‘This really is a rarity’ — Squalicum duo sign football letters of intent with Cougars

The remarkable potential that Djouvensky “Ben” Schlenbaker displayed as a sophomore and junior at Squalicum had long since convinced Washington State University to offer the running back a full football scholarship.

One remarkable game convinced Cougars coaches that they had better move quickly to provide company for Schlenbaker on National Signing Day.

That’s how Washington State free safety-to-be Leyton Smithson, the Storm’s seemingly jet-propelled quarterback, also wound up on Squalicum’s stage Wednesday, Dec. 15, for a rare signing ceremony in front of delighted teammates, students, coaches, parents and faculty members.

They became the first Whatcom County high school football teammates within memory — at least going back several decades — to sign full scholarships with a Pac-12 team in the same year.

For that matter, it may have been the first time three City of Bellingham players signed Division I papers on the same day, as 6-foot-5, 275-pound Sehome lineman Gavin Ortega also inked a full scholarship with Weber State.

‘A dream come true’

“It was the Ridgefield game that did it,” Smithson said of the call he received from Cal recruiters not long after he had 396 yards combined rushing and passing in the Storm’s 63-38 win over previously unbeaten Ridgefield in the Class 2A state quarterfinals.

“It’s a dream come true,” said Smithson, who also played safety on key defensive downs to help the Storm advance to a state semifinals for the first time in program history. “I had always dreamed of playing for WSU. I had an invited walk-on offer and then came the scholarship.”

People who saw the 6-1, 190-pound Smithson play as an all-conference junior running back at Mountain View High in Meridian, Idaho, can believe that.

Now those same fans won’t have far to go to get to know and appreciate Schlenbaker, who set Squalicum career records with 4,577 yards rushing and 63 touchdowns even though he played only five games in his pandemic-abbreviated junior season.

Smithson began to appreciate Schlenbaker’s football potential in third grade in Bellingham and was a friend through sixth grade. Following a family move to Idaho for five years, Smithson found himself back in Bellingham as a senior following another family move.

Now Smithson and Schlenbaker hope to begin earning playing time next fall as freshmen at WSU.

“As talented as these two guys are, they ‘re even better human beings,” Storm coach Nick Lucey told the gathering Wednesday. “They’re great leaders, great workers and they’ll do special things in Pullman.”

Lucey, who just finished his eighth season at Squalicum, recalled that his only previous Division I scholarship athlete was Ben Peterson, who started at wide receiver for two seasons at the Air Force Academy. He is now beginning his career in the Air Force.

“This really is a rarity,” Lucey said. “They’re such amazing people.”

Schlenbaker to enroll early

The 6-foot, 220-pound Schlenbaker, best known as Ben, will compete for playing time at running back, the position for which he was recruited. In order to make the most serious bid possible in spring training, he has completed his Squalicum academic work with a 3.8 grade-point average and plans to enroll at WSU in January.

“I want to get a head start,” Schlenbaker said. “This will give me a better chance to start playing right away.”

Smithson said he was recruited for the defensive backfield, but added “I’ll be more than happy to return kicks and even to take wildcat snaps at quarterback.”

Smithson’s 40-yard best of 4.47 seconds — and his top sprint times of 10.79 seconds in the 100 meters and 21.95 in the 200 — offer proof of his potential. He won two silver medals in Idaho at last spring’s state track meet.

“I signed at 7 a.m. Wednesday, the first moment I could,” Smithson said with a grin.

New Cougars coach Jake Dickert, formerly the defensive coordinator, made a big impression on Smithson during his visit to WSU last weekend.

“He’s an intense guy,” Smithson said. “This is his first big shot as a head coach and I think he’s hungry. I’m hungry, too. We’ve both been kind of underestimated. And I think WSU offers a real good environment for me. I really like the campus vibe.”

Smithson said he’s looking forward to learning from safeties coach Mark Banker.

“I love the idea of competing with athletes with similar skill sets,” Smithson said. “I just love challenges.”

Schlenbaker agrees about the good environment.

“I really like how the team seems like a family,” said Schlenbaker, who gained more than 1,000 yards in the only five games he had as a junior. “They’re already treating me like a member of the family.”

Schlenbaker said he plans to major in construction management or architectural engineering, while Smithson said he’s interested in possibly going into writing.

Lucey said offensive lineman/linebacker Bryson Lamb and receiver/defensive back Kai Posey have also received several offers apiece with colleges in western states and may soon sign.

Weber a hit with Ortega

Sehome’s Gavin Ortega confirmed with The Bellingham Herald that he chose Big Sky Conference member Weber State’s scholarship offer because the Ogden, Utah, school hit on all three of his priorities: “I felt like it was the best fit for me, with religious beliefs, the coaching staff and the educational program.”

He said he plans to go to nursing school and eventually may become a nurse practitioner.

“I made trips to Weber in spring, summer and winter and enjoyed all three trips,” Ortega said. “I like all the offensive linemen. They are a lot like my friends at Sehome.”

Ortega was also impressed by how “the football stadium is actually built into a mountain. It’s so beautiful.”

His future offensive line coach, veteran Brent Myers, is impressed with Ortega.

“He’s an excellent, big athlete,” Myers told the Ogden Standard-Examiner about Ortega, who was voted All-Northwest Conference 2A at both offensive and defensive tackle. “He excels in both run and pass protection. He’s a super student of the game and we’re excited about his future.”

Ortega also had offers from Eastern Washington, Portland State and Idaho State. He’s also a standout in basketball and baseball at Sehome.

This story was originally published December 17, 2021 at 5:00 AM.