FRIDAY'S GAMES
FRIDAY HARBOR AT MERIDIAN
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Site: Meridian High School
Wolverines update: Friday Harbor (2-3) ended a three-game slide and picked up its first NWC 1A victory of the season with a 40-20 win over Lynden Christian last week. Quarterback Donald Galt rushed for 148 yards and a TD for the Wolverines. He also returned an interception for a TD on defense. Nate Steenkolk rushed for 67 yards and two TDs.
Trojans update: Meridian (3-2) fell behind early and couldn't recover in a 31-21 NWC 1A loss to Nooksack Valley last week. Running back John Murphy rushed for 102 yards, giving him at least 100 in the first five games. He is third in the NWC with 706 yards. Quarterback Max McGuinn passed for a season-high 345 yards and a touchdown, but was intercepted twice. He passed for 273 yards and 4 TDs in a 50-27 win at Friday Harbor in Week 3.
Key to the game: Turnovers hurt the Trojans dearly against Nooksack Valley, as they committed four. If it can limit that total this week, Meridian should have no problem picking up its second win of the season over Friday Harbor.
Player to watch: Meridian receiver Relijah McMillan caught four passes for 137 yards and a TD last week, giving him a team-high 268 yards receiving so far this season.
MOUNT VERNON AT OAK HARBOR
Time: 7 p.m.
Site: Oak Harbor High School
Bulldogs update: Mount Vernon (4-1) got a big win over Skagit County rival Burlington-Edison, beating the Tigers 41-3 last week. The Bulldogs outrushed Burlington 292-71 in the game, and quarterback Bennett Gibson passed for 125 yards and two touchdowns. Adam West caught one of Gibson's scoring tosses and finished with two receptions for 99 yards.
Wildcats update: Oak Harbor moved to a perfect 5-0 with a 68-14 Wesco trouncing of Lynnwood last week. The Wildcats got a school-record performance from Josiah Miller, who scored five touchdowns in the game. He rushed 10 times for 133 yards and four TDs and caught four passes for 54 yards and another score. Brent Ryan added 137 yards and a TD on 14 carries.
Key to the game: Mount Vernon has shown an ability to score, as the Bulldogs are second in the NWC with 192 points. But can they stop it? The Wildcats have outscored opponents 243-88.
Player to watch: Marchael Acode rushed for a season-high 231 yards and scored two touchdowns. He enters the week second in the NWC with 738 yards and 11 rushing touchdowns this year.
LYNDEN AT SQUALICUM
Time: 7 p.m.
Site: Civic Stadium
Lions update: Top-ranked Lynden (5-0) remained perfect with a 27-7 victory over rival Ferndale last week. Quarterback Josh Kraght passed for 165 yards and rushed for 34 more along with two TDs. Luke Christianson also rushed for a TD in the game, while kicker Santiago Lopez booted a pair of field goals. The Lions defense has allowed seven or fewer points in three of five games this season.
Storm update: Squalicum (1-4) got its first victory of the season, and it was a big one - 13-12 over NWC 2A rival Anacortes. Luke Weber rushed for 87 yards and the Storm's only touchdown in a game that kept Squalicum in the postseason hunt. David Starkovich kicked a pair of field goals, as Squalicum was outgained 357-273 in the game.
Key to the game: Squalicum took a big step forward last week but now faces the top team in the conference if not all of 2A. Finding a way to carry the confidence it established last week through this week's game will be paramount for the young Storm.
Player to watch: Lynden's Zach Vis caught seven passes for 130 yards last week and now leads a very talented receiving corps with 537 yards and seven TDs. He's also a force at safety.
BURLINGTON-EDISON AT BLAINE
Time: 7 p.m.
Site: Blaine High School
Tigers update: Burlington-Edison (2-3) lost its second straight by 30-plus points, falling to rival Mount Vernon 41-3. Combine that with a 42-7 loss to Mount Baker in Week 4, and the Tigers have been outrushed 585-155 the past two weeks. Burlington did move the ball well through the air, though, as Dalton Schwetz passed for a season-high 226 yards. Chris Burt grabbed five passes for 123 yards.
Borderites update: Blaine (1-4) lost its third straight, dropping a 44-41 heartbreaker in a NWC 2A game at Mount Baker. The Borderites were outscored 23-7 in the second half after jumping out to a 21-0 first-quarter lead. Freshman quarterback Nathan Kramme had his best night as a starter, passing for 182 yards and three TDs. Andrew Price caught all three scoring tosses and finished with eight catches for 173 yards.
Key to the game: Burlington has got to find a way to slow the running game. The Tigers have allowed 167.6 yards per game. Blaine, meanwhile, has rushed for 246.8 yards per game.
Player to watch: After watching the Tigers give up big chunks of yardage the past two weeks, you know NWC rushing leader Mario Gobbato is salivating. Gobbato rushed for 295 yards and three TDs last week and already has 1,083 yards and 15 scores this season - both marks top the NWC.
LYNDEN CHRISTIAN AT NOOKSACK VALLEY
Time: 7 p.m.
Site: Nooksack Valley High School
Lyncs update: Lynden Christian (0-5) is still searching for its first win of the season after suffering a 40-20 loss at Friday Harbor last week. The 20 points was the Lyncs' highest output so far this year. Chad Heerspink caught a pair of TD passes from Isaac Reimer, but suffered a season-ending knee injury late in the game. Will Scholten also rushed for a touchdown in the game. The Lyncs allowed 285 yards and four TDs on the ground last week.
Pioneers update: Nooksack Valley (4-1) got a big NWC 1A victory at Meridian, holding off the Trojans in a 31-21 victory. Quarterback Trevon Myhre passed for 282 yards and four TDs in the game and now leads the NWC with 1,241 yards passing. NWC leading receiver Trey Handy had another big game with nine catches for 165 yards and three TDs.
Key to the game: The Lyncs offense has scored 43 points so far this season, so the defense needs to find a way to slow up Myhre and the high-scoring Pioneers, who have averaged 40.5 points in the past four games, to keep the score close.
Player to watch: When the two teams met in Week 3, a game Nooksack Valley won 40-0, Pioneers running back Tito Nolasco recorded 144 total yards of total offense and scored three touchdowns.
BELLINGHAM AT SEDRO-WOOLLEY
Time: 7 p.m.
Site: Sedro-Woolley High School
Red Raiders update: Bellingham (1-4) suffered its fourth straight loss in heartbreaking fashion, as city rival Sehome scored the game-winning touchdown with 1:11 to play in a 28-24 ballgame. Oliver Dougherty rushed for 83 yards and a touchdown and caught three passes for 41 yards in the game. Running back Dominic Franklin did not play in the game, after he suffered a knee injury the week before against Anacortes.
Cubs update: Sedro-Woolley (5-0) got its biggest winning of the year, beating Mountlake Terrace 17-6 last week. Before its 11-point winning margin last week, the Cubs owned a pair of overtime victories, a one-point win and a two-point triumph. Alec Wortner rushed for 121 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the game last week. Aaron Stroosma caught eight passes for 147 yards.
Key to the game: The Cubs know how to win the close ones, but Bellingham might be catching them in the right week. Sedro-Woolley opens NWC 3A play next week against Ferndale and might get caught looking ahead.
Player to watch: Bellingham quarterback Justin Pruett passed for a season-high 163 yards and one touchdown last week and rushed for 63 yards and a go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter.
FERNDALE AT MOUNT BAKER
Time: 7 p.m.
Site: Mount Baker High School
Golden Eagles update: Ferndale (2-3) suffered a frustrating 27-7 loss at rival Lynden last week. The Golden Eagles were flagged 18 times for 133 yards in the game. Tanner Dawson was Ferndale's leading rusher, as he accumulated 80 yards on 10 carries. Ferndale has five backs with at least 150 yards rushing this season, but none with more than 350. Jake Frost passed for 102 yards a TD last week.
Mountaineers update: Mount Baker (4-1) had another impressive second-half showing, as it came back to beat Blaine 44-41 in NWC 2A play last week. Levi Wigg rushed for 145 yards and two TDs and now is fourth in the NWC with 637 yards. Quarterback Andrew Zender threw for a pair of touchdowns for the second straight week, finding Wigg and Zan Roman.
Key to the game: In addition to limiting its own penalties, Ferndale has got to slow up the Mountaineers in the second half. Mount Baker has averaged 26.7 points in the second halves of its past three games.
Player to watch: Mount Baker running Jake Schleimer rushed for 122 yards and two TDs last week and will punish any defenses that focus too heavily on stopping Wigg.
SEHOME AT ANACORTES
Time: 7 p.m.
Site: Anacortes High School
Mariners update: Sehome (2-3) got its first NWC 2A win in dramatic fashion last week, beating city rival Bellingham on a 56-yard touchdown reception by Daniel Goebel with 1:11 left to play. Running back Titi Lamositele rushed for 100 yards for the second time this season and scored a TD. Quarterback Austin Rapp passed for 144 yards and rushed for 39 more.
Seahawks update: Missed extra points cost Anacortes (1-4) in 13-12 NWC 2A loss to Squalicum last week. The Seahawks got 171 yards and two touchdowns from running back Cody Phipps in the game, as usual leading rusher Orlando Stoneham was out of action. Quarterback Cody Culp threw for 82 yards and was intercepted once.
Key to the game: Both teams are 1-2 in NWC 2A play and are among the four 2A teams that have one win in classification play. Needless to say, a win in this one is vital for both sides' playoff hopes.
Player to watch: Sehome running back Eric Ho not only rushed for 46 yards and a TD last week against Bellingham, he also threw the game-winning touchdown pass to Goebel.
SATURDAY'S GAME
LUMMI AT EVERGREEN LUTHERAN
Time: 1 p.m.
Site: Federal Way Stadium
Blackhawks update: No. 1-ranked Lummi (5-0) won its 16th straight game with a 59-26 Northwest Football League victory at Tulalip Heritage. Receiver Austin Brockie had yet another big game with four receptions for 115 yards and two TDs. Quarterback Jared Tom passed for 152 yards and three touchdowns, while Logan Toby passed for 94 yards and another score.
Eagles update: Evergreen Lutheran (4-1) picked up its third straight win with a 60-20 NWFL victory over Muckleshoot last week. The Eagles have outscored opponents 282-166 so far this season. Evergreen managed to push Lummi into the third quarter of a non-conference game between the two teams last year, before the Blackhawks pulled away for a 64-16 win.
Key to the game: Evergreen Lutheran has scored 50 or more points in all four wins this year, but was held to 22 in a loss to Neah Bay. Lummi's defense could play a big role in deciding this one.
Player to watch: Lummi running back Deion Hoskins did it all for the Blackhawks last week, rushing for 70 yards and a TD, making a 30-yard touchdown reception and returning a punt 62 yards for a third score. He even kicked five extra points.
