Ferndale’s quarterback is a triple threat: He throws TDs and the javelin, and plays viola
Mark Schlichting is making the football version of beautiful music as Ferndale’s new starting quarterback in his senior year.
That’s a fitting phrase, considering that grandfather Mark Schlichting is a retired legend after teaching music to untold thousands of students at Bellingham High School while also teaching strings concurrently for many years to the city’s middle school students.
The younger Schlichting actually is capable of playing beautiful music, having performed well on the viola in orchestras since sixth grade. He also is a capable guitarist and piano player.
The honor student is the first quarterback in his family but not the only one. One of his two backups is his brother Matthew, a sophomore who plays for the junior varsity.
Schlichting has guided the Golden Eagles to 150 points and an unbeaten start (4-0 overall, 2-0 conference) heading into a titanic Wesco 3A test Friday at Marysville-Pilchuck (4-0, 3-0), which comes off a 49-14 win over Glacier Peak.
Schlichting is the son of Andrew and Jessica Schlichting. Andrew played in the orchestra at Sehome High and Washington State University, and Jessica guided Sehome’s orchestra for nearly two decades before shifting to Ferndale. Andrew and Jessica enjoyed youth sports and met at WSU through participation in music programs. Austin Schlichting, the younger Mark’s uncle, was a prize-winning musician at BHS.
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Schlichting has shown the ability to play college football, and he may do so if the opportunity comes along. But he says his first priority is to earn a scholarship with his powerful right arm as a college javelin thrower.
“I made districts as a freshman (and had an impressive best of 154 feet) and fell five feet short of qualifying for state,” he said. “My best is 183 feet, which is eight feet short of Ben Broselle’s school record. My goal this year is 200 feet.”
Like all senior athletes in Washington — which had one of the nation’s most limited prep sports programs from the time the COVID-19 plague struck in March 2020 until this school year — he badly missed the opportunities he had so looked forward to.
After he helped Ferndale qualify for the 2019 3A state football playoffs as a defensive back, his sophomore track and field season was wiped out. In his junior year, his skills as safety helped the Golden Eagles to a 5-1 winter football record and he won the county javelin title.
But there was no state competition in any sport, since what was still a full 2020-2021 sports year in many parts of the nation was held only from February through June in three abbreviated seasons in Washington.
Schlichting will be the first to tell you that he feels “totally blessed” to be playing with back-fielders and linemen who are more experienced and truly talented.
“I haven’t been sacked and (he has enjoyed so much time to throw) I’ve had one interception.”
On a team much better known for its ground game, he threw eight touchdown passes in the first four games, including two in the fourth quarter of an 18-17 comeback win over playoff contender Arlington.
His starting debut in a 55-35 non-league win over Monroe could not have been much more impressive. He threw for three touchdowns and scored one on a sneak, all in the first three quarters. And, like his starting teammates, he did not lose so much as a single yard on a rainy day.
Schlichting says that if he doesn’t play college football, he’s “100 percent all in” for a possible high-level orchestra experience.
“I’m happy with the balance,” he says of being one of the top-notch athletes and musicians.
Schlichting recalls how he earned varsity time on the kickoff team as a freshman against Eastside Catholic in a loss in the 2018 state playoffs. He played the second half at quarterback in a 2019 playoff loss to O’Dea.
“I played quarterback about 25 percent of the time in the winter season,” he said. ‘At safety, it was about 50-50.”
Few athletes at talent-laden Ferndale can say they hit the field in earnest all four varsity seasons.
“I expected our line to be outstanding this year, but they’re even better than I expected,” he said.
He displayed his poise in an outrageous September wind and rain storm in the win over Arlington. The teams combined for nine turnovers (Ferndale six fumbles, Arlington three interceptions).
Mark’s father, Andrew, recalled that the elder Mark suggested football for the younger Mark. Andrew said his son reminded his father of Andrew’s uncle Fred Minnear, who played center for Oberlin College and had tryouts two NFL teams.
Andrew also has a special reason to hope his son will have a shot at an unbeaten season. Andrew wanted to play on the 1996 Sehome basketball team that went 30-0, but he didn’t make the cut.
WEEK FIVE
Friday’s games
Nooksack Valley at Meridian, 7 p.m.
Ferndale at Marysville-Pilchuck, 7 p.m.
Lynden at Cedarcrest, 7 p.m.
Lynden Christian at Blaine, 7 p.m.
Sehome vs. Squalicum at Civic Stadium, 8 p.m.
Anacortes vs. Bellingham at Civic Stadium, 5 p.m.
Mount Baker at Tonasket, 4 p.m.
Lummi, bye.
This story was originally published October 1, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
