Rematch with Royal has Lynden Christian quarterback Jeremiah Wright hoping for repeat
After opening 8-0 last season with one of the best quarterback starts in Lynden Christian’s history, Jeremiah Wright seeks to recover from three consecutive football “stings.”
And what a recovery it would be for Wright and all the Lyncs if they can become the first team in more than a decade to beat three-time defending state champion Royal twice in a row. LC (2-1) plays host to Royal (3-0) at 2 p.m. Saturday, with an overflow crowd assured.
LC’s 21-14 upset last season at Royal — Wright scored all three touchdowns in the Knights’ first home loss in Royal City in 11 years — had fans buzzing all over the state. Royal recovered to sweep its final nine games, including a 35-20 win over Mount Baker in the Class 1A state title game.
While Royal never lost again, the Lyncs suffered a wild 48-34 loss to Mount Baker in the final Northwest Conference game, resulting in a three-way 1A title tie and a mini-playoff using a Kansas Tiebreaker. LC lost the coin flip, meaning the Lyncs had to sit out the first round, and they then suffered the cruel fate of a 3-0 tiebreaker elimination by Nooksack Valley.
The Lyncs nonetheless sought to play one of the state’s toughest 2023 non-league schedules, resulting in a 14-8 loss at state 1A title contender Lakeside in Week One in which Wright suffered four interceptions for the third stinging experience. He noted that was as many as he endured in all of 2022, although one interception came on a Hail Mary pass and another resulted from a tipped pass.
Even so, LC bounced back with a 31-7 win over Archbishop Murphy and a 64-6 victory over Bellevue Christian, giving the Lyncs reason to believe they can compete with — and perhaps beat — Royal.
“Our guys definitely have a burning fire this year,” said Wright, who combined for 13-for-25 passing for 151 yards in the two wins. “It’s a 50-50 game. Royal brings back a lot of guys. It’ll be a really big game.”
And no one is burning to win any more than Wright, whose work ethic has become legendary at LC.
“Jeremiah’s leadership has really stepped up several notches,” LC coach Greg Terpstra said of his 6-foot-6, 220-pound quarterback, who produced 26 touchdowns passing and running last season and has helped the Lyncs win the past two state 1A basketball titles with vital contributions.
“He’s been a leader by example with how hard he works, with a work ethic second to none. But Jeremiah has become a vocal leader as well,” Terpstra said. “He remembers stuff and he doesn’t get rattled. He’ll sometimes remind me about things I’ve forgotten.
The second-year head coach point out an aspect of Wright’s game that many people might take for granted.
“We all know Jeremiah is a great athlete. But what people overlook is how fast he is. He has an explosive first step with his ability to step sideways and turn the corner. He’s a very special athlete for his size.”
A recheck of the play-by-play against Mount Baker shows Wright completed 20 of 41 passes for 390 yards and two scores passing and two running. He finished last season with more than 1,400 yards passing and more than 400 running, averaging more than 200 yards total offense per game.
Wright says he has no idea whether he will wind up in college football or basketball. He’s being looked at as a shooting forward in basketball and a potential tight end or defensive end — he was a starting linebacker as a sophomore and helped LC reach the state semifinals.
“I definitely want to play all four years in college,” he said. “I’ll play whichever sport offers the best opportunity. I want to play whichever pays my way through college.”
That would be a most welcome development for Wright’s parents, Josh and Michelle Wright. Michelle is an LC graduate and competed in volleyball and track.
Wright is working with an all-new starting offensive line, and loves to talk about the potential of Carter Seigman, Malachi Vander Mey, Cody Craig, Jace Ryan and freshman Tyler Sterk.
Wright has several returning receivers, including Kayden Stuit (who caught Wright’s 39-yard touchdown pass against Lakewood and a 40-yard scoring throw against Archbishop), plus Tyson Bajema, Dawson Bouma and Treven Blair and standout running back Hollis Owen.
“We have one of our toughest schedules,” he said, noting that Royal will be the first of two consecutive state champions to play at LC. Class B2 titlist Napavine will visit Sept. 30.
Wright figures the Lyncs will have to make the most of every game and every practice in the first five weeks. The Lyncs will open NWC play Oct. 6 at state contender Nooksack Valley. Just like last year, the Lyncs won’t face Mount Baker until Week Nine.
“I like our schedule,” Wright said. “We will try to realize what we’re made of.”
WEEK FOUR
Thursday
South Whidbey vs. Bellingham at Civic Stadium, 7 p.m.
Friday
Ferndale at Arlington, 7 p.m.
Lynden at Sedro-Woolley, 7 p.m.
Sehome at Burlington-Edison , 7 p.m.
Archbishop Murphy vs. Squalicum at Civic Stadium, 7 p.m.
Hoquiam at Nooksack Valley, 6 p.m.
Meridian at Friday Harbor, 6:30 p.m.
Mount Baker at King’s, 7 p.m.
Saturday
Royal at Lynden Christian, 2 p.m.
Blaine vs. Cedar Park Christian at Juanita HS, 7 p.m.
Lummi at Crescent, 1 p.m.
This story was originally published September 21, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
