Mount Baker has reached the state quarterfinals 4 straight years; is this year No. 5?

The Mountaineers have experienced an unprecedented level of success, reaching at least the second round of the Class 1A state playoffs each of the past four years. Last year, they fell 51-21 to Montesano in the quarterfinals to finish 10-2.

Getting back to that level will require Mount Baker to replace key graduates along the offensive line, at quarterback and on defense, coach Ron Lepper said.

“We lost some pretty good dudes,” Lepper said. “We’ve got to try to find the right pieces. I think we’ve got the pieces, but we’ve just got to figure out how to fit them together. ... We’re looking forward to keeping things going. We’ve had some fun the past few years, but we know the league is going to be tough.”

Mount Baker opens the season Sept. 2 with a 7 p.m. game at Roosevelt.

This story was originally published August 22, 2016 at 11:46 AM with the headline "Mount Baker has reached the state quarterfinals 4 straight years; is this year No. 5?."