BELLINGHAM

RED RAIDERS

Coach: Matt Zigulis

Last year: Finished third in the Class 2A Northwest Conference standings with a 7-1-5 record. ... Ended season after losing in the Class 2A State Tournament quarterfinals to Archbishop Murphy and finished 11-5-6 overall.

Players to watch: Auden Schilder (sr., GK); Brad Dale (sr., M); Lars Botterill (jr., D); Emile Diffley (sr., M); Conlon Kiffney (sr., M)

Outlook: Front to back, coach Matt Zigulis likes what he sees heading into the season. Co-captain Auden Schilder returns to goal for his senior year and will be Bellingham's "rock in the back." Bellingham has a trio of senior midfielders capable of making up for the lost production of Arie Vanderstaay, who led the Red Raiders in scoring last year with 18 goals as a senior. Brad Dale, Emile Diffley and former Sehome player Conlon Kiffney make up one of the strongest midfields in the Northwest Conference. "Those guys will be key to our success on the field," Zigulis said in a phone interview. Underclassmen Noe Betancourt-Cruz and Keegan Nutt should log time up top and could help Diffley, Dale and Kiffney shoulder the scoring load. Juniors Lars Botterill and Hunter Hadfield give Bellingham strong experience along the Red Raiders' back line. "What's nice is that we have a lot of well-rounded players," Zigulis said. "I think we have some high expectations on our team, and we know not to take anything for granted."

2013 ROSTER

No. Player Yr. Pos.

1 Auden Schilder Sr. GK

3 Christian Mittet Fr. M

4 Brad Dale Sr. M

5 Lars Botterill Jr. D

6 Dane Thurston Fr. M

7 Joel Betancourt-Cruz Sr. M

8 Nick Bippley So. D

9 Noah Silverman Jr. D

10 Emile Diffley Sr. M

11 Blake Langei Fr. D

12 Jacob Feingold Jr. M

13 Noe Betancourt-Cruz So. F

14 Conlon Kiffney Sr. F/M

15 Will Mascioli Fr. M/D

16 Josh Miller Sr. M

17 Jack Lewis-Clark Fr. F

18 Hunter Hadfield Jr. D

19 Keegan Nutt Fr. F

22 Logan Schilder So. GK

2013 SCHEDULE

March 12 Oak Harbor (Northwest) 4 p.m.

March 14 at Ferndale 4 p.m.

March 16 at Sehome (Civic) noon

March 18 Mount Baker (Civic)* 7:30 p.m.

March 20 at Lynden (Bender)* 3:30 p.m.

March 22 Lynden Christian (Northwest)* 4 p.m.

March 26 at Meridian* 4:30 p.m.

March 28 Blaine (Northwest)* 4 p.m.

March 30 Squalicum (Civic)* noon

April 9 at Squalicum (Civic)* 7:30 p.m.

April 11 Sehome (Civic)* 7:30 p.m.

April 15 at Sedro-Woolley* 6 p.m.

April 17 at Anacortes* 6 p.m.

April 23 Burlington-Edison (Civic)* 7:30 p.m.

April 25 at Nooksack Valley* 4:30 p.m.

April 29 Ferndale (Civic)* 7:30 p.m.

* NWC game

Reach ANDREW LANG at andrew.lang@bellinghamherald.com or call ext. 862.