Once again, Whatcom County reigns supreme in high school basketball after the Nooksack Valley girls and the Lynden Christian and Lynden boys won state championships Saturday, March 4, at the Yakima SunDome.
The Pioneers held off nemesis and friendly rival Lynden Christian, 43-36, to win the school’s first Class 1A state championship Saturday afternoon.
Tournament MVP and all-state guard Devin Coppinger had 20 points to lead Nooksack Valley, which completed a 26-1 season and erased at least some of the pain of losing to the Lyncs in last year’s state final. Sophomore Grace Hintz led the Lyncs with 10 and joined Coppinger on the all-tournament first team.
For full game stories and lots of photos from the three finals and Blaine’s consolation final, click on WhatcomHoops.com later tonight and Sunday morning.
Lynden Christian didn’t have to wait long — about another hour and a half — to celebrate a state championship as the LC boys defeated King’s for the second year in a row, 57-47, to claim the 1A title and win back-to-back state crowns for the first time in school history.
Junior Jeremiah Wright, who was the 1A boys tournament MVP, and senior Tyler Sipma, who was playing in his third state final, led Lynden Christian with 15 points each.
The Blaine boys also took their place in school history by earning their first trophy since 2004. The Borderites clinched third place in the Class 1A ranks by knocking off Toppenish, 70-60, in the consolation finals Saturday morning.
Senior Matt Russ led Blaine, which finished the year at 19-8, with 19 points and earned all-tournament second-team honors as did Lynden Christian’s Sipma.
And the Lynden boys capped off the Yakima tournaments late Saturday night when the Lions won their second straight Class 2A state title by overpowering Mark Morris, 61-43, in the championship game.
Junior Anthony Canales led Lynden with 23 points and was named the tournament MVP for the second year in a row. Senior Kobe Baar added 16 points and was named to the all-tournament second team.