Two quarterbacks, two dominant performances for Lynden’s two-headed team offense
For as much as his teams have thrived for years with his use of two quarterbacks in most games, Lynden football coach Blake VanDalen could hardly believe how perfectly his system worked in the Lions’ Class 2A Northwest Conference opener.
Senior Kaedan Hermanutz ran for two touchdowns and passed for one, while sophomore Brant Heppner threw his first three varsity touchdown tosses in Lynden’s 41-13 win over Squalicum on Friday at Civic Stadium.
And their statistics were uncanny: Hermanutz completed 7 of 8 passes for 112 yards and Heppner went 7 for 8 for 108 yards.
If that weren’t unusual enough, Troy Petz caught two passes for 72 yards and two touchdowns, Isaiah Stanley had seven receptions for 97 yards — and six others had one catch apiece.
“This was the epitome of a team win,” VanDalen said. “There was no way we could single out one man as our player of the game.”
But the statistic that meant the most to the coach was the number three.
“For the third time, the athletic director of our opponent congratulated us for how classy and clean we were,” said VanDalen, whose defending state champions improved to 3-0 overall.. “I can’t tell you how much that means to us.”
Going into Lynden’s home opener against Sedro-Woolley (3-0, 1-0) on Friday night, the Lions picked the right time to have what VanDalen called “our cleanest game, meaning the game where we executed best.”
In fact, VanDalen said this game “could well make the difference in the championship race.”
Heppner produced the first touchdown with a 46-yard pass to Troy Petz, who also kicked the first of four extra points.
“Kaedan was the first to cheer Heppner,” VanDalen.
Petz quickly earned more cheers when he caught a 26-yard scoring pass from Hermanutz, quickly followed by Heppner’s 15-yard scoring pass to Campbell Nolte and Hermanutz’s 6-yard scoring scramble for a 28-0 halftime lead.
Hermanutz, who gained 50 yards on seven rushes, scored from the 5 in the third quarter but Petz missed the extra point.
Petz took out his frustration on the ball, sending the kickoff 70 yards over the post.
“That was the most amazing kick” VanDalen said.
Heppner capped Lynden’s scoring with a 6-yard pass to Cameron Peterson and Trey Smiley converted the kick.
The Storm wouldn’t quit in the fourth quarter. Junior quarterback Josh Leonard threw a short pass to sophomore speedster Marcus Nixon, who converted the play into a 73-yard score with 8:49 remaining. It was Leonard’s sixth scoring pass this season.
Leonard also scored the Storm’s final touchdown on a short keeper to end the game, setting up his score with 3-for-3 passing on the final drive.
VanDalen praised senior nose guard Luke Winterberg for “a monster game, his second great game in a row.”
Lane Heeringa chipped in with 52 yards on 11 rushes.
SATURDAY’S GAMES
GLACIER PEAK 42, FERNDALE 14: The Golden Eagles (1-2, 1-0 3A Wesco), didn’t go down easily against 4A Glacier Peak, which scored five touchdowns on passes from River Leen to Trey Leckner in the non-league game at Lumen Field..
Sophomore Zack Nielsen caught a 51-yard scoring pass from Bishop Ootsie, keeping the Golden Eagles in the game at 14-7 early in the second quarter.
Leckner caught scoring passes of 52 and 13 yards before Isaiah Carlson capped a 64-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown, set up by Ootsie’s 18-yard scramble late in the second quarter.
Aydin O’Tool and Damien Toney made interceptions in the second half for Ferndale. Jake Mason turned in an outstanding effort at defensive end.
LYNDEN CHRISTIAN 49, BELLEVUE CHRISTIAN 12: The explosive Lyncs improved to 3-0 with an impressive non-league win on the road, giving them 143 points already.
Tyler Sipma got the Lyncs going with a touchdown catch from Jeremiah Wright from deep over the middle on the second play from scrimmage, coach Greg Terpstra noted. Wright later scored a short rushing touchdown.
Kade Eldridge contributed short touchdown runs for the second and seventh touchdowns. Griffin Dykstra contributed three touchdown plays including a pass to Sipma, a rush and a pass to Tyler Bajema for a 42-6 halftime advantage.
FRIDAY’S GAMES
NOOKSACK VALLEY 25, KING’S 23: In a matchup of two of the state’s top five rated 1A teams, the Pioneers (3-0) scored the game’s final points midway through the fourth quarter on an 18-yard field goal by Jorgen Vigre.
Nooksack’s three touchdowns came on a 1-yard run by sophomore running back Colton Lentz, a 3-yard dash by junior quarterback Joey Brown and a 31-yard pass from Brown to junior Jackson Bennett.
Nooksack was up 22-16 at the half, in part thanks to a two-point conversion run by Lentz before King’s took a 23-22 advantage.
“Again, it was a great example of overall team play,” said coach Craig Bartl. ”There’s no one standout.”
SEDRO-WOOLLEY 2, SEHOME 0: The Cubs (3-0) gained a forfeit in what was supposed to be a 2A NWC opener at Civic Stadium.
Sehome officials did not immediately issue any statements regarding an internal incident that undisclosed sources said led to the forfeit.
MERIDIAN 50, KING’S WAY CHRISTIAN 13: The Trojans (2-1) gained a non-league road win as Josh Elmer returned a kickoff 75 yards and ran about the same distance for his second touchdown.
Sophomore running back Landen Downey scored on two short runs and sophomore quarterback Jaeger Fyfe scored from beyond 60 yards, coach Patrick Ames said.
Marcus Castaneda scored on a 2-yard run and sophomore Ross Driscoll scored his first varsity touchdown on a 3-yard burst.
Eli Jensen kicked six extra points and received Ames’ praise for outstanding play at cornerback.
“The whole team played well and we shut them out in the second half,” said Ames, whose team led 29-13 at halftime. “We must have had 300 to 400 yards total rushing.”
“Amrit Nagra scored a safety when he tackled a King’s player who made an interception but came back into the end zone,” Ames said. “Then Josh Elmer returned the kickoff for a touchdown and Jensen kicked the extra point, so we got nine points out of an interception.”
TOPPENISH 48, MOUNT BAKER 31: Toppenish (2-1) scored four consecutive touchdowns after the Mountaineers (1-2) took a 25-20 lead on a 9-yard touchdown run by Marcques George. Tanyen Staton scored on a 36-yard pass from Landon Smith for the game’s final points.
George finished with 118 yards rushing on 17 carries and Smith completed 8 of 15 passes for 157 yards and one interception. Smith also scored Baker’s first touchdown on a 2-yard run. George also contributed an 8-yard touchdown sprint and threw a 61-yard scoring strike to Landen Hanstead, who caught three passes for 75 yards. Staton caught two passes for 62 yards.
“We shot ourselves in the foot too often,” Baker coach Ron Lepper said.
VASHON 17, BLAINE 6: “Junior safety Riley Ihde and junior nose guard Victor Gervol had great games on defense,” Borderites coach Jay Dodd said.
The Borderites (0-3) played their best defensive game but host Vashon limited Blaine to a 10-yard touchdown pass from Kael Evinger to Hunter Vezzetti in the second quarter.
Sophomore Colby Shipp “did a great job” in his first start at running back, Dodd said.
NEAH BAY 68, LUMMI 6: Neah Bay (3-0) made it 200 points for the season.
The Blackhawks scored on a 55-yard pass from Tony Abrams to Mathias Johnson.
Lummi will have a bye this week before a game against Darrington.
THURSDAY’S GAME
GRANITE FALLS 34, BELLINGHAM 0: The Bayhawks (2-1) trailed 7-0 at the half but could not take full advantage of four catches for 107 yards by Isaac Bates on passes from Max Rasset.
“Our sophomore linebacker Tyler Frost just had a great game with 14 tackles including four tackles for loss,” said coach Adam Leonard. “And sophomore Gabriel Van Hofwegen had 6 ½ tackles, with 11/2 for loss plus a sack and a pass broken up. They were both outstanding.”
WEEK 4
THURSDAY, Sept. 22
Sehome vs. Burlington-Edison at Civic Stadium, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY, Sept. 23
Sedro-Woolley at Lynden, 7 p.m.
Nooksack Valley vs. Hoquiam at Olympic Stadium, 6 p.m.
Friday Harbor at Meridian, 7 p.m.
Cedar Park Christian at Mount Baker, 7 p.m.
King’s at Blaine, 7 p.m.
Squalicum at Archbishop Murphy, 7 p.m.
Bellingham at South Whidbey, 7 p.m.
SATURDAY, Sept. 24
Lynden Christian at Royal, 2 p.m.
Arlington vs. Ferndale at Blaine High School, 6 p.m.
Lummi — Bye
This story was originally published September 19, 2022 at 5:30 AM.
