Football roundup: Lynden Christian will play for state title; Lynden falls to streaking Steilacoom

Lynden Christian’s football team in effect traded more than a dozen highly frustrating moments against previously unbeaten Deer Park on Saturday for the joy of two long touchdown drives. These were later followed by two game-turning plays in a final two minutes the Lyncs will never forget.

As a result, Lynden Christian’s 14-7 victory over the Stags in the Class 1A State Playoffs at Everett Memorial Stadium moved the seventh-seeded Lyncs (11-1) into their first title game appearance since 1997 — the year they won the only football title in school history.

The Lyncs will kick off Saturday, Dec. 7, at noon at Lakewood’s Harry Lang Stadium against top-seeded Royal (13-0). Royal eliminated defending state champion Connell 42-0 in Moses Lake.

With one minute and 45 seconds to play, junior defensive back Jackson Apol — who returned from a season-long injury in time for the postseason — battled a receiver to make an interception at the sideline at LC’s 10-yard line. It was Deer Park’s only turnover.

Not long after the interception, LC was still in danger. The Lyncs faced third-and-1 at their 19. They gave the ball to 230-pound senior defensive lineman/receiver Zach Sipma, who began to carry the ball a few times each game in the playoffs.

The result was Sipma’s game-clinching 22-yard run.

“When I heard my number called in the huddle, I just told myself, ‘First down and we’re going to the state championship game,’ ” the big fellow said while holding back tears.

“It’s a cliché, but we feel we really are a family,” said Sipma.

Lynden Christian coach Dan Kaemingk noted the irony of how many times his players expressed that feeling Saturday in their first-ever game at the old Everett landmark.

“Long ago, someone put up a sign reading ‘FAMILY’ above the door in the locker room here,” Kaemingk said. “When our guys came out after halftime (tied 7-7), they noticed that sign and they leaped and tapped it on the way out.”

Perhaps that’s a big reason the Lyncs did not let two interceptions — including one for a 43-yard, game-tying pick-six by Ryan Durgeloh in the second quarter — two lost fumbles and 10 penalties for 95 yards discourage them.

Durgeloh’s pick six followed a penalty that negated a dazzling 49-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Trajan Schouten to Apol.

Following a penalty that nullified Cole Moorlag’s 21-yard punt return and moved the Lyncs back to the 11-yard line on their first possession of the second half, Easton Stremler provided the highlight of the game — until the final two minutes.

After Levi Korthuis opened the drive with an 11-yard burst, Stremler rumbled for 16 yards while carrying “a good portion of the Deer Park defense on his back,” as the announcer put it.

Stremler capped the 89-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown and finished with 130 yards on 25 carries. Slot receiver Jackson Corkill used his quickness to gain 91 yards on only five carries, helping the Lyncs to enjoy a total yardage advantage of 359 to 64.

On LC’s game-opening 59-yard scoring drive, Schouten finished the push with passes of 12 yards to Korthuis, 22 yards to Sipma, and 5-yards to a wide-open Sipma in the end zone for Schouten’s 22nd touchdown pass of the season.

But the Stags added a final frustration for LC when Carson Colville picked off Schouten in the end zone on what looked like a pass that would give LC a two-touchdown lead.with 6:40 remaining.

However, defensive lineman Grant VanderVelden soon forced the ball back for the Lyncs when he chased down Stags quarterback Chaz Bird for a sack on third-and-6, forcing Deer Park to punt.

“Definitely my best game,” said Stremler, when coaxed to acknowledge it was the high spot of his solid career. He and others took advantage of numerous holes created by linemen Will Faber, Davis Gatterman, Levi Libolt, Kase Lautenbach and VanderVelden.

It was also definitely LC’s best team defense. The Stags had one first down in the opening half and three in the second half.

“I am so proud of these kids and our coaches, to take on a very tough team like this,” said Kaemingk, who is in his 25th season as head coach (in two different stints). His Lyncs will play in their third state title game and the school‘s fourth. His first title game was in 1993 (his fourth season) and the school’s first was in 1986.

First-year senior kicker Eli DenBleyker booted both extra points, continuing a season of outstanding consistency. He also missed a 38-yard field goal attemp when it hit the left crossbar seconds before the end of the first half.

Steilacoom 42, Lynden 0: In the Class 2A semifinals at Tacoma’s Mount Tahoma High School, the second-seeded Sentinels (11-2) qualified for their first state title game while beating the third-seeded Lions (9-3) with three touchdowns in each half, including four scores by junior receiver Emeka Egbuka.

Egbuka, who is receiving national recruiting as one of the nation’s top athletes, scored twice in each half, including twice on runs out of the wildcat formation.

In their third non-league game, the Lions won a wild 56-47 shootout over the Sentinels but Egbuka would have none of that. After Lynden’s Evan Potter made a fine long catch to give the Lions scoring hope, cornerback Egbuka’s interception with 1:20 left in the first half preserved the shutout.

This was Lynden’s second consecutive year in the semifinals and its 20th overall in 30 state appearances. The Lions fell in the title game last season to Hockinson, which suffered a 55-7 loss to top-seeded Tumwater.

Tumwater (13-0) will face Steilacoom for the title Saturday at 4 p.m. at Puyallup’s Sparks Stadium.

The Lions threatened to score in the third quarter after a 29-yard pass from Baylor Ayres to Brock Heppner on third-and-18, but D.J. Fryar followed with an interception for Steilacoom. The Sentinels also received a 13-yard touchdown catch by Logan Brady from Chance McDonald in the second quarter and a 9-yard touchdown run from Ra’sun Williams Jr. with 6:58 to play.

Lynden’s seniors finished with a combined 21-4 record for their junior and senior seasons.

The News Tribune of Tacoma credited Lynden with 204 total yards and Steilacoom with 402 total yards, including 190 on McDonald’s 12-for-22 passing and Williams‘ 183 yards rushing on 23 carries. The Sentinels were credited with becoming the first team since 1979 to shut out the Lions in the state playoffs and the first team with a shutout over Lynden since 2015.

Brock Heppner led Lynden with 37 yards on 10 carries. Steven DiLorenzo, who rushed for more than 1,500 yards this season including a school-record 320 in the first game with Steilacoom, was limited to 12 net yards and carried 9 times.

This story was originally published December 1, 2019 at 7:18 PM with the headline "Football roundup: Lynden Christian will play for state title; Lynden falls to streaking Steilacoom."