It was only appropriate that the Whatcom County team with the most state success — a century’s worth, really — would be the first one to clinch a state berth in 2026.
The Lynden boys basketball team can now add another chapter to its state tournament legacy after beating Lakewood, 61-46, in the Class 2A District 1 semifinals on Friday, Feb. 13, and earning a state berth for the 13th straight time.
“It does not get old,” said Lynden coach Brian Roper even before a reporter can ask the annual question. “I am super happy for these kids.”
Sehome missed its opportunity earlier in the evening when the Mariners fell behind early and never caught up to the swift Seahawks of Anacortes, losing the other semifinal, 66-57.
That gives Lynden and Anacortes the district’s two guaranteed state berths and the two rivals will square off for the district championship on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Mount Vernon High School.
Sehome and Squalicum, a 54-50 overtime winner over Archbishop Murphy on Friday, still have a chance to qualify for state, but one of them will have to win three more loser-out playoff games to reach the state regionals.
First up is a consolation round on Monday at Mount Vernon. Squalicum will square off with Lakewood at 5:30 p.m., and Sehome will face Burlington-Edison, a 69-64 winner over Bellingham on Friday, at 7:30 p.m. The Bayhawks’ loss ended their season.
Monday’s winners will then play in the consolation final on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. with the survivor taking third place in the district tournament and advancing to a crossover game with the third-place finisher from District 5 on Feb. 21. The winner of the crossover contest will finally earn a spot in the state regionals.
Lynden Defense Dominates Lakewood In 61-46 Semifinal Win
The top-seeded Lions remember last year’s district tournament, when Lakewood couldn’t miss and took an 18-0 lead on the way to upsetting undefeated Lynden. Well, not this year as Lynden held the Cougars to two — yes, two — points in the first period on the way to walloping Lakewood, 61-46.
“Those kids’ effort (on defense) was the difference,” said Roper, whose team improved to 17-6. “They made everything difficult (for Lakewood). We were just too big and strong, and we were dialed in defensively.”
Granted, the Lions weren’t scorching the nets early on either, only leading 7-2 after the first period. But it was a sign of things to come as fourth-seeded Lakewood never solved Lynden’s physical man-to-man defense and the Lions’ shooters eventually warmed up.
Lynden led by 14 in the second quarter, scored the first six points of the third quarter to go up by 17, and when sophomore Jayden Navarre put in a layup just before the buzzer to end the third period, the lead was 21.
Lakewood, which fell to 14-7-1, would score 24 points in the fourth period — two more than they scored in the previous three quarters — but it was much too little, much too late. Even with the big final period, the Cougars were still left with their second-lowest point total of the season.
Give every Lion who played credit, but the two who set the tone were seniors Ty Jorgenson and Brody Price. The slender 6-foot-7 Jorgenson and the 6-foot defensive back Price were responsible for slowing Lakewood all-star guard Caleb Greenland, who is averaging more than 23 points a game.
On Friday night, Greenland was hounded by Jorgenson or Price and forced to take 23 of his team’s 51 shots. Yes, he reached his average, but only because he scored 12 of his 24 points in the fourth period, when the Lions had command and never let the Cougars get the lead under 13.
“He’s really crafty,” said Jorgenson of Greenland, who also happens to be a friend. “I’d be right on him, close enough to brush his teeth, and he’s still draining 3s.”
While the Lions had a hard time stopping the Lakewood standout, the Cougars couldn’t stop two of Lynden’s standouts. Jorgenson and fellow 6-6 senior Spencer Adams dominated the shorter Cougars inside the paint and helped the Lions to a 40-19 rebounding advantage.
Jorgenson, whose sterling play after returning from a broken leg has coincided with Lynden winning 11 of its past 12 games, had 18 points and 5 rebounds. And Adams again showed why he is one of the most versatile big men in the state with 21 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists. He also hit three of four 3-pointers.
Navarre added 7 points and 7 rebounds for the Lions, junior Malachi Koenen hit a pair of 3-pointers for 6 points, and junior Gordy Bedlington dished out 7 assists and grabbed 3 steals.
While memories of last year’s upset were still fresh, Jorgenson said the team was not interested as much in avenging that loss as the Lions were in avenging a 72-65 defeat to Lakewood in December — a game the Lions played without an injured Jorgenson.
“We’re focused on this season, and we’re very thankful that we can go to state again,” he said. “It’s been one of those rough years, but we’re mentally tough. We rely on each other and are very connected.”
Roper praised his senior post not only for his play on the court but his inspiration in battling back from a gruesome injury.
“I’m so proud of him,” said Roper. “The road he’s been on … it’s been tough. This (winning Friday and going to state) means more with what he’s gone through … what we’ve gone through together.”
And now the Lions can focus on their district championship game against Anacortes, a team the Lions beat 10 days earlier, 61-51.
“This has been unlike any season I’ve coached,” said Roper. “We’ve had three major injuries, all to our 6-foot-6 guys. We’ve never had all three of them healthy. But the kids have responded well. And we’re playing our best basketball right now.”
Lynden 61 Lakewood 46
Lakewood 2 14 6 24—46
Lynden 7 20 16 18—61
Lakewood: Willson 2, Egger 5, Langum 5, Kirkpatrick 6, Hoekendorf, Nyamache 2, Lang, Greenland 24, Haines 2.
Lynden: Navarre 7, Bedlington, Price 3, Ellis 2, Mar. Koenen 4, Mal. Koenen 6, Broersma, Smith, Whitney, Jorgenson 18, Adams 21, Weg.
Sehome Can’t Overcome First-Half Woes in 66-57 Semifinal Loss
The Mariners struggled against the long and quick Seahawks, falling behind by 10 at halftime and never coming close to retaking the lead in their 66-57 loss to Anacortes.
“They’re a bad matchup for us,” said Sehome coach Brad Jackson, whose third-seeded Mariners fell to 15-7. “Their length bothered us in the first half. It’s tough digging out of a hole against a good team.”
Both teams came in hot with Sehome winning seven of its past eight and second-seeded Anacortes, which improved to 19-4, having won six of its past seven. But on Friday, the Mariners came out sluggish, only scoring 21 first-half points, and could only get within seven in the final minute before the Seahawks closed it out at the free throw line.
Seniors Xavier Kelley and Carter Duckworth led Sehome with 14 points each, senior Nolan Wright had 13 points, and junior Quincy Tanovan had 12 points on four 3-pointers. Kelley also had 14 rebounds, and Wright contributed 5 assists and 4 rebounds.
But despite outscoring the Seahawks in the second half, the Mariners couldn’t overcome having two starters go without a field goal and a third only have one made shot in the first three quarters. They also gave up more than a dozen offensive rebounds, most of which turned into Anacortes points, and watched the Seahawks make 13 of 17 free throws.
“I was frustrated with how many offensive rebounds we gave up,” said Jackson. “We fought back but just couldn’t convert enough.”
Still, the Mariners aren’t finished. And although Anacortes might be a bad matchup, the Mariners won’t be playing them any time soon. First up is Burlington-Edison in a loser-out consolation game on Monday at 7:30 p.m. Sehome defeated the Tigers last Friday, 69-64.
“I told them we can feel sorry for ourselves or we can come to play on Monday,” said Jackson.
Anacortes 66, Sehome 57
Sehome 12 9 19 17—57
Anacortes 15 16 19 16—66
Anacortes: S. Roberts 10, G. Willoughby 2, L. Roberts 14, Moore 8, Harrington 4, Morgenthaler 13, Dickison 15.
Sehome: Wright 13, Jackson 2, Tanovan 12, Fagaautau, Kelley 14, Miller, Duckworth 14, Turrell 2.
Squalicum Rallies To Beat Archbishop Murphy In OT, 54-50
Don’t count out the Storm just yet. After losing seven of its last eight games and including their district opener on Wednesday and then falling behind by 11 points in the first quarter of their loser-out game Friday, it looked like seventh-seeded Squalicum would be packing up its uniforms and preparing for spring sports.
But think again. The Storm rallied from a 13-point halftime by holding sixth seed Archbishop Murphy to 15 points in the second half and then finishing off the Wildcats in overtime, 54-50.
Squalicum, which improved to 10-11, was still down by seven with three minutes to go when the comeback started.
Freshman Cody Le’s two free throws finished a 7-0 run to tie the game at 40, and, after an Archbishop Murphy bucket with 13 seconds remaining, junior Blake Elston drove down the lane for a layup with 6 seconds left to send it into overtime.
Then in the extra period, juniors Hunter Calloway and Orion Granberg-Kiddle took over with each scoring five points as the Storm outscored the Wildcats, 12-7, in the extra period.
With the score tied at 49, Calloway scored inside with 28 seconds left, senior Ansen Asbjornsen scored on a fastbreak layup with 28 seconds left, and, after two Wildcats’ free throws, Granberg-Kiddle hit one of two free throws with 4.4 seconds left to close out the win.
Elston and Granberg-Kiddle led the Storm with 16 points each with 14 of Elston’s coming in the second-half comeback. Elston also had 10 rebounds and 3 assists, and Granberg-Kiddle had 12 rebounds and 3 steals. Calloway finished 14 points, including both of Squalicum’s 3-pointers, 6 rebounds, 6 steals and 3 assists.
Next up for the Storm is Monday’s consolation contest with Lakewood. Squalicum lost to the Cougars, 74-34, on Dec. 20. Archbishop Murphy ended its season with a 11-11 record.
Squalicum 54, Archbishop Murphy 50
Squalicum 4 10 11 17 12—54
Archbishop Murphy 15 12 8 7 7—50
Squalicum: Knowlton, Calloway 14, Thompson, Tetrick, Elston 16, Col. Le, Cod. Le 2, Granberg-Kiddle 16, Shimkus, Asbjornsen 6.
Archbishop Murphy: Hagen 9, Sievers 4, Sears 6, Wilson 8, Manning 2, Bondarchuk 21.
Bellingham Ends Season With 69-64 Loss To Burlington
The visiting Bayhawks missed their opportunities and saw their season come to an end with a 69-64 defeat to Burlington-Edison in consolation play.
After watching their five-point halftime lead disappear in the third quarter, the eighth-seeded Bayhawks were tied going into the fourth quarter. But the Tigers finished the game on a 10-2 run to finish Belllingham’s year at 9-14.
Free throws again proved costly as Bellingham missed all four of theirs in the final period — and missed 10 for the game — while the Tigers were making five of seven in the last quarter.
Sophomore Emmett Vanhouten led Bellingham with 17 points and three of the Bayhawks’ six 3-pointers.
Senior Joe Harward finished his prep career with 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals; senior Barrett Johnson and junior Calvin Van Hofwegen had 11 points each with Johnson pulling down 9 rebounds and Van Hofwegen hitting two 3s in the fourth quarter to go along with 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals; and junior Silas McGerr added 8 points.
Six Bellingham seniors played their final game Friday — Harward, Johnson, Myllo Wright, Cyrus Campos, Luis Cuenca Medina, and Aiden Pullar.
Burlington-Edison 69, Bellingham 64
Bellingham 21 16 14 13—64
Burlington-Edison 16 16 19 18—69
Bellingham: Wright, Vanhouten 17, Campos, Harward 14, Hals, Johnson 11, McGerr 9, Van Hofwegen 11.
Burlington-Edison: Whitlock 17, Heigert 25, Arendse 11, Booth 6, Belisle 2, Fleshman 8.
CLASS 2A BOYS DISTRICT 1 TOURNAMENT
Monday, Feb. 9
Play-in game
Bellingham 66, Marysville-Pilchuck 59 (loser out)
Wednesday, Feb. 11
Quarterfinals
Lynden 87, Bellingham 61
Anacortes 62, Squalicum 59
Sehome 60, Archbishop Murphy 45
Lakewood 68, Burlington-Edison 56
Friday, Feb. 13
Consolation games
Squalicum 54, Archbishop Murphy 50 OT (loser out)
Burlington-Edison 69, Bellingham 64 (loser out)
Semifinals
At Mount Vernon
Anacortes 66, Sehome 57
Lynden 61, Lakewood 46
Monday, Feb. 16
Consolation games
At Mount Vernon
Squalicum vs. Lakewood, 5:30 p.m. (loser out)
Sehome vs. Burlington-Edison, 7:30 p.m. (loser out)
Wednesday, Feb. 18
At Mount Vernon
Consolation final
7:30 p.m. (winner to District 1/5 crossover, loser out)
Thursday, Feb. 19
At Mount Vernon
Championship game
Lynden vs. Anacortes, 7:30 p.m. (winner first, loser second, both to state regionals)
