Whatcom football, week 2: Six TD passes for Sehome’s Nolan Wright ties county record
With the league’s youngest team and a first-year head coach, Sehome has become an intriguing enhancement of the Northwest Conference’s well-earned reputation as the state’s toughest Class 2A circuit.
It was fascinating enough that sophomore quarterback Nolan Wright tied the Whatcom County record with six touchdown passes in Sehome’s 44-6 non-league win over 1A Blaine Thursday at Civic Stadium.
What will really potentially attract attention will be how Wright and the Mariners (2-0) fare in their first four league games against contenders Sedro-Woolley, Burlington, Lynden and Anacortes.
“It only gets tougher from here,” coach Brian Young told his team, crediting their execution throughout against the Borderites (0-2).
Just how much competition will the NWC 2A provide? Squalicum’s 26-24 comeback win over Seaquam (B.C.) Friday, along with wins by Lynden, Anacortes, Sedro-Woolley and Lakewood, gave the league a 6-2 record in Week Two. The six winners outscored the opposition 242-67.
While celebrating Sehome’s win, returning receiving star Andre Watson seemed in awe while praising Wright’s near-perfect execution on all six scoring passes: “Nolan was amazing. I don’t think he could have been much better.”
Watson not only caught scoring passes of 33 and 38 yards while the junior ran up a personal best 149 yards on five catches, but also made the play of the game on a brilliant over-the-shoulder interception in the end zone early in the second half with the Mariners up 31-0.
“Andre made a one-handed interception with his left hand,” said fellow defensive back Alden Jacobs, one of only three senior starters, also including tight end Brad Duckworth and line leader Baxter Arps.
Was the pass theft amazing?
“You could say that!” Jacobs replied.
“I’m able to use my left hand because I learned how to use it when I broke my right elbow a few years ago,” Watson said with one of his infectious grins.
Wright completed 13 of 18 passes for 256 yards and no interceptions, also including scores of 49 yards to junior Coleby Chambers for Sehome’s first score, 2 and 3 yards to the 6-foot-6 Duckworth (giving him four scoring passes in the first two games), and 6 yards to sophomore Tyson Goodman.
Wright tied the county record of six scoring passes, according to historian Tyler Anderson. The feat was most recently performed in 2019 by Jacob Kaepernick against West Seattle.
“Our receivers put in a lot of hard work in the offseason,” said Wright, who has 10 touchdown passes in his first two games, including four in Sehome’s 35-12 win over Mount Baker in Week One. Wright’s figures for the two wins combined are 27 for 39 for 467 yards and 10 touchdowns.
“I trust Nolan to run our offense,” said Young of Wright. “He spread the ball around and made great decisions. He’s a great guy to work with, real easy, real coachable.”
Wright impressed new Blaine coach Andy Olson, who was involved in a rare Whatcom County meeting of new coaches.
“Wright’s a stud,” Olson said. “He did a really good job of getting out of the pocket and throwing on the run.”
Olson was impressed by junior Colby Shipp, who led the Borderites with 88 yards on 13 carries. After a night of second- and third-efforts, Shipp scored on a 3-yard burst with 17 seconds to play.
There was no quit in Shipp, who rushed six times for 47 yards on six carries on the 78-yard drive. Rommel Paez ran four times for the other 31 yards.
Chambers made his second varsity interception and first this season. The other statistical high spot was 95 yards on 14 carries by junior Solomon McAlister III, who is among Sehome’s most improved players.
After sophomore Xavier Perrin picked his holes well only to see his 52-yard touchdown nullified by a penalty, returning junior kicker Grady Evans boomed a 30-yard field goal for a 24-0 lead. The kick might well have cleared 50 yards. He went five for five on extra points (with one kick blocked) and is 10 for 10 overall.
“I felt we got a lot better from Week One (a 44-21 loss to Port Angeles) to Week Two,” Olson said. “The whole second half we ran hard. We’ll keep getting better.”
Sehome likely can say the same. The Mariners started senior Arps, freshman Logan Rogers and sophomores Hunter Staton, Cole Turrell and Finn Seitz Gregoire on the offensive line on a night Sehome amassed 434 total yards.
SATURDAY’S GAME
LUMMI 14, TULALIP HERITAGE 8: The Blackhawks (1-0) played one of the most unusual eight-man games in the state history of the wide-open sport: the second half was scoreless.
“It was the most incredible thing I’ve seen,” said second-year coach Watiko Leighton, who played in three Ferndale games against Lynden but otherwise ranked this game as his biggest thrill. “I am so proud of our kids.”
“I’ve never seen so much fierce play as I saw by our defense in the second half,” said Leighton, who last year was 21 in his first season leading Lummi — the youngest the state allows a head coach to be.
Tulalip (0-2) led 8-6 in the second quarter when Lummi senior Mathias Johnson returned an interception 65 yards to score. Quincy Tom caught a two-point conversion pass from Desmond Bailey for the game’s final points.
With Tulalip in the red zone with 40 seconds to play, Mathias made his second interception to give the Blackhawks a win that Leighton said “they’ll never forget.”
Tom scored Lummi’s first touchdown on a 45-yard pass from senior Desmond Bailey, a former running back in his first start at quarterback. The two-point conversion run failed, leaving Tulalip up 8-6.
“Desmond has really stepped up,” said Leighton, whose season opener was cancelled last week because Taholah didn’t have enough players.
The Blackhawks next face one of the state’s best eight-man teams when they play Friday at Darrington at 6 p.m.
FRIDAY’S GAMES
FERNDALE 26, OAK HARBOR 6: The defending overall Wesco 3A champion Golden Eagles (2-0 overall, 1-0 league) took their conference opener on the road as versatile senior Conner Walcker scored two touchdowns and Talan Bungard and Phoenyx Finkbonner scored one apiece.
Bungard ran for 133 yards on 18 carries, including a 2-yard touchdown, and improved his two-game touchdown total to three. Finkbonner scored the first touchdown on a 5-yard run. Walcker scored on a run of 56 yards in the third quarter and on a 19-yard pass from Bishop Ootsey to clinch the win midway through the fourth period. It was Ootsey’s second scoring pass of the season.
“Bishop (who went 3 for 3 for 46 yards) played well and we had a good team defensive effort,” coach Jamie Plenkovich said. “It was big when we stopped Oak Harbor at our 15-yard line (on a defensive pass knockdown by Bishop) to keep us ahead at halftime.”
“We had too many penalties that helped extend their drives and we made too many mistakes, so we have a lot to clean up,” the longtime coach said.
Plenkovich said the fans will love Ferndale’s new stadium when the Golden Eagles play their home opener Friday against 4A Glacier Peak (1-1) of Snohomish. The stadium resembles Blaine’s beautiful facility, which was home the past two seasons for Ferndale.
Phoenyx Finkbonner kicked two of three extra points.
In other Wesco openers, Marysville-Pilchuck beat Stanwood 36-7 and Arlington defeated Marysville-Getchell 42-7.
SQUALICUM 26, SEAQUAM (B.C.) 24: In his first significant test at quarterback after shifting from running back, junior Marcus Nixon guided the Storm (2-0) on a game-winning 65-yard, four-play drive, beginning with a 16-yard burst by Malakai Smith and gains of 3 and 35 yards by Deandre Dunmore. Nixon scored on a twisting 11-yard power run with 2:05 remaining for the game’s final points.
“I had to clean up some stuff from the first half and then I just ran over a guy (on the touchdown),” said Nixon. “I miss playing running back, but I’ll do this again next year if I’m asked.”
Nixon has impressed coach Nick Lucey: “Marcus has exceeded all expectations so far.”
Nixon threw a 28-yard scoring pass to Nevhye Egging and junior speed burner Joaqin Ortiz returned a kickoff 93 yards to score for a short-lived 14-14 tie. Dunmore, who led Squalicum with 150 yards on 10 carries, pulled the Storm within 21-20 early in the fourth quarter.
Seaquam running back Lucas Shannon, who carried 31 times for 193 yards, responded by gaining 56 yards on a 64-yard drive, capped by a 21-yard field goal by Troy Gagnon for a 24-20 advantage with 3:48 left. But Nixon and Company would not be denied.
“Joaqin Ortiz is a heck of a ball player,” said assistant coach Reed Richardson, who works with Ortiz. “He’s just so smart. He’s special.”
Nixon passed only six times and completed two for 33 yards, but the Storm’s running game produced 248 yards on 32 carries as Dunmore received support from Smith (52 yards on eight runs) and Nixon (11 for 53 but officially 41 yards with two sacks).
On the Seahawks’ last two plays, Ortiz knocked down a third-down pass and Dunmore forced a fumble recovered by Colby Lewis to end a solid victory.
Nixon and Egging now have three touchdowns apiece.
LYNDEN 48, W.F. WEST 6: The two-time defending state 2A champion Lions (1-1), stung by a 17-14 loss to Ferndale, responded well with a 34-0 halftime lead over the visiting Chehalis team, which is often a state playoff contender.
Junior quarterback Brant Heppner had a hand in the first five touchdowns, scoring on runs of 2, 6 and 3 yards and throwing to quick freshman Daniel Bowler for scores of 23 and 62 yards.
“We had quite a drive on Bowler’s second touchdown,” Lynden coach Blake Van Dalen said. “He had a 94-yard TD called back and then scored from the 62.”
Heppner completed 12 of 17 yards for 177 yards and no interceptions. Bowler made five catches for 116 yards, including the second and third touchdowns of a potentially outstanding career.
Standout linebacker/running back Charlie Ayres, again a defensive leader at middle linebacker, ran seven times for 40 yards and a 2-yard touchdown. He also had the chance to polish his skills at quarterback in the second half.
Sophomore Max Assink scored his first varsity touchdown with a 44-yard run. He led the Lions with 62 yards on five carries, while Heppner had nine tries for 51 yards and Luke Human contributed 36 yards on 10 carries.
Senior Brady Elsner provided a defensive highlight with the first two interceptions of his career. Cooper Moore also had an interception. Freshman Malachi Koenen kicked six consecutive conversions after a bad snap spoiled his first chance.
Other scores involving NWC 2A teams were Lynden Christian 31, Archbishop Murphy 7; Anacortes 41, Port Angeles 7; Sedro-Woolley 49, Eisenhower 3; Mount Vernon 34, Burlington-Edison 10; and Lakewood 34, Silas 20.
NOOKSACK 63, CONNELL 14: The 1A Pioneers joined 3A Ferndale and 2A Sehome and Squalicum with a 2-0 start for Whatcom County, scoring nine touchdowns, led by returning junior standout Colton Lentz with four scores, giving the junior star seven touchdowns in two games.
Lentz scored on runs of 9, 39 and 21 yards and on a 10-yard pass from quarterback Joey Brown, who also threw for a 63-yard score to Jackson Bennett.
Cory Olney scored on a 24-yard run for the Pioneers’ opening touchdown and made two interceptions. Sky Whittern scored the third touchdown with a 3-yard run and Evan Bravo returned a kickoff 86 yards to score. Nooksack’s last touchdown was a 24-yard interception return by Colby Martin.
Returning kicker Jorgen Vigre booted all nine conversions.
“We played better than last week (in a 35-21 win over Mountain View of Vancouver) and I’m very happy with the kids’ effort,” coach Greg Bartl said. “But we still have a lot to improve on (to contend for the NWC 1A title). We need to be more disciplined.”
Full statistics were not available.
LYNDEN CHRISTIAN 31, ARCHBISHOP MURPHY 7: “We’re back on track. We played really well,” said coach Greg Terpstra, whose Lyncs (1-1) lost to fellow state playoff contender Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls) 14-8 in their opener.
“Our new offensive line (playing on the road) was absolutely fantastic,” Terpstra said of (left to right) Carter Seigman, Malachi VanderMey, Cody Craig, Jace Ryan and freshman Tyler Sterk. “They got simple (basic) and they got nasty (tough).”
Junior running back Hollis Owen rushed for three touchdowns and 119 yards on 27 carries to help the Lyncs amass 176 yards
LC’s third touchdown was a 40-yard pass from Jeremiah Wright to Kayden Stuit. “That was an incredible one-handed catch,” Terpstra said. “Kayden caught it over his head (despite pass interference) with his right hand.
Wright went 11 for 21 for 108 yards and one interception.
Gunnar Parriera kicked a 32-yard field goal and two extra points.
“Brody Bouwman was a fearsome blocker as H back on offense,” Terpstra said, “and he did a thankless job on defense that disrupted their offense.”
MEADOWDALE 34, BELLINGHAM 28: The Bayhawks (0-2) suffered their second loss by one touchdown. This one was likely tougher than last week’s 32-27 setback to Chief Sealth, since Meadowdale (2-0) overcame a 21-0 halftime deficit with 34 consecutive points.
Bellingham’s first three touchdowns came on a 21-yard run by Jordan Stone, a 16-yard pass from Josh Leonard to Joshua Tolle and a 2-yard burst by Tyler Frost. Sophomore defensive back Owen Hanstead set up the third score with a leaping interception, his second of the season.
Leonard accounted for the last score with a 22-yard pass at the gun to Tolle, who caught six passes for 106 yards. Leonard finished 21 for 39 for 213 yards with no interceptions, including five passes for 62 yards to tight end Gabriel Van Hofwegen, but the Bayhawks were limited to 75 yards rushing.
Lost fumbles set up Meadowdale’s first two touchdowns. Sophomore Ethan Gibeault tallied the last two for the Mavericks with runs of 69 and 60 yards after he had rushed only once.
“There were so many things that went wrong I that second half, but there are also so many things to build off from the first half,” said Bayhawks coach Adam Leonard. “That first half was one of the best halves of football the Bayhawks have played in many years.”
WENATCHEE 29, MOUNT BAKER 14: Bryson Moa and Brady Bruland scored on short runs to cap drives that kept the Mounties (0-2) in the game at 21-14 late in the third quarter against a 4A opponent at the Apple Bowl.
Setoga Tigilau passed for about 160 yards, said Baker coach Ron Lepper, while confirming that the game represented improvement over a 35-12 loss to Sehome.
Wenatchee scored a safety at the end of the third quarter and the game’s last touchdown in the fourth period.
Toppenish, also 0-2, will be Baker’s next opponent, Friday night at 6 p.m. in Deming. Only a maximum of two NWC 1A teams can qualify for the state playoffs, so the Mounties are playing one of the state’s toughest schedules. They’ll face King’s on the road in Week 4 and will play La Center in Week Six.
CHELAN 21, MERIDIAN 20: The Trojans (1-1) took a 20-14 lead in the fourth quarter on a 9-yard touchdown run by Josh Elmer, but host Chelan rallied to score the last touchdown and conversion.
Meridian’s first score was a trick play on a 37-yard pass from freshman Trey Alexander to Landon Downey in the second quarter, quickly followed by a 36-yard pass from quarterback Jaeger Fyfe to Elmer.
Fyfe finished 15 for 27 for 178 yards and one interception, while Elmer caught four passes for 59 yards and rushed seven times for 50 yards. Downey caught three passes for 71 yards and rushed six times for 24 yards. James Hedahl contributed five catches for 41 yards and Cohen Fuller ran for a two-point conversion.
“It was a hard-fought game by both sides. We’re proud of how hard our kids played,” said Meridian coach Patrick Ames.
WEEK THREE
Friday
Glacier Peak at Ferndale, 7 p.m.
Squalicum at Lynden, 7 p.m.
Sehome at Sedro-Woolley, 7 p.m.
Nooksack at King’s, 7 p.m.
Toppenish at Mount Baker, 6 p.m.
Vashon at Blaine, 7 p.m.
Bellingham at Granite Falls, 7 p.m.
Lummi at Darrington, 6 p.m.
Saturday
Bellevue Christian at Lynden Christian, 2 p.m.
King’s Way Christian at Meridian, 5 p.m.
