Once NWC rivals, these Whatcom County seniors will play football for the same school
A pair of Whatcom County seniors took visits to Pacific Lutheran University on Friday, and on Saturday each announced via Twitter that they will play football for the Lutes beginning next fall.
Blaine running back/defensive back Riley Fritsch and Lynden running back/linebacker Brody Weinheimer both committed.
Fritsch finished fifth in Whatcom County with 1,343 yards and 18 touchdowns on 236 carries (5.7 average) last fall, helping the Borderites reach the Class 2A Bi-District playoffs. He surpassed 1,000 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns each of the past three years, totalling 3,954 yards and 48 touchdowns during his career as a Borderite. He was a first-team All-Northwest Conference selection at running back and second-team as a linebacker as a senior and was a first-team pick at running back in 2014 and 2015.
Extremely excited to announce I've committed to further my education and play football at Pacific Lutheran University! #EMAL pic.twitter.com/jjniaL7gfZ
— Riley Fritsch (@RamrodRiley) April 9, 2017
Weinheimer finished ninth in the county with 956 yards and 12 touchdowns on 154 carries (6.2 average) last fall, helping the Lions reach the Class 2A state semifinals. He was a second-team All-NWC selection at running back.
Changed things up a bit, but very greatful, and excited to announce that I will be playing football at PLU this coming fall. #EMAL pic.twitter.com/aMZLynQtqn
— Brody Weinheimer (@brodyw35) April 9, 2017
Fritsch and Weinheimer become the second and third Whatcom County football seniors to head to PLU this year, joining Blaine lineman Jared Phillips, who announced his intentions earlier this spring.
Whatcom County Class of 2017 signings
Athlete | School | Sport | College |
Anthony Ball | Blaine | Football | Puget Sound |
T.J. Bass | Mount Baker | Football | Idaho |
Riley Fritsch | Blaine | Football | Pacific Lutheran |
Peyton Fullner | Lynden | Soccer | Central Washington |
Christina Funk | Sehome | Soccer | Central Washington |
Jessica Ganow | Sehome | Volleyball | Skagit Valley College |
Mariah Gonzalez | Lynden | Basketball | Whatcom CC |
Kiana Gray | Meridian | Basketball | Whatcom CC |
Alice Hiebert | Bellingham | Soccer | Western Washington |
Jacob Hommes | Lynden | Football | Northwestern College |
Samantha Hruby | Sehome | Basketball | Whatcom CC |
Matt James | Ferndale | Baseball | Yakima CC |
Maxwell Jeffrey | Ferndale | Baseball | Corban |
Bekah Jensen | Bellingham | Lacrosse | Fort Lewis |
Jocelyn Johnson | Bellingham | Volleyball | Colorado School of Mines |
Morgan Jones | Bellingham | Soccer | Evergreen State |
Buddy Juneau | Ferndale | Baseball | Everett CC |
Austin Kelstrup | Blaine | Football | College of the Canyons |
Rowan King | Squalicum | Swimming | Pacific |
Elisa Kooiman | Lynden | Basketball | Northwest Nazarene |
Jalen Kortlever | Blaine | Football | Benedictine |
Sophia Lawrence | Bellingham | Volleyball | George Fox |
Winterhawk Leighton | Ferndale | Football | Central Washington |
Damek Mitchell | Squalicum | Basketball | Lewis-Clark State |
Ben Peterson | Squalicum | Football | Air Force |
Brisen Pearson | Bellingham | Swimming | Southwest Oregon CC |
Jared Phillips | Blaine | Football | Pacific Lutheran |
Mason Rathkamp | Sehome | Soccer | Western Washington |
Rachel Sande | Nooksack Valley | Basketball | Whatcom CC |
Mason Shaw | Ferndale | Baseball | Yakima CC |
Gwen Schorr | Squalicum | Basketball | Whatcom CC |
Kendra Steele | Squalicum | Soccer | Portland |
Tanner Steele | Lynden | Football | Carroll College |
Elissa Vreugdenhil | Cornerstone Christian | Basketball | Whatcom CC |
Whitney Walker | Ferndale | Beach volleyball | Texas A&M-Kingsville |
Ruby Watson | Sehome | Cross country/track | Rice |
Brody Weinheimer | Lynden | Football | Pacific Lutheran |
Jack Wendling | Squalicum | Football | Central Washington |
Drew Westford | Ferndale | Softball | Fairfield |
Sydney Wong | Squalicum | Swimming | San Diego |
Joe Worley | Bellingham | Soccer | Skagit Valley College |
Jackson Zerba | Bellingham | Lacrosse | Westminster College |
NOTE: To report a Whatcom County student athlete who has or will sign national letter or intent to continue their athletic careers, call 360-715-2286 or email sports@bhamherald.com.
This story was originally published April 10, 2017 at 5:20 PM with the headline "Once NWC rivals, these Whatcom County seniors will play football for the same school."