FERNDALE

GOLDEN EAGLES

Coach: Monte Walton (second season)

Last year: Finished seventh in the Northwest Conference with a 7-6 conference mark. Won a pair of games in the 3A Northwest District Tournament and finished with a 17-8 record overall.

Players to watch: Kendall Kelly (Sr. W), Lukas Melton (Sr. W), Aiden Sands (Sr. G), Cameron Massey (Sr. P), Austin Honeycutt (Fr. P), Brady Shearer (So. W)

Outlook: "Our motto this year is it's not how big you are, but how big you play," Walton said in a phone interview. With nobody standing taller than 6-foot-4 listed on their roster, it's understandable why the Golden Eagles are hoping size does not matter. Last year they had plenty of bulk, but the only returning player who saw a lot of time on that team is Sands (7.4 points per game last year), who is expected to be out until after the first of the year with an off-court injury. Kelly also averaged 3.5 points last year. One player who already is impressing is Honeycutt - a name that should be plenty familiar to Golden Eagles basketball fans that have seen his sisters thrive in recent years. Ferndale figures to utilize the fast break quite a bit more this year, especially if it can rebound well. "We're slowly figuring out how to play varsity-level basketball," Walton said. "They work really hard, and they are improving, and that's all anybody can really ask." Ferndale must improve, as the 3A Northwest District figures to be loaded with a number of top teams this season.

ROSTER

No. Player Yr. Ht. Pos.

2 Austin Honeycutt Fr. 6-2 P

3 Luis Alvarez Sr. 5-10 G

4 Lukas Melton Sr. 6-2 W

5 Aiden Sands Sr. 6-0 G

5 Daniel Riley Jr. 5-8 G

10 Zachary Cutsforth Sr. 6-3 W/P

12 Brady Shearer So. 6-0 W

13 Robert Hardin Jr. 6-2 P/W

22 Kendall Kelly Sr. 6-2 W

24 Travis Hoffman Sr. 6-4 P

25 Zach Berkompas Sr. 6-2 P

32 Cameron Massey Sr. 6-1 P

33 John Weg Fr. 6-4 P

SCHEDULE

Nov. 27 Bellingham W 69-67

Nov. 30 at Squalicum L 61-47

Dec. 3 at Lynden Christian L 64-43

Dec. 7 at Blaine W 64-53

Dec. 10 Anacortes 7:15 p.m.

Dec. 14 Mount Baker* 7:15 p.m.

Dec. 17 at Burlington-Edison* 7:15 p.m.

Dec. 20 Sedro-Woolley* 7:15 p.m.

Dec. 21 Oak Harbor 7:15 p.m.

Dec. 28 Mountlake Terrace Tournament 1 p.m.

Dec. 29 Mountlake Terrace Tournament TBD

Jan. 4 at Sehome* 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 8 Blaine* 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 11 at Meridian* 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 15 Lynden Christian* 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 18 at Nooksack Valley* 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 22 Squalicum* 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 24 at Bellingham* 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 28 Lynden* 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 31 at Anacortes* 7:15 p.m.

*NWC game

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