LYNDEN CHRISTIAN AT LAKEWOOD
Time: 7 p.m.
Site: Lakewood High School
Lyncs update: The Galen Kaemingk era at Lynden Christian didn't quite start the way the Lyncs would have wanted, as Sehome handed them a 34-14 loss. Caleb Park rushed for 63 yards and a touchdown, but LC's biggest problem was stopping the Mariners from running. Sehome gained 295 yards on 34 carries, and one of the biggest bodies up front, Zach Scholten, went down with a knee injury.
Cougars update: Lakewood opened the season with a 36-31 come-from-behind win over Prairie at Battle Ground. Quarterback Justin Peterson hooked up with Brandon Stott for a 32-yard touchdown with 40 seconds remaining. Peterson had a big game, as he accounted for 350 yards, throwing for three TDs, running for another score and intercepting a pass on defense.
Key to the game: LC must shore things up defensively. While Sehome relied on the run game, it appears Lakewood will take to the air.
Player to watch: Isaac Reimer was solid in his first game at quarterback for the Lyncs, throwing for 123 yards on 10 of 19 passing.
NOOKSACK VALLEY AT LA CONNER
Time: 7 p.m.
Site: La Conner High School
Pioneers update: For the fourth time in three years, Nooksack Valley came up short against Cascade Christian, falling 25-15. But this time the Pioneers had the defending state champs on the ropes, before a late turnover and score ended Nooksack's comeback hopes. Trevon Myhre rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns and passed for a school-record 357 yards. The Pioneers' defense allowed the Cougars 205 yards rushing, but held them to 34 yards through the air.
Braves update: Friday Harbor topped La Conner 20-14 in the season opener for both teams. Running back Dahlton Zavala scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns, as the Braves attempted to come back from an early deficit. The Pioneers beat the Braves 63-0 at Nooksack in a 2010 meeting between the two teams.
Key to the game: Nooksack Valley needs to limit the turnovers. Four interceptions and two fumbles ended up being the difference in the Pioneers' Week 1 loss.
Player to watch: Receiver Trey Handy had a huge game for the Pioneers, setting school records by catching 13 passes for 288 yards. He also intercepted a pass.
ANACORTES AT MOUNT BAKER
Time: 7 p.m.
Site: Mount Baker High School
Seahawks update: Anacortes opened the season with a 28-18 Northwest Conference loss to Mount Vernon last week. Returning quarterback Cody Culp passed for 154 yards and two touchdowns, and Orlando Stoneham rushed for 149 yards on 16 carries (9.3 average), but it wasn't enough to overcome four rushing touchdowns by the Bulldogs. A.J. Yost was Culp's top target, as he caught nine passes for 74 yards and a TD.
Mountaineers update: Mount Baker struggled to get its rushing offense going in its opener, falling 19-6 at Meridian. The Mountaineers were held to 140 yards on 40 carries (3.2 average). Aaron Baddeley was the team's leading rusher with 72 yards on three carries, including a 63-yard TD for Mount Baker's only score. New starting quarterback Andrew Zender attempted only three passes, completing two for 20 yards.
Key to the game: Mount Baker's offensive line is fitting some new pieces together and must find a way to gel in a hurry. Last week the holes just weren't there for the running backs.
Player to watch: Levi Wigg, the 2010 Northwest Conference rushing champion for Mount Baker, probably will not have another 14-carry, 27-yard performance this season.
SQUALICUM AT BLAINE
Time: 7 p.m.
Site: Blaine High School
Storm update: Squalicum looked strong through the first quarter and a half of its opener, before Ferndale stormed back for a big 49-7 victory. Storm freshman quarterbacks Clark Hazlett and Christian Jorgensen combined to go 11 for 21 for 114 yards and two interceptions, but showed good composure under a strong Ferndale rush. Luke Weber was Squalicum's leading runner with 66 yards and a TD on eight attempts.
Borderites update: Too many mistakes ended up costing Blaine in the Emerald City Kickoff Classic at CenturyLink Stadium in Seattle, as Hazen escaped with a 35-32 win. The loss overshadowed an amazing 225-yard, four-touchdown rushing performance by Mario Gobbato. The junior needed only 24 carries (9.4 average). Blaine needs to tighten up a little defensively, after allowing Hazen 445 yards of total offense and a number of big plays.
Key to the game: Squalicum needs to improve on its 2.4-yard-per carry average from Week 1. Doing so would allow the Storm to keep the ball out of Gobbato's hands.
Player to watch: After an early interception, Blaine quarterback Parker Wallace seemed to settle in last week and even had a nice touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.
BURLINGTON-EDISON AT SEHOME
Time: 7 p.m.
Site: Civic Stadium
Tigers update: Burlington-Edison allowed Sedro-Woolley to score 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter and another TD in overtime and fell 28-21 in its opener. Quarterback Dalton Schwetz passed for 126 yards and a touchdown in his first extensive varsity action, and Chris Burt led the Tigers' ground attack with 47 yards and a TD on 12 carries. Peter Isaacson was Schwetz's top target, catching four passes for 67 yards.
Mariners update: Sehome won its third straight game, dating back to 2010, as the Mariners opened 2011 with a 34-14 victory at Lynden Christian. The ground game was key for Sehome, as it piled up 295 yards and five TDs on 34 carries (8.7 average). Quarterback Austin Rapp led the way with 110 yards and a TD on 14 carries, while Titi Lamositele added 75 yards and a pair of TDs on nine attempts. The defense, meanwhile, limited LC to 2.5 yards per carry.
Key to the game: While Burlington is trying to prove it still should be considered one of the NWC 2A's contenders, Sehome is trying to show that it belong among the contenders for the first time in years.
Player to watch: Sehome's speedy Eric Ho gives the Mariners a third threat in the backfield, along with Rapp and Lamositele. He rushed for 89 yards and two TDs on seven carries last week.
O'DEA AT FERNDALE
Time: 7 p.m.
Site: Ferndale High School
Irish update: O'Dea opened the season with a 28-14 victory at Olympia, atoning for a pair of losses to the Cougars in 2010. Jayshawn Jordan rushed for 110 yards in the game, while quarterback Pierre LeDorze passed for a touchdown and rushed for another. The Irish defense took care of the rest, getting a crucial stop on fourth-and-short at its own 37 with four minutes to play, before Johntye Jackson grabbed his second interception of the game to clinch it.
Golden Eagles update: After a little bit of a sluggish start, Ferndale got things rolling in a hurry, scoring 49 unanswered points to claim a 49-7 victory over Squalicum in its opener at Civic Stadium. Tanner Dawson led the Golden Eagles' rushing attack with 75 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries, while Jake Frost passed for 96 yards and a TD. The Ferndale defense limited the Storm to 2.4 yards per rush attempt and 183 yards of total offense.
Key to the game: Ferndale lost a 28-13 regular-season meeting to O'Dea and a 31-10 game in the first-round game in the Class 3A state playoffs last year. Both those games were in Seattle, so you know Ferndale wants a little revenge at home.
Player to watch: Ferndale's Alex Conley was a scoring machine, rushing for two touchdowns, catching a 54-yard pass for another and returning an interception 42 yards for a fourth last week.
MOUNT VERNON AT MARINER
Time: 7 p.m.
Site: Goddard Stadium, Everett
Bulldogs update: Mount Vernon opened the season with a 28-18 victory over Anacortes. Bennett Gibson and Colton Ness each rushed for a second-half touchdown to help the Bulldogs open up a 14-12 halftime lead. Bennett passed for 233 yards, with his top target being Adam West, who caught six passes for 94 yards. The Bulldogs want some pay back for a 32-10 loss to Mariner on their home field in 2010.
Marauders update: Colton Hordyk rushed for 100 yards and three touchdowns on nine carries and caught four passes for 41 yards and another score to help Arlington dump Mariner 42-14 in the opener. The Marauders' Taylor Garneau and Josh Williamson each scored second-half touchdowns after the game had already been decided.
Key to the game: Mariner star running back KeiVarae Russell did not play against Arlington after suffering a minor concussion in an auto accident. He is expected to be back this week.
Player to watch: Running back Marchael Acode got off to a strong start for Mount Vernon, rushing for 156 yards and two touchdowns and catching three passes for 45 yards.
STANWOOD AT SEDRO-WOOLLEY
Time: 7 p.m.
Site: Sedro-Woolley High School
Spartans update: Stanwood got off to a rocky start, as Kamiak's Mylz Dixon rushed for 188 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries to down the Spartans 26-7. Brandon Ross scored Stanwood's only TD on a 3-yard run in the third quarter.
Cubs update: Sedro-Woolley scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to send the game to overtime and added a 3-yard touchdown run by Alex Wortner in the extra period to stun Burlington-Edison 28-21 in its opener. Wortner scored all three TDs late in the game and finished with 64 yards rushing and 73 yards receiving. Aaron Stroosma added 83 yards receiving and a TD.
Key to the game: The Cubs won 40-23 at Stanwood in a 2010 meeting between the two teams and would like to move to 2-0 this season with a win on their home field.
Player to watch: Sedro-Woolley's Isaac Bianchini passed for 188 yards and two touchdowns in his first extensive varsity playing time at quarterback.
BELLINGHAM AT LYNDEN
Time: 7 p.m.
Site: Lynden High School
Red Raiders update: The Bellingham defense limited South Whidbey to 109 yards of total offense and pitched shutout in a season-opening 17-0 victory. Oliver Dougherty rushed for 74 yards and a touchdown and caught three passes for 57 yards and another score to lead the Red Raiders' offensive attack. Running back Dominic Franklin rushed for 76 yards on 15 carries (5.1 average) in his first game back from a knee injury suffered late in 2010.
Lions update: Lynden passed for 429 yards and rolled Centennial 62-19 in its season opener. The Lions had a pair of 100-yard receivers in Zach Vis (nine catches, 150 yards, 2 TDs) and Luke Christianson (five catches, 135 yards, 3 TDs). In his first extensive varsity playing time, Kyle Hanson rushed for 59 yards and 12 carries to lead the team on the ground. The Lynden defense also forced three turnovers in the game.
Key to the game: Bellingham's defense did a good job of stopping South Whidbey in Week 1, but Lynden's offense is a whole other animal. The Red Raiders have got to find a way to slow up the Lions.
Player to watch: Lynden quarterback Josh Kraght picked up where he left off his 2010 Northwest Conference-MVP season, passing for 281 yards and four touchdowns and rushing for another score.
RAINIER CHRISTIAN AT LUMMI
Time: 7 p.m.
Site: Lummi Nation School
Mustangs update: Rainier Christian opened the season with a 36-14 loss to visiting Taholah. The SeaTac school is now a league foe for Lummi.
Blackhawks update: Dean Williams' interception in the end zone with 26 seconds remaining preserved Lummi's 38-36 victory over Neah Bay in a non-conference season opener. The interception was Williams' second and Lummi's fourth of the game. Deion Hoskins rushed for 75 yards and a touchdown and caught six passes for 22 yards and another score. Robert Scott made two receptions for 87 yards and a TD, while Austin Brockie and Williams also each had a touchdown catch.
Key to the game: This will be the Blackhawks' first home game since winning the Class 1B state title, so chances are emotions could be pretty high. Lummi needs to keep its focus for 48 minutes.
Player to watch: In his first extensive action at quarterback, Lummi's Jared Tom passed for 320 yards and four touchdowns. He added 29 yards on the ground.
SATURDAY'S GAME
SEQUIM AT MERIDIAN
Time: 5 p.m.
Site: Meridian High School
Wolves update: Sequim scored on all five of its first-half possessions and added a interception return for a touchdown right before halftime in a 42-0 victory over Forks. In his first start at quarterback, Frank Catelli passed for 251 yards and three touchdowns during the first half. Junior Jack Wiker split time between running and quarterback, amassing 136 yards of offense and scoring three touchdowns.
Trojans update: Despite its big losses to graduation, Meridian looked strong in its opener, beating Mount Baker 19-6. The Trojans' defense limited the Mountaineers to 140 yards on 40 carries (3.5 average). John Murphy, meanwhile, rushed for 103 yards on 17 carries and caught two passes for 20 more. Chase Heslep had four receptions for 64 yards and two touchdowns.
Key to the game: The Wolves try to use their speed and a no-huddle offense to wear out opponents, much like the University of Oregon. Meridian's ability to slow up Sequim's offense could be vital if the Trojans are able to emerge with a win.
Player to watch: Meridian's Max McGuinn was impressive in his first varsity start at quarterback, passing for 128 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for another TD.
