Sports - High Schools

POSTED: Sunday, Jul. 05, 2009

ALL-WHATCOM COUNTY BOYS' ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Casey Locker

As the most decorated high school athlete in Whatcom County over the last two seasons, Ferndale's Casey Locker would get a pass if he let the accolades go to his head for a moment.

But if it hasn't happened now, after back-to-back Northwest Conference Most Valuable Player awards in both football and baseball, it's probably never going to happen.

And as his coaches will tell you, that's part of what makes Locker such a special talent. After excelling in football, baseball, and basketball, he's been named the Bellingham Herald's All-Whatcom County Boys' Athlete of the Year.

"He's really a quiet, unassuming guy," Ferndale baseball coach Sean Linville said. "You would never know that he was a two-time MVP of the league. He was one of those guys who wasn't a vocal leader, but he led by showing you the right way to do things and the right way to win."

Winning will be a big part of the legacy the senior leaves behind. Ferndale never lost a conference football game with Locker starting at quarterback, and in basketball and baseball the Golden Eagles were always in contention for a state berth.

Locker however would have gladly traded all of the awards and statistics for the chance to play for another state title like he did as a freshman member of the football team.

"Really, the awards and the statistics don't mean much to me," Locker said after the football season. "All I ever wanted to do is win a title."

Locker's passion for football will take him to Washington State University next season. If he can put together even half of the college career he had as a high school player, the sky will be the limit for Locker.

A LITTE MORE ABOUT LOCKER

Favorite movie: Super Troopers. It's just really funny. It makes me laugh.

Favorite thing to do: Just hanging out with friends. Just doing whatever and being with them.

Favorite type of music: Definitely Country. I just like it. I'm not big into music, but if had to pick, it would be country.

Athletic idol: Ken Griffey Jr. I was a big Griffey fan growing up.

Favorite Ferndale athletic memory: Winning state my freshman year in football and getting to play with my brother and my cousin.

CASEY LOCKER

School: Ferndale

Year: Senior

Sports: Football, basketball, baseball

Next step: Playing football at Washington State University

Football: Locker was named the Northwest Conference's Most Valuable Player for the second year in a row after helping Ferndale to an undefeated regular season and a trip to the Class 3A state quarterfinals. As a quarterback, Locker rushed for 885 yards and 15 touchdowns and also passed for 1,385 yards and 14 more scores. As a defensive back he was one of the best in the state. Locker earned Class 3A all-state first team recognition at quarterback and was an honorable mention pick at defensive back.

Basketball: Locker couldn't make it three for three with most valuable player honors, but he was a solid player for Ferndale on the basketball court. He averaged 3.7 points per game and did the little things that make a difference in the win column. His natural athleticism perhaps came across most clearly in the sport he didn't excel at.

Baseball: While Locker's athletic future is in football, it just as easily could have been baseball. He was named the Northwest Conference's Most Valuable Player by the league's coaches and a first-team pitcher. Locker led the NWC with a .484 batting average and also had 30 RBI, 30 runs scored, three home runs and eight stolen bases. As a pitcher he was 6-3 with a 2.61 ERA with 43 strikeouts. The four-year starter was also picked to the Class 3A Washington State Baseball Coaches Association All-State first team.

JUSTIN SANTOS

School: Sehome

Year: Junior

Sports: Football, wrestling, track

Next step: Just a junior, Santos will be looking for another rushing crown and a state wrestling title

Football: Santos proved that he was one of the most explosive running backs in the Northwest Conference last season, rushing for 1,391 yards and 22 touchdowns to lead the league in both categories. He also nearly averaged a first down with every carry, averaging 9.2 yards per rush. He put together one of the most impressive three game stretches in recent memory, gaining 850 yards and scoring 13 touchdowns over that span. He was an All-NWC second team running back.

Wrestling: Santos came just short of his goal of winning a Class 2A state championship in wrestling, collecting a runner-up finish at Mat Classic XXI in the 145-pound weight class. He was a Class 2A Region One and Sub-Regional champion and put together a 32-5 overall record. His run to the state title match was even more impressive considering he spent much of the season without his usual practice partners who were injured. He'll be a state title favorite as a senior.

Track: Santos put his speed to good use during the track season. He finished ninth in the 200 meters preliminaries at the Class 2A State Championships with a time of 22.72 seconds and also joined with Levi Grudzinski, Matt Fazio and Justin Thomsen to finish seventh at state in the 4x100 relay with a time of 47.62 seconds. Santos, Logan Barnett, Fazio and Clinton Overman also finished fourth in the 4x400 relay with a mark of 3:29.11.

BLAIR BOMBER

School: Lynden

Year: Junior

Sports: Football, basketball, track

Next step: Just a junior, Bomber will be looking to help Lynden to another state title

Football: Bomber proved to be one of the most versatile players in the Northwest Conference, lining up at times as a receiver, a running back, and a defensive back. He led the NWC with 92 receptions for 998 yards and also rushed for 253 yards. He was a first-team all-conference pick at both wide receiver and defensive back and helped Lynden to a surprising Class 2A state championship. He combined to score 17 touchdowns.

Basketball: Bomber was an honorable mention All-Northwest Conference pick after averaging 9.9 points per game for the Lions. With one of the quickest first steps in the league he was tough to guard with the ball and an even a better defender. Bomber often ran Lynden's offense from his guard position, and was capable of putting up big scoring numbers when Lynden needed it.

Track: Bomber just might be able to say he's the fastest athlete in the Northwest Conference. He finished second in the 200 meters at the Class 2A State Championships with a time of 22.05 seconds and also placed second in the 100 at state with a time of 11.07 seconds. As a member of the 4x400 relay team he won a Class 2A state title - along with Colby Biesheuvel, Dusty Duncan and Jordan Weeks - with a time of 3:21.12. He also helped the Lions win the Class 2A state team title.

SPENCER HANNAH

School: Ferndale

Year: Senior

Sports: Football, basketball, baseball

Next step: Playing baseball at Lower Columbia College

Football: Every time Hannah got around the football something special seemed to happen. He was named to the All-Northwest Conference first team at both wide receiver and defensive back and was also an all-state honorable mention selection at receiver. The multitalented senior rushed for 743 yards and caught 36 passes for 705 more yards. He also scored 23 touchdowns and was the Golden Eagles' lockdown cornerback on defense.

Basketball: Hannah was an honorable mention All-Northwest Conference pick after averaging 4.9 points per game for the Golden Eagles. He and twin brother, Max, made up one of the strongest backcourts in the league, and though Spencer didn't score as much as his brother, he was still a good defender and passer. He made things tough on the opposition.

Baseball: Hannah's future is in baseball and there is a good reason for that. His exceptional speed and strong arm made him one of the best outfielders in the NWC and at the plate he batted .415 with 19 RBI and 28 runs scored. He also stole a team-high nine bases. He was an all-NWC first team pick and selected to the Class 3A Washington State Baseball Coaches Association All-State second team.

MAX HANNAH

School: Ferndale

Year: Senior

Sports: Football, basketball, baseball

Next step: Playing football at Eastern Oregon University.

Football: A foot injury cut Hannah's football season short, but even in just four games he made a big impact for Ferndale on both sides of the ball. In the Golden Eagles' first four games they gave up just 21 points with Hannah in the secondary, and on offense he had 23 carries for 192 yards and 15 receptions for 240 yards. He wasn't the primary weapon in Ferndale's balanced attack, but he was always dangerous with the football.

Basketball: Basketball might have been Hannah's strongest sport this season. Recovered from the foot injury that derailed much of his football season, he emerged as one of the top guards in the league. His speed made him tough to defend off the dribble and he was a strong shooter. He finished second on the team in scoring with 12.5 points per game and averaged 18 points a contest at the Class 3A Northwest District Tournament.

Baseball: Hannah showed his versatility this season in baseball, excelling as an infielder after spending his junior season playing catcher. He was an All-NWC second team pick by the league's coaches after hitting .333 with 24 RBI and 34 runs scored. He also had two home runs and nine stolen bases. As a table-setter there were few better in the league. He made things tough on opposing pitchers with his speed on the base paths.