Sports - High Schools

POSTED: Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009

PREP FOOTBALL: Postseason picture still up in the air

With one more week left in the regular season, there's still a lot left to be decided in the Northwest Conference. Postseason seeding for every classification will be up for grabs in Week 9 and that should make for some great football.

It's a short week for just about every school, but at this point there isn't much left to do except fine tune.

Here are five questions for Week 9 and it comes with a nod to Halloween, which is just a few days away.

1. HOW WILL THE CLASS 2A POSTSEASON RACE SHAKE OUT?

We now know Lynden, Burlington-Edison, Blaine, Squalicum and Mount Baker will make the district playoff games.

But where each will be seeded is still a mystery. Only the top two seeds get to host 2A district playoff games, and the fifth seed faces a play-in game at the Cascade Conference's No. 4 seed on Nov. 3 just for the right to play the NWC's top seed in the district playoffs.

Three games on Thursday, Oct. 29, will impact who goes where for the postseason - Lynden at Burlington-Edison, Blaine at Bellingham and Mount Baker at Squalicum. Here's a look at the eight different scenarios that could occur:

- Lynden, Blaine and Squalicum win: 1. Lynden (7-0), 5. Mount Baker (3-4). Squalicum, Blaine and Burlington-Edison would tie for second with 5-2 records. Each has a 1-1 record in head-to-head meetings with the other two, so a tiebreaker would be needed to decide which teams get seeds 2 through 4.

- Lynden, Blaine and Mount Baker win: 1. Lynden (7-0), 2. Burlington-Edison (5-2), 3. Blaine (5-2), 4. Mount Baker (4-3), 5. Squalicum (4-3). Tigers and Mountaineers would hold head-to-head tiebreakers over Borderites and Storm, respectively.

- Lynden, Bellingham and Squalicum win: 1. Lynden (7-0), 2. Squalicum (5-2), 3. Burlington-Edison (5-2), 4. Blaine (4-3), 5. Mount Baker (3-4). Storm holds head-to-head tiebreaker over Tigers.

- Lynden, Bellingham and Mount Baker win: 1. Lynden (7-0), 2. Burlington-Edison (5-2), 3. Blaine (4-3), 4. Mount Baker (4-3), 5. Squalicum (4-3). Borderites hold head-to-head tiebreaker over Mountaineers and Storm, and Mounties would then own head-to-head tiebreaker over Storm.

- Burlington-Edison, Blaine and Squalicum win: 1. Burlington-Edison (6-1), 2. Lynden (6-1), 3. Blaine (5-2), 4. Squalicum (5-2), 5. Mount Baker (3-4). Tigers would hold head-to-head tiebreaker over Lynden, and Borderites own head-to-head tiebreaker over Storm.

- Burlington-Edison, Blaine and Mount Baker win: 1. Burlington-Edison (6-1), 2. Lynden (6-1), 3. Blaine (5-2), 4. Mount Baker (4-3), 5. Squalicum (4-3). Tigers and Mountaineers would own head-to-head tiebreakers over Lions and Storm, respectively.

- Burlington-Edison, Bellingham and Squalicum win: 1. Burlington-Edison (6-1), 2. Lynden (6-1), 3. Squalicum (5-2), 4. Blaine (4-3), 5. Mount Baker (3-4). Tigers would own the head-to-head tiebreaker over Lions.

- Burlington-Edison, Bellingham and Mount Baker win: 1. Burlington-Edison (6-1), 2. Lynden (6-1), 3. Blaine (4-3), 4. Mount Baker (4-3), 5. Squalicum (4-3). Tigers would own head-to-head tiebreaker over Lions. Borderites hold head-to-head tiebreaker over Mountaineers and Storm, and Mounties would then own head-to-head tiebreaker over Storm.

Confused yet? Let's just play the games.

2. WHO HAS THE SCARIEST OFFENSE TO FACE IN THE NORTHWEST CONFERENCE?

With all due respect to Nooksack Valley, which has scored the most points in the NWC through the first eight weeks, the scariest offense in the NWC to game plan for is probably Lynden's. There's not much the Lions can't do with the ball and there isn't much they don't do well.

The offensive line is experienced, the running game is improving, they have arguably the fastest player in the conference in Blair Bomber, and nearly everyone on that team has postseason experience. Try to stack the box and take away the run, and they'll pass all night long. Play off in the secondary, and they'll hit the short stuff. Bring a lot of pressure, and quarterback Jordan Hastings will beat you up the middle with his legs. It's a challenge for opponents every week.

3. WHO HAS THE SCARIEST DEFENSE TO FACE IN THE NORTHWEST CONFERENCE?

Picking the scariest defense in the NWC is not quite as easy as it is with the offense. On one hand Lynden has allowed the fewest points and has had three shutouts through the first seven games. Take away the 34 points the Lions allowed in Week 1 to Archbishop Murphy, and they are giving up about seven points a game in the NWC. That's a scary number.

But Nooksack Valley also has put up some frightening numbers on defense. The Pioneers are relentless when it comes to chasing the quarterback and against Class 2A opponents they've allowed just 26 points in two games. It's a toss up, so let's call it a tie.

4. WHICH TEAM IS GOING TO HAVE THE TOUGHEST DRAW IN THE POSTSEASON?

There's still one more regular season game to be played, but it's probably not too early to take a peek ahead at Week 10 and see which teams have a tough road to state.

As always the NWC's No. 5 seed in Class 2A likely has it the toughest. That team not only gets a play-in game against the Cascade Conference's No. 4 seed - likely Granite Falls or Sultan - but then it has three days to get ready to face the NWC's No. 1 seed, which could be Lynden. That is just not easy.

Looking even further ahead, the Class 1A teams from the NWC could be in for a tough draw at state. There's a good chance either Nooksack Valley or Meridian will be traveling to Montesano for the first round of the state playoffs should either make it that far. Playing the Bulldogs is always tough, but this year they haven't allowed a point through their first seven games. The disappointing side of this is that either of those matchups could have made for a contest in the semifinals. Instead one very good team will be going home early.

5. WHAT'S THE MUST-SEE GAME IN WEEK 9?

With Meridian meeting Nooksack Valley, Lynden going to Burlington-Edison, and Ferndale facing Mount Vernon, there might be more must-see games this week than the last three combined. Mount Baker at Squalicum could also be good. There's no doubt it's a good week to be high school football fan around Whatcom and Skagit counties in Week 9.