FRIDAY HARBOR AT MERIDIAN

Time: 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28

Site: Meridian High School

Wolverines update: Friday Harbor (4-0) recorded its second straight shutout and its third of the year with a 33-0 victory at La Conner last week. The Wolverines defense held La Conner to 103 yards of total offense. Nathan Steenkolk rushed for 149 yards and three touchdowns, and now is sixth in the NWC with 399. Teammate Micah Powell is seventh with 385. As a team, the Wolverines have rushed for 1,079 yards and 12 touchdowns and are averaging 6.1 yards per attempt.

Trojans update: Meridian (2-2) won its second straight, beating Sehome 19-13 last week. The Trojans had a balanced run game, with Evan Childs rushing for 39 yards and Letrez Jones gaining 41 and scoring a TD. Receiver Relijah McMillen was quarterback Max McGuinn's top target, catching four passes for 93 yards and a TD. McGuinn has passed for 681 yards this season and has eight TDs and 10 interceptions. The Meridian defense has allowed only 30 yards passing the past two weeks combined.

Key to the game: Entering the NWC 1A opener, Friday Harbor is 4-0, but really hasn't been tested, while Meridian has played a number of bigger schools and has struggled at times. But since 2006, the Trojans have won all 11 meetings by a combined score of 406-93.

Player to watch: Meridian running back Junior Castro has emerged the past two weeks, rushing for a combined 191 yards and a touchdown in wins over Lord Tweedsmuir and Sehome.

BURLINGTON-EDISON AT ANACORTES

Time: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28

Site: Anacortes High School

Tigers update: Burlington-Edison (3-1, 1-1 NWC 2A/3A) is coming off a 55-14 loss to Ferndale last week. The Tigers allowed 454 yards rushing and 9.1 yards per carry. Running back Jae Evans was the lone bright spot, as he rushed for 104 yards and Burlington's only two touchdowns. He has a team-high 380 yards and nine scores and is averaging 11.2 yards per carry. Brandon Stransky caught five passes for 56 yards.

Seahawks update: Anacortes (0-4, 0-2) played its first competitive game of the season, but still came up short last week at Lynden Christian, 21-14. Anthony Cook made his first 22 carries of the season count, rushing for 114 yards and a TD. Nick Monroe added 97 yards and a TD on the ground, but the Seahawks struggled passing the ball, completing only 5 of 19 passes for 56 yards and throwing three interceptions.

Key to the game: Burlington should win this one easily, but the Tigers need to bounce back from last week's overwhelming loss to Ferndale in a hurry. Anacortes seems to be getting better, so letting the Seahawks hang around could be a huge mistake.

Player to watch: Burlington quarterback Dalton Schwetz passed for a season high 160 yards last week against Ferndale, but also threw two interceptions and missed a number of open receivers.

SQUALICUM AT FERNDALE

Time: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28

Site: Ferndale High School

Storm update: Squalicum (4-0, 2-0 NWC 2A/3A) finished its non-conference schedule with a 63-7 victory over Abbotsford (B.C.) last week. The Storm defense shined, allowing only 86 yards of total offense, including none on 16 rushing attempts. Luke Weber led the Storm offense with 114 yards and two touchdowns rushing, but quarterback Clark Hazlett also had a big day, passing for 182 yards and three touchdowns. Blake Youtsey was his top target with three receptions for 62 yards and two TDs.

Ferndale update: Ferndale (4-0, 2-0) turned in a defining victory with a 55-14 win at previously unbeaten Burlington-Edison last week. Running back Hank Hilts broke onto the scene by rushing for 196 yards and four touchdowns, while Alex Conley added 115 yards and two more scores. Quarterback Cooper Clark also returned a punt 49 yards for a touchdown. The Ferndale offense has already rushed for 1,558 yards and 25 touchdowns and is averaging 9.2 yards per carry this season.

Key to the game: Perhaps the two best downhill running backs in the Northwest Conference will square off in Weber and Conley. Whichever defense is able to wrap up and make stops better will get a big leg up in this battle.

Player to watch: Squalicum's Blaze Yetter hit the first drop-kick extra point in school history last week for the Storm, after regular kicker Quinn Carpenter had to leave with a sore back. Yetter also has nine receptions for 123 yards and a TD this year.

LYNDEN AT SEHOME

Time: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28

Site: Civic Stadium

Lions update: Lynden (3-1, 2-0 NWC 2A/3A) scored its third straight big victory, beating Sedro-Woolley 42-12 last week. Luke Christianson returned from a one-week absence for injury and rushed for 129 yards and a touchdown and caught six passes for a team-high 59 more yards. Quarterback Josh Kraght, who had three TD tosses last week, has completed 50 of 70 pass attempts for 687 yards and eight scores this year. Receivers Dak Shagren and Jalani Phelps each have more than 200 yards receiving.

Mariners update: Sehome (1-3, 1-1) fell just short of winning its second straight, falling 19-13 at Meridian last week. Titi Lamositele rushed for a season-high 132 yards on 12 carries, but it was star-in-the-making Daniel Ziegler who rushed for both Sehome touchdowns. The Mariners struggled passing the ball, though, completing only three of 10 attempts for 26 yards a week after Ziegler hit all 12 attempts and passed for 185 and two touchdowns as a replacement starter.

Key to the game: Sehome's defense has been much improved this year with better tackling and limiting opponents to 21.3 points per game, but it will be severely tested by a Lynden offense averaging 44.5 points per game.

Player to watch: Lynden's Hudson Gratton stepped into Lynden's receiving corps when Zach Vis went down with a preseason shoulder injury and showed he has the athletic ability to do much more, as he rushed three times for 8 yards, passed for 62 yards and a TD and caught a 34-yard touchdown last week.

LYNDEN CHRISTIAN AT BLAINE

Time: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28

Site: Blaine High School

Lyncs update: It wasn't a thing of beauty, but Lynden Christian (3-1) won its second straight, coming back to beat Anacortes 21-14 last week. Running back Will Scholten scored the second of his two TDs on a 1-yard plunge in the fourth quarter to put the Lyncs ahead to stay. Josh Friberg was the team's leading rusher with 77 yards and a TD, while Levi Vander Yacht led the way with five catches for 65 yards. The LC defense also picked off three passes and scooped up an Anacortes fumble.

Borderites update: Blaine (3-1) rebounded from a tough loss to hold off Bellingham 36-28 last week. The Borderites rushed for 599 yards, averaging 9.4 yards per carry. Though he fumbled three times, Mario Gobbato led the way with 301 yards and three touchdowns. He already has 1,008 yards this year and is only 28 yards away from passing former Ferndale running back Robert Davis for the most career yards by a Whatcom County running back. With 4,305 yards, he is also only 1,188 away from J.R. Hasty's state career rushing record.

Key to the game: This is the first time the schools have played since the old Whatcom County League in 2005, but Lynden Christian knows what it must do - stop the Blaine running game. The Borderites are averaging 371.5 yards per game and 8.3 per rush, while LC is allowing 5.6 yards per attempt.

Player to watch: Running back Cole Muder proved to be a valuable second option to Gobbato for Blaine, as he rushed for 188 yards and 19 carries last week against Bellingham.

NOOKSACK VALLEY AT MOUNT BAKER

Time: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28

Site: Mount Baker High School

Pioneers update: Nooksack Valley (3-1) rebounded from its first loss with a 56-15 win at Coupeville last week. Quarterback Tanner Myhre passed for 274 yards and four touchdowns to lead the way, hitting Trey Handy, who leads the NWC with 396 yards receiving, for two touchdowns and cousin Curtis Handy for another. Levi Schram was one of three Nooksack Valley running backs to score a touchdown and one of four to rush for at least 50 yards, as Nooksack piled up 557 yards of total offense.

Mountaineers update: Mount Baker (3-1) also rebounded from its first loss with a 56-6 victory over Cedarcrest, as the Mountaineers piled up 399 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground and averaged 13.8 yards per carry. Izaiha Schwinden rushed for 112 yards and a TD, Jake Schleimer added 84 yards and three scores and Joey Walton rushed for 88 yards and two TDs. Zan Roman accounted for all 28 receiving yards for the Mountaineers and retuned an interception 70 yards for a TD.

Key to the game: This is another old Whatcom County League rivalry that is being rekindled after reclassification, and both teams desperately want to start NWC 1A play off on a positive note. Nooksack Valley needs to slow up the Mount Baker run game, while the Mountaineers will be concerned with containing the Pioneers' high-octane aerial attack.

Player to watch: Nooksack Valley's Bret Rediger, who is usually Myhre's backup at quarterback, showed he's quite a playmaker last week, leading the team with 75 yards and a TD rushing and 92 yards and two touchdowns receiving.

NEAH BAY AT LUMMI

Time: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28

Site: Lummi Nation School

Red Devils update: Neah Bay (4-0) picked up a forfeit victory over Muckleshoot Tribal last week. The Red Devils' last on-field win was an 80-46 victory over Wishkah Valley. Quarterback Josiah Greene passed for four touchdowns, ran for another and returned a kickoff for a sixth touchdown in the game. Joey Monje also rushed for three touchdowns and a game-high 188 yards for the defending Class 1B state champions. Zeke Greene was the top receiver with nine catches for 106 yards and a TD.

Blackhawks update: Lummi (3-1) worked over Evergreen Lutheran 69-18 last week, as quarterbacks Jared Tom and Logan Toby combined to pass for 348 yards and four touchdowns. Lummi also had a big day running the ball, accumulating 187 yards and five touchdowns on only 15 carries. Deion Hoskins rushed for 78 yards and two TDs, while Dimitri Sampson was right behind with 76 yards and two scores. Sampson also caught three passes for 65 yards and a TD.

Key to the game: These two old rivals know each other well, as they have met 13 times in the past six seasons. Lummi had won 10 of those games, but Neah Bay got one in last year's state quarterfinals after two straight years of having Lummi end their season in the state playoffs. Don't be surprised if they see each other again this year.

Player to watch: Lummi receiver Austin Brockie has game-changing ability. Last week he caught four passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns, returned an interception 28 yards for a TD and a kickoff 74 yards for another.

SEDRO-WOOLLEY AT BELLINGHAM

Time: 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29

Site: Civic Stadium

Cubs update: Sedro-Woolley (1-3, 0-2 NWC 2A/3A) had no answer for Lynden in a 42-12 loss last week. Shawn Kennedy was the team's leading rusher with 64 yards and now has 414 on 74 carries this year. Quarterback Braden Blouin passed for 108 yards and hit Ethan VanLiew for a touchdown. But the Cubs allowed 425 yards of total offense to Lynden. Kyle Morgan is the team's top receiving threat with his 10 catches for 109 yards this year.

Red Raiders update: Bellingham (0-4, 0-2) played its closest game of the year, losing 36-28 to Blaine last week. Quarterback Justin Pruett passed for 320 yards and three touchdowns, including one to Nicholas Estrada. Pruett also rushed for 67 yards and a TD, while Marques Reynolds was held to 26 yards on eight carries. Darice Haywood has been Pruett's top target so far this season, catching 27 passes for 364 yards and three touchdowns, while Estrada has 198 yards and two TDs.

Key to the game: Bellingham has a shot to get its first win under Steve Wilson, but it must tighten things up defensively. Last week the Red Raiders allowed 599 yards rushing to Blaine. They've already allowed 2,032 yards this year, including 1,477 on the ground at a clip of 8.0 yards per carry.

Player to watch: Kyle Redmond returned to the lineup after missing the last two weeks with injury and caught seven passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns, giving Pruett a valuable third threat in the passing attack.

Reach DAVID RASBACH at david.rasbach@bellinghamherald.com or call 715-2271.