”
The current Whatcom County players on EWU’s roster are junior offensive lineman Aidan Corning (Mount Baker), freshman tight end Braden Kuik (Lynden Christian) and freshman offensive lineman Dane Gatterman (Lynden).
Corning, the oldest of the group, graduated from Mount Baker in 2021 and attended Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia. He transferred to Butte College, a junior college in Oroville, California, for the 2022 season before transferring again and landing at EWU in 2023.
Kuik and Gatterman were both true freshmen last season for the Eagles after each being ranked two-star athletes out of high school. Gatterman was a two-time 2A state champion with Lynden (2021 and 2022) as the anchor of the Lions’ offensive line.
Stuit, Walcker and Stremler each said they are excited to form “a new brotherhood” alongside the other former local players that, outside of Kuik and Stuit, were opponents in high school.
“You’re used to being almost enemies on the field, and then, now, you get to know each other more personally,” Stuit said. “You’re probably still going to be enemies in practice though, because you’re going to be going against each other all the time.”
Stremler, whose Nooksack Valley team faced Lynden Christian once in the regular season and again in the 1A state quarterfinals last season, was particularly glad to not have to worry about Stuit anymore — at least when they put on game-day uniforms.
Nooksack Valley defeated the Lyncs 47-14 in the quarterfinals on Nov. 17, 2023, but Stuit still finished with nine catches for 101 yards and a touchdown.
“It’s going to be fun not having to game plan for Kayden, and [instead] having him on our team,” Stremler said with a laugh.
While all three are unlikely to play their first season, they said growth is their collective goal. Much of their time will be spent getting up to speed and becoming ready to make an impact in year two.
In the meantime, Stuit said one detail is certain: Carpooling arrangements back to Whatcom County from Cheney on breaks won’t be complicated, and it’ll be with familiar faces.
