High school football playoffs: Goal-line stand highlights Lynden Christian rout

Lynden Christian’s large group of talented skill-position players continues to look like a once-in a-generation football phenomenon.

However, the way several juniors joined numerous accomplished seniors to dominate previously unbeaten Cascade Christian 42-12 in the first round of the Class 1A State Tournament on Friday at Civic Stadium indicated this may be a large generation indeed.

There were all sorts of highlights for LC (9-1), which earned the right to take on LaSalle (11-0) in the quarterfinals next weekend, with day, time and site in the Yakima area to be determined Sunday. LaSalle eliminated Cashmere 35-10.

But from coach Dan Kaemingk’s viewpoint, no highlight was more important than junior defensive back Shale Whittern’s touchdown-saving play near the end of the first half for the Lyncs, who are in their 11th state tournament since it began in 1973.

“Shale’s huge play and that (ensuing) goal-line stand were as good as we’ve had here,” said the veteran coach, whose 2001 and 2002 teams were the previous consecutive squads at LC to win state games. Last year, the Lyncs got as far as the semifinals.

Cascade Christian (8-1), guided by Yale University-bound quarterback Parker Johnson, trailed 14-6 when the 165-pound Whittern knocked 227-pound Cougars star Toretto Metzger-Magalie out of bounds at the 1-yard line on what looked like a score that would have capped a 73-yard drive.

On second down, Zach Sipma and others held Johnson to no gain. On third down, the Lyncs defended a Johnson pass. On fourth down, junior Grant VanderVelden led a defensive charge that resulted in a 3-yard loss for Johnson — until the Lyncs saw a penalty flag fly.

With the ball placed on the 2, Johnson threw one of his 18 incomplete passes to end the half.

“Then, when we scored on the first drive of the second half, that was a huge emotional lift after that goal-line stand,” said Kaemingk, who came in well aware that Cascade Christian had scored 295 points in its previous five wins (plus another win by forfeit).

That emotional lift became obvious when the Lyncs drove 69 yards on nine plays to open the second half, scoring on junior Logan Dykstra’s pretty 30-yard over-the-middle pass to Tanner Feenstra.

Eli DenBleyker, perfect on conversion kicks as usual with six for six, made it 21-6 and the Lyncs’ defense immediately forced a three-and-out.

LC responded with a 50-yard thrust, capped by Easton Stremler‘s 20-yard touchdown burst for a 28-7 advantage. The drive was highlighted by a 13-yard scamper by quick junior Jackson Apol, in his second game after recovering from an injury, and a 16-yard twist-and-weave run by Dykstra.

The Lyncs’ starting quarterback, Trajan Schouten, was his usual productive self while surpassing 1,500 yards for the season. He threw three scoring passes, giving him 20 for the season, while completing 6 of 11 passes for 116 yards.

Schouten found Feenstra for his second touchdown catch, a 23-yarder for a 35-6 lead late in the third quarter. One minute into the final period, after junior Cole Moorlag’s 36-yard punt return, Schouten threw a 9-yard scoring strike to Jackson Corkill, who also caught a 44-yarder for LC’s second touchdown.

Apol, who gives LC’s offensive and defensive backfields a major boost, scored the Lyncs’ first touchdown on a 10-yard run.

Feenstra, who has contributed numerous touchdowns to help LC to a 19-4 record since his junior year starter, was especially thrilled with how the entire team performed, including a blowout effort by the offensive line in the second half.

“Yes, this was my first game with two touchdowns,” he replied with a tell-all grin when prompted to say what it felt like to join that group with the prolific Corkill and Stremler, who led the Lyncs with 58 yards on nine carries. ‘He’s had a great career.”

Cascade Christian ran 45 plays for 238 yards in the first half compared to LC’s 19 plays for 129 yards. But the Lyncs dominated the second half so much that they finished with 323 total yards on 47 plays compared to 353 on 70 plays for the Cougars.

Feenstra wasn‘t surprised, saying, “We‘ve been a strong second-half team.”

“It did surprise us a bit (to score so often),” said Corkill. “… Cascade Christian is a really good team.”

In other Friday 1A Round of 16 games, unbeaten and top-seeded Royal overwhelmed Charles Wright 64-7, unbeaten LaSalle defeated Cashmere 35-10 and Deer Park beat Zillah 22-20. Four more games were scheduled Saturday.

In Friday’s other Bellingham area high school football game

Eastside Catholic 55, Squalicum 14: The second-seeded Crusaders (9-1) led 49-0 at the half at Seattle’s Memorial Stadium in the 3A quarterfinals to end an otherwise strong season for the 15th-seeded Storm (8-3). Squalicum also qualified for state last season, making this the first Storm football team to earn that distinction in consecutive years.

Squalicum’s two scores, both in the third quarter, were on a run by sophomore Ben Schlenbaker, his 28th touchdown of the season, and a pass from junior Mason Binning to sophomore Kai Posey, Binning’s 18th scoring toss.

Favorites also won the five other Friday 3A games, including Marysville-Pilchuck over Prairie 37-30 in overtime, Mount Spokane over Peninsula 35-10, top-seeded O’Dea over Kelso 35-0, Bellevue over Lakes 24-14 and Lincoln over Seattle Prep 49-28. Two more games were scheduled Saturday.

In 2A Round of 16 games Friday, there were also no upsets, with Tumwater over Franklin Pierce 56-7, Lakewood over Sequim 38-12, Steilacoom over Ridgefield 42-21 and Archbishop Murphy over North Kitsap 46-0. Four more games were scheduled Saturday.

In district elimination games last week

Meridian 71, King’s 30: The Trojans (4-7), third in the rugged Northwest Conference 1A league, earned their 26th state appearance (in two divisions combined) by trouncing North Sound League champion King’s (4-6) Saturday in Shoreline as quarterback Cam Webster ran for 283 yards and passed for 206 while also intercepting three passes in the defensive backfield.

Webster had four touchdowns of at least 50 yards and threw for scores of 63 yards to Trent Gookstetter and 22 to Wesley Kurz. Ryan Johnson ran for a 71-yard touchdown, Ethan Silves rushed for two scores, and Trent Martin had one touchdown while gaining more than 150 yards running and receiving combined.

Junior kicker Zack Loya booted a field goal for the second consecutive elimination game.

Lummi 72, Rainier Christian 26: The Blackhawks (7-3) dominated Covington’s Rainier Christian (5-5) on Friday, Nov. 8, to earn a Round of 16 elimination game appearance against Neah Bay (played too late for deadline for this story).

Jordan Jackson passed for four touchdowns and more than 200 yards and Caleb Revey ran and passed for more than 200 yards combined as the Blackhawks amassed more than 500 yards. Jaie Leighton caught two of Jackson’s scoring passes and Duncan Toby and Revey grabbed one apiece. Revey’s pair went to Leighton and Toby, and Revey also scored on an interception.

The Blackhawks, who have made 16 consecutive postseason appearances under coach Jim Sandusky, set up two first-quarter touchdowns by recovering onside kicks.

This story was originally published November 16, 2019 at 3:56 PM with the headline "High school football playoffs: Goal-line stand highlights Lynden Christian rout."