‘It was my call’ says Lynden punter of decision that led to spectacular TD scamper
Lynden punter Troy Petz said he felt certain he could improvise a fake kick well enough to get the six yards needed for a first down in his half of the field.
Instead, he got 64 yards on one of the most dynamic touchdown runs ever seen in the legendary Lynden-Ferndale rivalry.
“It was my call,” the versatile senior said of the decision that set the tone for Lynden’s 24-7 season-opening non-league win before a capacity crowd Friday night at Blaine High School. “I’ve been having dreams all week, so I asked myself, ‘Why not on our first series of the season?’ ”
Why not indeed? After all, the Class 2A state long jump champion knows he has coach Blake VanDalen’s blessing.
“Troy has the green light,” the coach said. “After we saw how he pulled off two improvised punts (in Lynden’s 21-7 over Tumwater last year) to help us win the state championship, we knew he could handle it. ”
With four seconds left in the first half, Petz kicked a 40-yard field goal for a 10-0 halftime lead, following quarterback Kaedan Hermanutz’s third-down pass of 38 yards to Collin Anker and his 8-yard completion to Isaiah Stanley.
Petz’s booming boot might well have been good from beyond 50 yards.
“I felt it would have been good from 50,” Petz said with a grin.
But don’t get the idea this game was all Petz and the offense. In fact, it was anything but.
“We have five new fulltime starters on defense and they all played well,” said VanDalen.
One of those new starters, senior linebacker Chris Elenbaas, led a fourth-down charge with a tackle that gave the ball to the Lions on their own 29 with only 28 seconds left in the first half.
Had the formidable Golden Eagles been able to get a first down and score, the halftime score might well have been 7-7.
“We told Chris to be ready all last year,” VanDalen recalled. “He was only a snap away (if a senior had been injured) from starting. Now he’s got big shoes to fill (for graduated defensive star Taivin VanDalen).”
“It took about eight snaps to get used to it (starting),” said Elenbaas. “I’m ready now.”
Lynden’s defensive newcomers also included Javier Zavala and Eli Migchelbrink on the line, Hermanutz and Petz in the defensive backfield, and the rotating ends, brothers Isaiah Oudman and Gabe Oudman. Returning defensive stars Lane Heeringa, Kobe Baar, Trey Smiley (who also kicked the first extra point) and Stanley also were key to limiting the Eagles to 118 yards in the second half after they amassed 152 in the first two quarters.
“Ferndale is a very strong team,” VanDalen said. “They’re going to win a lot of games.”
Lynden made it 17-0 on the opening series of the second half with an 81-yard drive on eight plays, including Heeringa’s 57-yard burst, setting up a 2-yard scoring plunge by Hermanutz.
Ferndale soon responded with a 68-yard, 12-play drive, capped by Conner Walcker’s 25-yard scoring pass on the run to Jordan Mason. Walcker, a returning receiving standout, was filling in after starting quarterback Bishop Ootsey was temporarily shaken up.
The Lions immediately answered with a 30-yard kickoff return by Anker and a 67-yard, 9-play drive, ending in Hermanutz’s game-clinching 21-yard scoring strike to Stanley in the end zone with 4:48 to play.
Hermanutz finished 6 for 9 for 94 yards with no interceptions and rushed 11 times for 49 yards. Heeringa finished with 89 yards on seven carries.
Power-running Jason Nowak had a game-high 101 yards on 20 carries for Ferndale and Isaiah Carlson, back after a late-season knee injury last year, finished with 79 yards on 15 carries.
Lynden snapped a two-game losing streak in the series with Ferndale. Both senior classes experienced two wins in one of the state’s classic rivalries.
SATURDAY’S GAMES
BELLINGHAM 48, CLEVELAND 14: In his first start at quarterback, senior Alex Wells threw two touchdown passes to Lucas Cousens and sophomores Tyler Frost and Logan Steeves scored on long runs for new coach Adam Leonard at Seattle’s Southwest Athletic Center.
The Bayhawks scored three defensive touchdowns: a blocked punt and recovery by Liam Poulton-Claypool and pick sixes of 30 yards by Kalani Utu and 40 yards by freshman Owen Hanstead. Poulton-Claypool kicked six consecutive conversions and had five touchbacks on kickoffs.
“Liam just had a great all-around game,” said Leonard, whose win gave Whatcom County’s three new head coaches a sweep and also provided the three Bellingham schools with a perfect Week One.
Wells’ scoring throws to Cousens of 15 and 20 yards and Frost’s 38-yard touchdown helped produce a 35-0 halftime advantage. Steeves scored from the 33 as Leonard played his starters for one series in the second half.
“Alex had no turnovers and our defense was absolutely lights out,” Leonard said. “I was really proud of our kids. I was pleased that they (Cleveland coaches and officials) thanked us for our sportsmanship.
LUMMI 28, TULALIP HERITAGE 20: Former Ferndale multi-sport standout Watiko Leighton gained his first head coaching victory with one of the most inexperienced teams in school history.
“My first game as a 21-year-old coach — sure, I was nervous,” he said with a smile. “But the kids brought the best they could. I’m proud of them.”
Richard Wilson, Lummi’s only player with extensive experience, gave the host Blackhawks a 22-8 lead late in the third quarter of the Northwest Eight-Man League game when he forced a fumble and returned the ball 11 yards to score. Wilson then caught a 2-point conversion pass from Tony Abrams.
After Tulalip blocked a punt with 2:48 to play and took over on Lummi’s 18-yard line, Wilson made a 9-yard sack on second down and a tackle for a 5-yard loss on third down. Abrams, a sophomore who made his first start at quarterback, ended Tulalip’s hopes with a fourth-down tackle and Lummi ran out the clock.
“Tony is only in his second year of football and he really stepped up for this game,” Leighton said.
Quincy Tom scored on a 2-yard run and Mathias Johnson scored on an 80-yard kickoff return for Lummi’s first two touchdowns, producing a 14-8 halftime lead along with a 2-point conversion pass from Abrams to Johnson.
Lummi made it 28-14 when Tom again scored from the 2 with 8:48 left. After Desmond Bailey recovered a Tulalip fumble at the Lummi 1-yard line, Tulalip tallied on an interception with five minutes left.
Bailey led Lummi with 65 yards rushing on 13 carries and Tom had 43 yards on nine carries. Abrams went 6 for 12 for 53 yards and completed his first high school pass for 16 yards to freshman Jerome Toby, who also set up Lummi’s final scoring drive with a tackle-busting 25-yard kickoff return.
FRIDAY’S GAMES
SEHOME 15, MOUNT BAKER 12: Freshman quarterback Nolan Wright displayed his potential with a long touchdown pass to sophomore Andre Watson midway through the fourth quarter for the non-league game’s final score at Civic Stadium. Senior running back Tommy Funk added a two-point conversion run.
Mount Baker took a 12-0 halftime lead on a pair of touchdown runs by new starting quarterback Landon Smith.
Sehome’s first seven points came on a short scoring run by Tommy Funk and a conversion kick by Grady Evans after Funk and Carson Neff sparked a long third-quarter drive with productive running (statistics were not immediately available).
“We played much more disciplined defense in the second half,” said Sehome coach Kevin Beason. ”Andre also had a pick in the second half.”
Wright’s debut impressed Beason.
“For a freshman’s first start, it was pretty solid,” the coach said. “He handled it well. He’s a very mature kid, and very athletic.”
Mount Baker has six new starters on both offense and defense.
“The kids played hard and didn’t lack for effort,” said Mountaineers coach Ron Lepper, while also pointing out that he wasn’t happy with his own play-calling.
LYNDEN CHRISTIAN 60, SEAQUAM SECONDARY 6: New head coach Greg Terpstra, along with new defensive coordinator Kent Bouma and line coach Joe Vanderpol, saw the Lyncs enjoy one of the highest scoring first halves in their history with a 46-0 lead against the visitors from British Columbia.
“I was really impressed by how our guys responded to a whole new offense and a whole new defense,” said Terpstra.
Five interceptions came from the defensive backs, including three pick sixes — from midfield by Brody Bouwman and Trey Bouma after a 20-yarder by Tyson Bajema. Dawson Bouma and Treven Blair also had interceptions.
Tyler Sipma, a returning receiving standout from last year’s state Class 1A semifinalists, pleased Terpstra with touchdown catches from Jeremiah Wright for 14 yards and from Griffin Dykstra for 37 yards. Wright’s short pass to Lane Dykstra provided LC’s first score.
The Lyncs didn’t pass often, but Terpstra was encouraged when Wright completed all five of his attempts for 89 yards.
Terpstra gave his starters a series to open the third quarter and returning standout Kade Eldridge impressed the coach with his 96-yard scoring sprint. Eldridge also had a short touchdown run along with Isaac Paxton.
“Jacob Tolsma showed a lot for a first year nose guard,” Terpstra said. ‘He’s really explosive and works very hard.”
MERIDIAN 56, GRANITE FALLS 6: The visiting Trojans turned in an amazingly productive non-league game considering they suited up only 18 players, although coach Patrick Ames said they hope to get more players back soon.
Returning scoring standout Hunter Jones scored on a 5-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Jaeger Fyfe and Jones then unleashed a 99-yard punt return. Sophomore Landen Downey’s 1-yard touchdown made it 22-0 at the half.
Another returning two-way standout, junior Josh Elmer, scored on runs of 66, 7 and 4 yards, and Marcus Castaneda tallied from the 3. Elmer also returned a fumble 36 yards to score.
Senior kicker Eli Jensen made six of seven conversions and Fyfe found Brock Hogan for a 2-pointer.
“Eli Jensen played just a great all-around game,” Ames said. “He caught four passes for 70 yards and he totally shut down their best receiver. He also blocked extremely well.’’
NOOKSACK VALLEY 15, MOUNTAIN VIEW 14: Sophomore running back Colton Lentz scored on an 85-yard run with 3:08 to play and junior quarterback Joey Brown wound up ultimately avoiding overtime by scoring on a two-point conversion run.
The Vancouver, Wash., visitors missed a 27-yard field-goal attempt as time expired.
Skyler Whittern scored the Pioneers’ first touchdown with a 15-point run and Jorgen Vigre kicked the extra point.
“I can’t single out any one standout. It was a total team effort,” said Pioneers coach Craig Bartl.
PORT ANGELES 33, BLAINE 19: Host Port Angeles scored 20 consecutive points in the third quarter after taking a 13-6 halftime lead.
Larry Creasey’s 5-yard run gave the Borderites their only first-half touchdown. New starting quarterback Kael Evinger scored on a 1-yard run in the third quarter and Colby Shipp ran 35 yards to score late in the fourth quarter.
“We played well for most of the game,” said Blaine coach Jay Dodd. “We had a four- or five-minute stretch in the third quarter where they had some big plays that ultimately made the difference.
“But these were all fixable things that we can correct. In time, we’ll be a good team. We’ll continue to improve and we’ll have players develop in the right roles throughout (non-league games) in September … We’ll be ready for October 1A football in Whatcom County.”
THURSDAY’S GAME
SQUALICUM 28, ORTING 21: New starting quarterback Josh Leonard greatly encouraged Storm coach Nick Lucey with three touchdown passes, including a 29-yard game-winner to sophomore Marcus Nixon with the score tied 21-21 and a little less than four minutes to play at Orting.
“Josh really came up big,” said Lucey of Leonard, a junior who completed 10 of 23 passes, most of them in key situations, for 187 yards. Leonard also threw for a 37-yard touchdown to Nevhye Egging in the first quarter and for a 35-yard score to Jacob Sorenson on fourth down shortly before halftime.
Lucey was also excited to see Nixon pick up 152 yards on 28 carries in his first start. Deandre Dunmore contributed 66 yards and a 2-yard touchdown. Sorenson grabbed four catches for 104 yards
“Nick Watt had a great game at safety,” said Lucey, who also praised new senior defensive starters Hayden Hollingsworth, Jacob Donnelly and Bryan Sheedy.
WEEK TWO
Friday, Sept. 9
Fife vs. Squalicum at Civic Stadium, 7 p.m.
Sehome at Blaine, 7 p.m.
Archbishop Murphy at Lynden Christian, 7 p.m.
Wenatchee at Mount Baker, 6 p.m.
Chelan at Meridian, 6 p.m
Lynden at W.F. West (Chehalis), 7 p.m.
Bellingham vs. Meadowdale at Edmonds-Woodway High School, 5 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 10
Ferndale vs. Oak Harbor at Blaine High School, 6 p.m.
Nooksack Valley at Connell, 1 p.m.
Liberty Bell (Winthrop) at Lummi, 3 p.m.
This story was originally published September 5, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
