Lynden won its seventh state championship, Squalicum and Lynden Christian each reached the state semifinals and high school football was alive and well in Whatcom County during the 2021 season.
All three seem to be solid contenders this season, and a few others could take a leap as well, as county teams are loaded with talent once again.
Two new head coaches Adam Leonard (Bellingham) and Greg Terpstra (Lynden Christian) should mix things up and keep the football landscape fresh.
Here is a breakdown of how each team fared last season, and what spectators and fans can expect as the 2022 season kicks off.
Quarterback Nolan Wright throws a pass as the Sehome football team practices on Aug. 25. (Andy Bronson/Cascadia Daily News)
Class 1A
Blaine
2021 record: 4-3, no postseason
Key returners: Rahul Chandran, OL; Victor Gervol, OL; Jack Albright, OL; Lawrence Creasey, RB
Key newcomers: Kael Evinger, Sr., QB
2022 outlook: After missing the playoffs and their season being cut short due to players testing positive for COVID, 16th-year coach Jay Dodd is just looking forward to some normalcy.
Taking over at quarterback is senior Kael Evinger, who has been with the program for four years and will run the Borderites’ 2-back set offense.
Dodd expects to have around 55 kids on the roster in week one.
“Excited to get back to normal,” Dodd said. “Last year [we] did get to play in seven games but it wasn’t normal. Wearing masks at halftime and trying not to get shut down and sent home. Last fall, one of our biggest objectives as a team was to follow protocols to keep playing. Just playing a game was a win rather than just worrying about winning.”
Lynden Christian
2021 record: 7-3, lost to Eatonville in state semifinals
Key returners: Kade Eldridge, Sr., RB/DE; Tommy Meyer, Sr., QB; Jeremiah Wright, Jr., WR/DE
Key newcomers: Jason Veenstra, Sr., OL; Tyler Myhre, Sr., OL
2022 outlook: Greg Terpstra takes over the helm for retired Dan Kaemingk. Terpstra spent the last six years as Sehome’s offensive coordinator and will be tasked with keeping the Lyncs near the top of Class 1A. With a spread offense and a 3-4 defense, the Lyncs will utilize senior star Kade Eldridge, a 3-star prospect and USC commit.
Terpstra, who teaches Bible, math and science at Lynden Christian, expects to have around 50 kids on the roster by the time week one rolls around.
“I’m really excited about spending time with kids I taught in sixth grade and seeing them finish their last step toward becoming young, godly men that are going leave these doors,” Terpstra said. “Football is a brotherhood you develop. I’ve always cherished that wherever I’ve been.”
Meridian
2021 record: 5-4, did not advance to playoffs
Key returners: Hunter Jones, Sr., RB/S; Joshtyn Elmer, Jr., RB/LB; Eli Jensen, Sr., WR/CB
Key newcomers: N/A
2022 outlook: Third-year coach Patrick Ames looks to bring the Trojans back to their former powerhouse state gained under his dad. The Trojans begin with a tough non-league slate against Chelan, King’s Way Christian and Friday Harbor.
Mount Baker
2021 record: 6-4, lost in first round of state playoffs to Toppenish
Key returners: Marcques George, Sr., RB/LB; Ethan Larson, OL/DL; Drake Pinkey, OL/DL; Alex Maloley, Jr., TE/DE
Key newcomers: Landon Smith, Sr., QB
2022 outlook: Whatcom County’s current longest-tenured football coach, Ron Lepper, is hoping to get the Mountaineers back in the state playoffs after getting edged, 26-22, by Toppenish in their state opener last season.
Lepper will deploy his patented Wing-T offense and even-front defense with about 35 kids on the roster. Running the offense will be first-year senior starting QB Landon Smith.
“Excited about getting back to our roots a little bit, about how we approach things and do things,” Lepper said. “We got away from that for a couple years. We’re in a tough conference. If they can come together like I think they can, it’ll be fun.”
Nooksack Valley
2021 record: 4-6, did not advance to postseason
Key returners: Joey Brown, Jr., QB; Ryan Hughes, Sr., WR/LB; Thomas Abel, Sr., WR/DB
Key newcomers: N/A
2022 outlook: Fourth-year coach Craig Bartl hopes to have the Pioneers vying for a playoff spot in the rugged Northwest Conference. Luckily, he has seven returning starters on both offense and defense to make a bid for the postseason.
Leading the Pioneers’ spread offense is junior two-year starting quarterback Joey Brown, who will be passing to senior wideouts Ryan Hughes and Thomas Abel, the lone seniors on the team.
Nooksack expects to have between 60 and 65 players on the roster week one, and Bartl plans to start four or five sophomores. It’ll be a tough slate with non-conference matchups against Class 3A Mountain View, along with 1A stalwarts Connell and Hoquiam.
“We’ve grown and learned the last couple years because we’ve been so young,” Bartl said. “The kids are starting to believe in the process of what we’re doing. Hopefully, that comes to fruition and we have some success.”
Class 2A
Bellingham
2021 record: 2-7, did not advance to postseason
Key returners: Logan Steeves, Sr., RB/OLB; Liam Poulton-Claypool, Sr., DE; Max Rasset, Sr., QB
Key newcomers: Tyler Frost, So., RB
2022 outlook: Adam Leonard takes over in his first high school coaching role since he was a QB coach in 2002. But he spent the past five years as president of the Bellingham Youth Football and is hoping to bring the Bayhawks back to their former glory.
Returning are seniors QB Max Rasset and RB/LB Logan Steeves, who will be joined on offense by promising sophomore Tyler Frost. The trio will operate in a three-wide set with a tight end.
Leonard expects to have between 55 and 65 kids on the roster week one. Bellingham will play an independent schedule this season against a mix of Class 2B to 3A opponents as it builds its program back up.
“We want to change the culture and bring excitement to the Bellingham Bayhawks football,” Leonard said. “We’ve already started that in spring football, summer camp and weight training. We want to bring it back and a lot of people are excited for the change.”
Lynden offensive lineman Josiah VanderHaak (74) and his teammates block against Mount Baker during a football jamboree at Lynden High School on Aug. 26. (Andy Bronson/Cascadia Daily News)
Lynden
2021 record: 12-1, state champions
Key returners: Lane Heeringa, Sr., RB; Campbell Nolte, Sr., RB; Kaedan Hermanutz, Sr., QB; Troy Petz, Sr., K/P
Key newcomers: Brant Heppner; Charlie Ayres
2022 outlook: Lynden won its seventh state championship after defeating top-seeded Tumwater 21-7. The Lions have eight state title appearances in the last 15 years, and look primed to go back-to-back this season.
Sixth-year coach Blake VanDalen brings back all five starting offensive linemen. Nine total offensive starters return, including both running backs (Lane Heeringa and Campbell Nolte) and QB Kaedan Hermanutz. Also back is all-state punter/kicker Troy Petz, who won the 2A state long jump title.
“We’re pretty blessed up here,” VanDalen said.
The Lions will operate a four-wide, spread offense with multiple sets and will also look to pound the rock. With five defensive starters back, they’ll run a 3-4, multiple coverage defense, and will morph into a Cover 2 at times.
Lynden will have around 80 kids on the roster for week one.
“Last year’s journey was special and this team’s journey will probably be special for different reasons,” VanDalen said. “I really think we’ll enjoy every aspect of the journey. We’re ready to embrace it.”
Andre Watson, second from right, turns and heads downfield after catching a pass as the Sehome football team practices on Aug. 25. (Andy Bronson/Cascadia Daily News)
Sehome
2021 record: 3-6, did not advance to postseason
Key returners: Tommy Funk, RB/OLB; Max Malo, KR
Key newcomers: Andre Watson, So., WR
2022 outlook: It was a down year for the Mariners and their sixth-year head coach Kevin Beason. Luckily Sehome has seven starters on offense and eight on defense coming back.
Senior RB/OLB Tommy Funk is back and fully recovered from an ACL injury. He still led the team in rushing, quarterback sacks and forced fumbles, according to Whatcom Preps.
Also back is speedy senior kick returner/safety Max Malo, while up-and-coming sophomore wideout Andre Watson looks to make his mark in the Mariners’ Wing-T offense. Sehome will run a 3-4 base defense.
Beason plans to have around 80 kids on the roster for week one.
“Most excited to get a chance to play the sport we all love,” Beason said. “We had a great spring and the kids really embraced the changes. Looking forward to developing our identity.”
Wes Tucker grabs a pass while defended by Nick Kyriazis as the Squalicum High School football team practices on Aug. 17. (Andy Bronson/Cascadia Daily News)
Squalicum
2021 record: 8-3, state semifinals
Key returners: Nick Watt, S/WR; Jacob Sorenson CB/WR; Riley Rambo OL/DL; Blaze Robles Center; Deandre Dunmore LB/RB. Jason Retz OL/DL
Key newcomers: Marcus Nixon RB/LB; Chase Nelson; TE/OL; Nevhye Egging WR/DB
2022 outlook: Ninth-year head coach Nick Lucey had the Storm humming last season behind the legs of speedy QB Leyton Smithson and powerhouse RB Djouvensky Schlenbaker.
Now the Storm will look to make another run at the state semis with four of their five starting offensive linemen back. The offense will run a power spread to utilize the big boys up front, while the defense will use a base 3-4 front.
He expects to have around 60 kids on the roster for week one.
“We’ve got a really good group of seniors,” Lucey said. “It’s a larger class, numbers-wise. They’re ready to come into their own and be a good group of leaders. I think we have a chance to be pretty good.”
Class 3A
Ferndale
2021 record: 7-3, lost in district crossover
Key returners: Landen Hatchett, Sr., OL/DL; Isaiah Carlson, Sr., RB/LB; Jake Mason, Sr., OL/DL; Conner Walcker, Jr., WR/DB
Key newcomers: N/A
2022 outlook: After falling to Garfield in a district crossover playoff, 19th-year head coach Jamie Plenkovich has the pieces to make another run at the state tourney.
The biggest returner is senior lineman Landen Hatchett (6-foot-3, 295 pounds), a University of Washington commit. Also back is senior lineman Jake Mason and senior RB/LB Isaiah Carlson.
Junior Conner Walcker is poised to have a big season. In all, Ferndale brings back eight starters on offense and 10 on defense.
The Golden Eagles will use a Wing-T offense and an even front defense, and Plenkovich plans to have around 60 kids on the roster week one.
“They’re a really great, fun group to be around,” Plenkovich said. “Strong senior class, leadership-wise, which always helps. We’ve had a good core in the summer program. We’ve got Lynden week one, so we’ll see where we’re at.”
