Ferndale’s two-sport standout counts the chance to just play among his blessings

Andrew Monks never received a better or more unexpected birthday present.

After waiting for what seemed like forever, the Ferndale senior was gifted with a football game to play for his 18th birthday on Feb. 20. Then, as a meaningful bonus, he celebrated his first victory over rival Lynden six days later.

Six months earlier, the two-sport standout didn’t know if pandemic restrictions would ever allow him to play for the Golden Eagles again, either in football or basketball.

Three months earlier, he still had no guarantees.

At long last, although the biggest high school in Whatcom County had been closed for nearly a year, he could join many of his lifelong buddies on the practice field Feb. 1.

“They kept pushing the season back, so we just didn’t know,” he said.

Monks, a standout safety and defensive captain (elected by the coaches), can play any skill position on offense. He said he and his teammates were never more grateful to practice, much less play.

And play they can. They opened with a 41-7 win at Oak Harbor and followed with a 28-19 victory over Lynden on Friday in surely the weirdest game ever played in Ferndale’s spacious stadium. The Golden Eagles will challenge Sehome, also 2-0, on Sehome’s new field Saturday night at 7 p.m.

“It was odd. It was surreal,” Monks said of seeing empty stands when the Golden Eagles took the field. “But we just took our minds off that and focused on football.”

Monks has loved sports since he was 3 years old, so he said he has always been grateful to be the son of David and Shari Monks, who were good high school athletes. David was a three-sport performer on Long Island in New York and Shari was a standout runner and hurdler at Carpinteria High School in Southern California.

“It was disappointing (not to see Andrew play in person), but we were able to see the Lynden game live-streaming,” Shari said.

“Dad and Mom have always meant so much to me with their help in sports,” he said.

So have his teammates, whom he helps lead so well, coach Jamie Plenkovich noted while recommending Monks for special recognition.

“To be able to engage again with other students has made football so special,” said Monks, who learned remotely as a senior through January before Ferndale went to hybrid learning in February. But he has not been a homebody. He has maintained a job at the Ferndale Haggen Food & Pharmacy as a courtesy clerk.

Other Ferndale athletes can feel the same way during the current seven-week “fall season,” to be followed by an abbreviated “spring season” and then a “winter season” going into June.

But Monks is well aware that most students have had no opportunity this school year for an experience approaching anything even close to normal.

“Football is such a blessing,” he said of the Eagles’ six-game schedule. “Everyone is super upbeat.”

Monks was 2 years old when Jake Locker earned All-American honors at quarterback and was a great safety while leading the Golden Eagles to the 2005 Class 3A state title. Now the legendary athlete is an assistant coach.

“Jake is our defensive backfield and receivers coach, so I get to work with him a lot. He’s taught me great techniques and other aspects of football. It’s really cool to work with him,” Monks said of the former University of Washington and Tennessee Titans quarterback.

“Jake and Andrew have connected real well,” Plenkovich said. “Andrew has improved tremendously. He’s really been great about stopping big plays. He’s playing above the top of his game.”

Monks said his teammates have policed themselves in workouts at the school, making sure to physically distance whenever possible and wear masks.

Unlike college and pro football, masks are even required on the field in games.

“I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t even know it’s there,” Monks said of the mask on his face.

Plenkovich stressed that Andrew provides “great leadership” both on and off the field.

Football is so popular at Ferndale and Lynden that the players, coaches and Golden Eagles cheerleaders occupied the vast majority of the spaces for the 200 people permitted in any Washington State high school stadium during this strange season.

It’s a one-size-fits-all restriction for the entire state, even though 200 more people could have easily been socially distanced in the Ferndale stands. But then, Washington was one of only 15 states that did not hold a traditional fall football season.

Had there been no sports at all this term, few Ferndale students would have been hit harder than Monks. He was one of only two athletes to start in both football and basketball in the previous school year.

“I definitely want to play football in college,” said Monks, who maintains a 3.3 grade-point average and is considering majoring in construction management. “Nothing crazy (like Division I dreams), just some good D II or D III football. I just want to have fun.”

While he’s willing to play anywhere to help Ferndale, the 6-foot-2, 175-pound athlete is determined to play defense in college.

“I like hitting, not getting hit,” he said with a laugh.

FRIDAY’S GAMES

Lynden Christian (2-0) at Meridian (1-0), 7 p.m.

Lynden (1-1) vs. Squalicum (2-0) at Civic Stadium, 7 p.m.

Bellingham (0-2) at Blaine (0-2), 7 p.m.

Nooksack (0-2) at Anacortes, 7 p.m.

Mount Baker (2-0) at Bishop Blanchet, 7 p.m.

SATURDAY’S GAME

Ferndale (2-0) at Sehome (2-0)

This story was originally published March 4, 2021 at 5:00 AM.