PREP FOOTBALL: Mount Baker pick up inspirational win in opener

Johnson received his biggest thrill at Mount Baker when the defensive back made a leaping interception at midfield with 2:43 remaining, enabling the Mountaineers to run out the clock.

Throw in 108 yards on 17 rushes and a 1-yard touchdown by junior running back David Kashubin, and it was a satisfying night for the Mountaineers after they were dismayed by Cronk's early departure.

"We're not sure how bad it is," Baker coach Ron Lepper said of the injury to Cronk, who was effectively replaced by senior Cody Anderson on offense and by senior Kevin Zollatz on the defensive front.

"This was definitely a dream for me," said Marshall, who suffered an interception by Nooksack's Trevor Arnason but otherwise was turnover-free. "I played a little on special teams in the first four games last year. Then I missed the rest of the season with a lacerated kidney."

Johnson felt the same way, finally getting the chance to make a varsity contribution after missing almost all of last season with a torn hamstring.

"Their guy got a little behind me, but I read that pass when it was underthrown a little," he said. "My eyes just lit up. Oh yeah, it's all been worthwhile (going through a painful injury)."

Cain, who shook off second-half leg cramps, said he "had to give it Matt. I've been following him for a long time as my first cousin. I had to put it all in the back of my mind, even though I also used (the injury) for inspiration."

Trailing 13-0 after the first quarter, Nooksack broke through in the third period after starting running back Nick deGrasse surprised Baker with a 36-yard run on a fake punt. Trevor Arnason soon followed with a 16-yard run and a 6-yard catch in the end zone of a well-thrown pass by sophomore Tyler Perry.

Baker scored on drives of 45 and 46 yards in the first quarter, capped by Kashubin's 1-yard plunge and Cain's 10-yard run. But the Pioneers proved stubborn thereafter, allowing the Mountaineers 136 yards in the second half after Baker rolled up 213 in the first two quarters.

"Other than the long pass (a 71-yarder from Wade Rediger to junior Anthony Reese) and that fake punt, I thought we played pretty well defensively," said Baker coach Ron Lepper. "We had good efforts from Kurtis Zender at outside linebacker in his first varsity start (including a fourth-down sack after the Pioneers reached the Baker 26 with 9:06 remaining). Caleb Buchanan, (a sophomore linebacker) also made a solid contribution."

Nooksack's deGrasse, a former quarterback, showed he could be a significant leader as a running back, accounting for 132 of Nooksack's 261 yards. He rushed 14 times for 76 yards and caught eight passes for 56 yards.

The Pioneers completed 18 of 37 passes for 166 yards, including 11 of 22 for 113 by Rediger, but Baker's crisp tackling held Nooksack to an average of 5.6 yards per completion except for the 71-yarder to Reese.

"We got them (the Mounties) tired in the second half," said Nooksack coach Robb Myhre. "But we have to develop a killer instinct. We had our chances."

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