What started as a busy week full of holiday cheer and basketball tournaments for many of our Whatcom County basketball teams has turned into a pandemic-induced, weather-fueled nightmare for local squads.
The good news is the Meridian Holiday Tournament and the Lynden Christmas Classic at Lynden Christian are still planning to go on as scheduled. The local teams involved are the host Meridian girls and LC girls and the Nooksack Valley girls, who filled in as a last-minute replacement in the Lyncs’ tournament.
Unfortunately, the list of victims affected by the severe winter conditions or the recent COVID surge — whether having cases themselves or scheduled to play teams with cases — is a long one.
The 16-team Blaine Holiday Classic hosted by both the Blaine boys and girls and the four-team Lynden Christmas Tournament hosted by the Lynden girls were both canceled.
Besides the hosts, other Whatcom County teams entered in the two canceled tournaments were the Bellingham girls, Lummi Nation boys and girls, Lynden Christian boys, Mount Baker boys, and Sehome girls. The Squalicum girls also had to drop out of the Meridian tournament, and the Ferndale girls dropped out of LC’s tournament.
Four local teams were scheduled to participate in holiday tournaments outside of Whatcom County and all four of them had their tournaments cut short.
The Nooksack Valley girls were scheduled to play in the prestigious Glacier Peak Tournament in Snohomish, which also was canceled. But the Pioneers replaced Tahoma in LC’s tourney on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Lynden and Meridian boys dropped out of the Wilbur-Ellis SunDome Shootout in Yakima, one of the state’s biggest holiday tournaments. The Lions’ Thursday non-league game at Arlington also is in jeopardy of being canceled.
The Snohomish Tournament that the Bellingham boys were scheduled to play in also was canceled. However, the Bayhawks will play Snohomish in a non-league contest on Wednesday, Dec. 29.
Below are the schedules for the tournaments involving local teams that are still on. Note: Masks are required at both venues regardless of vaccination status.
Lynden Christmas Classic (host Lynden Christian girls)
Tuesday, Dec. 28: Tumwater vs. Nooksack Valley, 4 p.m.; Mount Si vs. Lynden Christian, 5:45 p.m.
Wednesday: Dec. 29: Nooksack Valley vs. Mount Si, 4 p.m.; Lynden Christian vs. Tumwater, 5:45 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 30: Tumwater vs. Mount Si, 12:30 p.m.; Lynden Christian vs. TBA, 2:15 p.m.
Admission: Adults $7 one day, $18 tournament pass; children 5-11, students with ASB cards, seniors (62 and older), military personnel with ID $4 and $9. Passes, including LC passes/punch cards, will not be accepted.
Meridian Holiday Tournament (host Meridian girls)
Tuesday, Dec. 28: Lincoln (Seattle) vs. Sedro-Woolley, 5 p.m.; Meridian vs. Bellevue Christian, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 29: Bellevue Christian vs. Sedro-Woolley, 5 p.m.; Meridian vs. Lincoln (Seattle), 7 p.m.
Admission: Adults, students without ASB cards $6, students with ASB cards, seniors $5.
