Fifty years and a day after a Lynden Christian boys basketball team won the school’s first state championship, the Lyncs won the Class 1A state title again with a dominating 61-42 victory over previously undefeated Zillah on Satuday, March 7, at the Yakima Valley SunDome.
The school’s ninth state crown was not won in dramatic fashion like the double-overtime title game in 1976. Instead, the 2026 champions led the No.1-ranked Leopards almost from start to finish, building on a 13-point halftime lead to go up by as much as 21 in the fourth quarter.
“It feels great,” said senior Boyce Robertson before cutting off a piece of the net. “This is a super special group of guys because of our chemistry. I love this team so much.”
For coverage of all of our Whatcom teams’ state games, click on State Games.
Junior Dawson Hintz, who was named the tournament MVP, also praised the character of his teammates.
“No one on this team is selfish,” said the all-state guard, who had a game-high 18 points. “Everyone works so hard for each other.” When asked if he was surprised this year’s team won the title, he looked surprised at the question. “Every year our goal is to win a state championship,” he said.
Lynden Christian coach Tim Zylstra said it was the culmination of all the hard work the team had put in.
“I’m so proud of our boys,” said Zylstra, who has guided the Lyncs to four state finals and three state titles in his five years as head coach.
“They worked their tails off all year and came together as a team. It shows what you can accomplish when you share the same heartbeat. Tonight, we wanted to play our best game of the year. The whole team contributed.”
Although it’s hard to tell if it was the best game in their outstanding 26-1 season, the second-seeded Lyncs easily proved they were the class of Class 1A by matching Zillah’s quickness and taking advantage of their physicality.
It showed in two stats: 42 and 26.
Forty-two was the number of points LC allowed Saturday night, which was the lowest point total of Zillah’s season and only the second time they’d scored less than 64 points. Oh, and the Leopards had scored 80 or more points 16 times.
And 26 was the difference in rebounds as the Lyncs grabbed 50 boards to Zillah’s 24, which was how many offensive rebounds LC had.
“Defense and rebounding were our main focus for the whole tournament,” said Zylstra. “We were relentless on the glass.”
While Hintz and his backcourt partner, junior Gunnar Dykstra, were lighting up the SunDome again with their shooting — the two would be named to the all-tournament first team — the unsung hero for LC was Robertson.
The 6-foot-2 guard not only had 13 points and 10 rebounds, but his physical defense on Zillah star Dekker Van De Graaf limited the 6-5 all-stater to 4 points, all in the first half.
“Boyce was an absolute force tonight,” said Zylstra. “It was one of the best defensive performances I’ve ever seen.”
Marveled Hintz: “Tonight it was all Boyce.”
Also doing the dirty work in the trenches was junior Kaden Veldman, who was named to the all-tournament second team. He had 10 points and 11 rebounds and also hit a pair of 3-pointers, the same as Dykstra, who finished with 15 points. Hintz added 7 rebounds and a team-high 3 assists, and Dykstra had 6 rebounds.
Senior Eli Maberry contributed 5 points, senior post Hayden Herwerden filled in admirably when Veldman sat out much of the first half with foul trouble, and junior Wyatt Kamphouse again came off the bench to spark the aggressive LC defense that forced 18 turnovers.
While the Lyncs can look forward to the future with three starters and several key reserves returning, Lynden Christian will have to say good-bye to three seniors — Robertson, Maberry, and Herwerden. During their four years, the program won a state title their freshman season, took third as sophomores, and second last year.
Although the WIAA doesn’t release any official all-tournament recognition, the media has “unofficial” all-tournament teams. Joining MVP Hintz and Dykstra on the first team were Van De Graaf, Grant Wardenaar of Royal, and Conner Jensen of Bear Creek.
Joining Veldman on the second team were Lucas Faletto of Chelan, Budda Aranda of Zillah, Dax Jenks of Royal, Dozie Asinobi of King’s, and Grant Collier of Seattle Christian.
Lynden Christian 61, Zillah 42
Lynden Christian 18 14 11 18—61
Zillah 9 10 9 14—42
Lynden Christian: Hintz 18, Dykstra 15, Howell, Maberry 5, Kamphouse, VanKooten, Kooiman, Ridnour, Robertson 13, Veldman 10, Herwerden, Vos.
Zillah: Saenz 10, Aranda 17, Reed, Curman II, Calzada 2, Groeneweg, Castilleja 3, Van De Graaf 4, McCullough, Maras, Matlack, Jones 6.
CLASS 1A BOYS STATE TOURNAMENT
At Yakima Valley SunDome
Wednesday, March 4
Royal 61, Overlake 33 (loser out)
Chelan 60, Cascade Christian 44 (loser out)
Bear Creek 44, Wapato 42 (loser out)
Seattle Christian 78, Nooksack Valley 44 (loser out)
Thursday, March 5
Royal 63, Annie Wright 37
Zillah 68, Chelan 53
King’s 50, Bear Creek 29
Lynden Christian 84, Seattle Christian 56
Friday, March 6
Annie Wright 49, Chelan 42
Bear Creek 60, Seattle Christian 43
Zillah 74, Royal 64
Lynden Christian 63, King’s 54
Saturday, March 7
Annie Wright 50, Bear Creek 43 (winner fourth, loser sixth)
Royal 64, King’s 49 (winner third, loser fifth)
Lynden Christian 61, Zillah 42 (winner first, loser second)
