Squalicum’s Schlenbaker stomps over Sehome with dominant running and scoring display
The only suspense in Squalicum’s 54-20 win over Sehome was how many times the remarkably durable junior Ben Schlenbaker would be the Storm’s only rusher until someone else finally handled the ball on a running play.
The answer was 28 rushes without any rest on a night when Schlenbaker scored five touchdowns and carried a career-high 36 times for 296 yards, while senior quarterback Mason Binning completed 15 of 28 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns, both to Reed Richardson, Friday at Sehome.
Kaleb Hawkinson was the only other player to carry the ball for the starters, who were lifted one minute into the fourth quarter. Hawkinson scored on a 15-yard run to wrap up the game early with a 33-7 lead.
The Storm (3-1), who came back in spectacular fashion from a 9-6 loss to Lynden, can guarantee a tie for the eight-team Class 2A/3A Northwest Conference winter season title with a win in Squalicum’s last game. The Storm will face Oak Harbor on Saturday, March 20, with a 7 p.m. kickoff at Civic Stadium.
Schlenbaker will be just as busy in the off-season before resuming football in August for what hopefully will be a full season with playoffs.
“I still have no idea where I’ll play in college,” said the personable running back/linebacker with speed and moves that produced more than 2,000 yards last season. “I need to select the five colleges for my (official) visits. I’m planning to announce my choice before the fall season.”
In only four games, Schlenbaker has 806 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns. Binning has passed for 753 yards and eight scores.
“That loss to Lynden was valuable experience,” said Squalicum coach Nick Lucey, acknowledging he never imagined he would have two players with more than 1,500 yards combined after only four games. “I’m so proud of our team. The kids are really buying into the process.”
Schlenbaker broke open the game with a 73-yard scoring sprint with 5:27 left in the first half for a 20-0 lead. He also scored on runs of 3, 5, 38 and 3 yards.
Richardson caught six passes for 72 yards. He scored from the 6 at the first-half horn to make it 27-0 and caught a 32-yard scoring strike for the game’s final score before the reserves took over for the final quarter. Kai Posey provided another highlight with four catches for 108 yards.
Sehome (3-1) scored on a 24-yard run by Colin Dorsch and then on Jacob Kaepernick’s passes of 31 yards to Luke Evans and 33 yards to Dorsch. The Storm limited the much-accomplished quarterback to nine for 33 passing for 126 yards. Dorsch rushed for 104 yards on 16 carries and Evans caught six passes for 76 yards.
Kaepernick will play his final football game on Saturday, March 20, at Lynden while bidding to help give the Mariners at least a co-title. Squalicum, Sehome, Lynden and Ferndale are all 3-1.
Kaepernick will go right from football to baseball (during the second of three pandemic-abbreviated sports seasons).
“I play football just for fun. I’ve signed with Bellevue Community College for baseball,” said Kaepernick, a much-honored pitcher/first baseman. He won’t be tempted by the gridiron since Bellevue does not play football, but the move will give him far more options than if he signed for the minimum three years at a Division I college.
BELLINGHAM 45, GRANITE FALLS 13: Honored three-sport athlete Trevor Johnson has found a fourth sport for possible college success.
The senior varsity football rookie ran for four touchdowns, passed for two, kicked a 33-yard field goal and made all six extra points Thursday at Civic Stadium to extend his remarkable streak of having a hand — or a foot — in 75 consecutive points as either a runner, passer or kicker.
“I didn’t know about that (streak),” said the personable senior, who has earned honors in tennis, soccer and basketball and academics with a 3.99 grade-point average. “I decided to play football because they moved tennis (formally a boys’ fall sport) to the end of this school year.” The pandemic led to cancellation of the state tournament (held in spring) last year after he had qualified for the event.
“Now I’m looking at being a kicker in college,” said Johnson, with a smile.
Coach Robb Myhre, in his first year at Bellingham after 20 at Nooksack Valley, believes Johnson has a shot at kicking on any level.
“We’re sure going to get Trevor’s name out there to the colleges,” said Myhre, whose rejuvenated Red Raiders improved to 2-2.
Johnson set the tone with a 62-yard touchdown run on the second play from scrimmage. He finished with 118 yards on 10 carries and added scoring sprints of 2, 9 and 21 yards.
Johnson completed 13 of 21 passes for 255 yards, including a 51-yard scoring strike to Manny Depalma for Bellingham’s third score and a 57-yarder to Marcus McColl for the fourth touchdown and a 31-0 advantage. Depalma caught five passes for 88 yards.
James Quinlan set up a touchdown with a 50-yard run, giving the Red Raiders four plays over 50 yards and a total yardage of 479.
Myhre, who still teaches at Nooksack, will face the Pioneers (1-3) March 20 in both teams’ last game of the pandemic-abbreviated winter season.
“I’ve got those Nooksack players in my classes,” Myhre said. “This will be a game both teams really want to win. I’m finding this season really rewarding, a lot of fun with great kids.”
OTHER THURSDAY GAMES
Whatcom County teams improved their record against out-of-county competition to 14-1, with two more rounds of the season March 16 and Saturday, March 20. Six of the weekend’s seven county winners scored more than 40 points. (Some statistics were unavailable, pending coaches’ film reviews.)
For the final round of the state pandemic restrictions, 400 people, including players and coaches, will be allowed in stadiums instead of 200.
MOUNT BAKER 48, ANACORTES 14: Junior running back Jesse Sande rushed for three touchdowns, including one from midfield, and gained more than 100 yards for the Mountaineers (4-0), coach Ron Lepper noted.
Quarterback Mason Jacoby threw a pair of long touchdown passes to fellow senior standout Aiden Rodriguez as Baker outscored Anacortes 34-7 in the second half.
Garrett Smith scored Baker’s first touchdown with a 56-yard interception return and Marcus George scored on a run of close to 10 yards. Brent Anderson’s interception set up a second-half score.
Cristian Zavala made good on 6 of 7 conversion kicks.
Baker picked up a home game against King’s on Tuesday, March 16, with a 6:30 kickoff. Lepper hopes that game will help prepare the Mounties for the season-ending showdown at Lynden Christian (3-0).
LYNDEN 47, SEDRO-WOOLLEY 0: Quarterback Baylor Ayres rushed for 127 yards on 20 carries including four scores of 3, 5, 19 and 3 yards. Ayres also threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Isaiah Stanley to help create a 28-0 halftime lead for the Lions (3-1). Ayres completed 6 of 9 passes for 87 yards.
Senior running back Caleb Wheeler ran 14 times for a career-high 146 yards, including a 58-yard sprint to set up Ayres’ second score and a 1-yarder for Lynden’s fourth score.
Sophomore Kaedan Hermanutz scored his first varsity touchdown with a 15-yard run. Fellow sophomore Troy Petz made good on five of seven conversion attempts.
“We got (junior receiving standout) Kaleo Jandoc back from an injury and we think he’ll be ready to play against Lynden Christian,” said Lions coach Blake VanDalen of the town athletic rivals’ first football meeting since 1992. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at Lynden on Tuesday, March 16 — one of three games in a 10-day span for both teams.
“We really came out well against Woolley,” VanDalen said. “Ayres led us on excellent 65-yard drive and we went on to score on our first five possessions.”
BLAINE 26, NOOKSACK VALLEY 18: In his first start of the season at quarterback, junior Cole Thomas threw touchdown passes of 35 yards to Scott Baldwin, 6 yards to Jackson Kortlever and 18 yards to Braden Stanovich as the Borderites (1-3) claimed their first victory.
Stanovich’s touchdown, the first of the senior tight end’s career, gave kicker Preston King the opportunity for a conversion kick, giving Blaine a 19-18 lead with less than five minutes remaining. Gabe Cranford’s 58-yard scoring sprint with less two minutes to play wrapped it up.
For Nooksack (1-3), Scout Whittern scored on a 40-yard interception return and a 4-yard run. Jordan Silva had the other score with a 3-yard run.
“Will McKinney (Blaine’s senior quarterback) could not play on offense because of a shoulder problem, but he still played outside linebacker and was probably our leading tackler with at least eight,” said Blaine coach Jay Dodd. “Our defense created four turnovers and this was definitely our best game.”
Nooksack coach Craig Bartl credited 230-pound freshman defensive lineman Duke Halaapiapi with an outstanding effort with at least seven tackles.
FERNDALE 47, BURLINGTON 6: Sophomore Isaiah Carlson and junior Thomas Broselle combined for six touchdowns and more than 200 yards rushing, senior captain Andrew Monks noted. One of the scores was a pass from Haiden Rasmussen.
“At least four of the touchdowns were for more than 40 yards,” Monks said.
Elijah McCormick scored the seventh touchdown and sophomore Damian Toney had an interception.
Ferndale (3-1) still has a shot for at least a one-loss title tie in the improvised eight-team Class 2A/3A Northwest Conference in the six-round winter pandemic season. The Golden Eagles will visit Mount Vernon on Tuesday, March 16, and will finish at home against Sedro-Woolley on Saturday, March 20, at 1 p.m.
For Ferndale’s last home game, fans will be allowed in the stands since the state restriction for people in any stadium will rise to 400 from 200.
LYNDEN CHRISTIAN 48, KING’S 6: The explosive, depth-laden Lyncs (3-0) scored seven touchdowns to improve their three-game total to 26 scores and 174 points while preparing for their first football game since 1992 at larger local rival Lynden (3-1).
Additional information was unavailable by the deadline.
GAMES OF TUESDAY, MARCH 16
King’s at Mount Baker, 6:30 p.m.
Lynden Christian at Lynden, 7 p.m.
Oak Harbor at Nooksack, 7 p.m.
Ferndale at Mount Vernon, 7 p.m.
Blaine at Anacortes,7 p.m.
