‘I found some good grass’ — Lynden Christian’s Kade Eldridge hammers Mount Baker
Kade Eldridge figures he is the powerful running back Lynden Christian’s fine crew of linemen have been hungering to block for all season.
“Here I am,” the 6-foot-4, 220-pound junior said with a grin of gratification while thanking the teammates who are helping him make the challenging transition from tight end.
Eldridge’s remarkable 21-yard, tackle-breaking touchdown rumble broke a scoreless tie midway through the third quarter of LC’s 12-0 win over Mount Baker before a capacity crowd Friday night at Lynden Christian.
“Conditions were pretty slippery but I found some good grass,” the affable big guy said.
Eldridge ran 13 times for 75 yards and caught two passes for 22 yards — with all but two carries in the second half — to complement senior quarterback Will Colwell’s 79 yards on 16 carries as the Lyncs (4-2 overall, 2-0 Northwest Conference 1A) likely assured themselves a state playoff berth.
“Kade was phenomenal,” said Colwell, who also consistently ran hard against the rugged defense of the Mountaineers (4-3, 2-1). “I’m so thankful for him. We have found him (the running back the Lyncs need).”
LC coach Dan Kaemingk,who said he was “incredibly proud” of his team, said Eldridge caught his eye in practice with his consistent improvement.
“You can see how well Kade is learning the nuances of playing running back,” said Kaemingk, whose team made the most of only 215 yards — 175 on the ground — after coming in with 79 points combined in the previous two games. The Lyncs limited Baker, which scored 88 in its previous two games, to 186, with 131 by rushing, including 85 on 17 carries by junior Marques George.
A leaping interception by Sam Penner on Baker’s opening series of the second half ultimately provided the opportunity the Lyncs needed.
LC netted 24 yards until Baker forced a punt, but Caleb VanDyken booted a 45-yarder and Lane Dykstra downed the ball at the Mount Baker 1-yard line.
The Lyncs allowed only one net yard on three plays and took over on the Baker 25 after a short punt under pressure. Colwell gained four yards to set up Eldridge’s touchdown.
The Lyncs then held Baker to three plays and a punt to LC’s 30.
After LC forced Baker’s third consecutive punt, the Lyncs ate up nearly six minutes with a 10-play, 42-yard drive. The push ended when Baker’s Jesse Sande forced and recovered a fumble.
Baker’s Davin Beason quickly found sophomore Landen Hanstead with a 32-yard pass and George rushed 23 yards as Sipma saved a touchdown with a tackle at the 21. Sipma then returned an interception 30 yards with 1:24 left and the bruising battle was essentially over.
“We just know each other so well,” said Kaemingk of Baker coach Ron Lepper, who likely will see the Mountaineers in the state playoffs for the ninth consecutive year (not counting the lack of playoffs in the short winter 2021 season). “Ron is a great coach with a heart of gold and we all love and respect the guy.”
Baker drove 69 yards on 15 plays in the first and second quarter, but clever safety Penner made a pass deflection on fourth down at LC’s 25. That was the closest the Mounties would come until Sipma ended their final possession at the 21.
“We’ll figure it all out after Week Nine,” said Kaemingk of the two league games his team had postponed against Blaine and Meridian. The Lyncs will welcome Spokane East Valley Saturday at 1 p.m. and the Mounties will host Meridian Friday at 7 p.m. to complete Baker’s league schedule.
LC may play a league game in Week 10.
Saturday’s game
MERIDIAN 21, BLAINE 15: The teams combined for two touchdowns and two 2-point conversions in the first 72 seconds of what became a NWC 1A defensive struggle featuring interceptions by Daniel Short, Tucker Harrison and Hunter Jones for Meridian (5-3, 1-1).
Blaine quarterback Avery Dohner opened the game with 32- and 14-yard completions to Ethan Koreski and the Borderites (3-3, 0-2) made it 8-0 with a 2-point run by Cole Thomas. The Trojans responded with a 74-yard catch-run score from Harrison to Jones, who added a 2-point conversion run.
Jones’ 2-yard touchdown — which quickly followed Harrison’s 17-yard pass to Jones and a 25-yard throw to Eli Jensen — and Jensen’s conversion kick made it 15-8, but Blaine tied it with a 1-yard scoring keeper by Dohner and Preston King’s kick for a 15-15 halftime tie.
Meridian sophomore Josh Elmer’s 8-yard run, following 32 yards on three Blaine penalties, provided the final score with 2:45 left in the third quarter.
A 15-yard run by Larry Creasey and the ensuing 20-yard pass from Dohner to Jaxon Kortlever moved Blaine to Meridian’s 25, but the game ended with Jones preventing a potential completion in the end zone.
Jones rushed for 63 yards on 15 carries and Elmer ran 8 times for 35 yards. Harrison completed 7 of 15 for 180 yards with three for 100 to Jones.
Dohner went 15 for 33 passing for 201 yards with 9 passes to Kortlever for 123 and 5 to Koreski for 68 Creasey carried 15 times for 90 yards as Blaine finished with 368 total yards to Meridian‘s 307.
“This felt like a good Whatcom County game should feel like,” said Meridian coach Patrick Ames. “Blaine really challenged us with Kortlever, who’s as good a receiver as we have in the area. To see our young guys play well made me grateful and I’m happy for our seniors just being able to play.”
Meridian went 1-1 in its only games last winter due to COVID exposure.
Friday’s games
LYNDEN 38, ARCHBISHOP MURPHY 14: “Our game (Friday night) at Sedro-Woolley will be a resume game,” said coach Blake VanDalen, whose Lions (7-1, 5-0) claimed their third consecutive NWC title and fourth consecutive state Class 2A playoff berth (it would have been five had playoffs been held last season).
Sedro-Woolley (5-2, 3-2) was eliminated from state contention 21-6 by Burlington-Edison (6-1, 3-1) which faces Squalicum (5-2, 3-2) on Friday at 8 p.m. at Civic Stadium for the NWC’s No. 2 state playoff spot. Burlington also faces Sehome in Week 10 in a makeup league game.
The NWC, often regarded as the state’s best 2A league top to bottom, gets only two post-season berths in the state Round of 16 due to a schedule quirk.
“I think if we beat Sedro-Woolley, we can stake a legitimate claim for the No. 2 state seed behind Tumwater,” said VanDalen. “I’m very appreciative that Archbishop Murphy (3-4, 2-3) was willing to play us despite their many injuries.”
Lynden will play for its first unbeaten league season since the 2018 state finalist run.
The Lions had 31 points before the Wildcats had a first down. The first five touchdowns were a 46-yard punt return by Collin Anker, a 9-yard run by Lane Heeringa, a 36-yard field goal by Troy Petz, a 9-yard run by quarterback Kaedan Hermanutz and a 5-yard scamper by sophomore Luke Human. Hermanutz added a 10-yard scoring run for a 38-7 halftime advantage.
VanDalen, with respect for the Wildcats’ appearance, played only reserve back fielders in the second half and quickly inserted reserves elsewhere.
An interception by Campbell Nolte set up Lynden’s second score. A 26-yard throw from Hermanutz to Kaleo Jandoc made possible Petz’s field goal. A 20-yard scramble by Hermanutz set up his first score.
Gabe Oudman recovered a fumble on a kickoff so that Human would eventually have a scoring sprint. Trey Smiley’s fumble pickup gave Hermanutz the chance for his second score.
FERNDALE 46, MARYSVILLE-GETCHELL 7: The Golden Eagles (7-1, 5-1 Wesco 3A North) wrapped up the conference championship as Ryan Pelton scored a career-high four touchdowns of 19, 8, 29 and 8 yards. Elijah McCormick had his first two-touchdown game with runs of 25 and 10 yards.
Senior quarterback Mark Schlichting threw his 13th touchdown pass, a 15-yarder to Jesse Sapp for his first varsity score. A blocked punt by Jake Mason and Sapp’s return of more than 50 yards on the play set up the score for a 39-0 halftime bulge
Junior rushing standout Isaiah Carlson, who was helped off the field with a leg injury in the previous game, did not play for Ferndale, which tied with Marysville-Pilchuck and Arlington for first place.
Phoenyx Finkbonner kicked four conversions and Conner Walcker had an interception for Ferndale, which will face Wesco South 3A champion Monroe in Week 9 in a seeding game either Thursday or Saturday, but not Friday due to the current shortage of officials. Both teams are assured spots in the state Round of 32.
“We played solid team defense,” said Ferndale coach Jamie Plenkovich. “Our starters shut them out.”
Ferndale opened the season with a 55-35 win over Monroe.
SQUALICUM VS. NOOKSACK VALLEY CANCELLED: Nooksack’s COVID exposure prevented the teams from playing a non-divisional game.
The Storm will be bidding for its third consecutive state spot and its sixth state berth in seven opportunities under coach Nick Lucey, who is in his eighth season. His team would have qualified for state had there been playoffs during the 2021 winter season.
LAKEWOOD 50, SEHOME 21: The Mariners (1-6, 0-5) got two touchdown runs from quarterback Carson Neff, who also threw for a score to Zach Chisholm.
Lakewood led 44-0 at the half.
CEDARCREST 31, BELLINGHAM 6: Jimmy Quinlan scored on a pass from Max Rasset for the Bay hawks (2-5), who are playing an independent schedule.
Bellingame will finish against Mount Vernon in Week 9 and Granite Falls in Week 10, both on the road.
THURSDAY’S GAME
LUMMI 48, CONCRETE 8: The Blackhawks (6-0, 3-0) prepared for Friday’s big game against Neah Bay with Lummi’s usual explosion of long touchdowns in the Northwest Eight-Man League).
Duncan Toby scored on touchdown passes of 78, 63 and 65 yards from freshman quarterback Tucker Rawlins, who also scored on a 54-yard run.
William Elzey also had three touchdowns, with runs of 72 and 52 yards and a 45-yard interception return.
Adam Bellows, Sammy Bumatay and Rawlins had 2-point conversions for Lummi, which scored 42 points in the first quarter.
The Blackhawks will have a state play-in game the weekend of Nov. 5 for what will be a 12-team state tournament field this season.
Whatcom County teams are 34-17 against non-county competition through eight weeks.
WEEK NINE
Friday’s games
Lynden at Sedro-Woolley, 7 p.m.
Meridian at Mount Baker, 7 p.m.
Nooksack at Blaine, 7 p.m.
Burlington-Edison vs. Squalicum at Civic Stadium, 8 p.m.
Sehome vs. Cedarcrest at Civic Stadium, 5 p.m.
Neah Bay at Lummi, 6 p.m.
Bellingham at Mount Vernon, 7 p.m.
Saturday’s games
Ferndale vs. Monroe at Blaine, 2 p.m. (Could be shifted to Thursday because of officials shortage.)
Spokane East Valley at Lynden Christian, 1 p.m.
This story was originally published October 25, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
