The Northwest Conference and Northwest 1B League leaders romped to easy victories this past week setting up some big showdowns starting this week.
Lynden and Nooksack Valley both notched a pair of NWC victories and the two unbeaten squads will square off Tuesday in the second game of a boys-girls doubleheader at Nooksack Valley. Get your tickets early or plan on waiting for the Whatcom Hoops story later that night to get the scoop.
And on Thursday, Lummi Nation is hosting Grace Academy in a doubleheader with the Lady Blackhawks and Eagles, both 3-0 in the Northwest 1B League, meeting in the first game.
For a look back at Week 3 for our Whatcom boys teams, check out Whatcom Hoops boys recap.
Here are the girls highlights from Week 3.
GAME OF THE WEEK
In a weird week of blowouts, the only game that didn’t have a double-digit difference was Bellingham’s 34-27 victory at Friday Harbor on Wednesday. The Bayhawks used great team defense and a 13-4 third quarter to claim the non-league contest and their second victory of the season. Sophomore Mary Lockhart led the way with 14 points and junior Malia Hanks added 12 points.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Freshman Jemma James had 24 points for Lummi Nation on Tuesday and then put up 40 points in the Lady Blackhawks’ win Thursday. … Devin Coppinger had 28 points for Nooksack Valley on Saturday and 22 points on Wednesday, and fellow senior Lainey Kimball had 17 on Wednesday. … Sophomore Jillea Fox had 25 points for Ferndale on Tuesday, and senior Mallory Butenschoen had 19 points on Saturday. … Sophomore Payton Mills had 20 points and freshman Finley Parcher had 15 for Lynden on Friday, and senior Haylee Koetje and Parcher had 15 points each for the Lions on Tuesday. … Sophomore Natalie Van Liew had 19 points on Saturday for Mount Baker. … Senior Tabby DeJong had 17 points for Lynden Christian on Monday. … Senior Natalie Brewer had 17 points for Sehome on Tuesday.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK
LYNDEN cruised past Squalicum on Tuesday, 65-38, and Meridian on Friday, 77-13. On Tuesday, the Lions leaped out to a double-digit lead in the second period and held off the Storm. Ten different Lions got in the scoring column with Koetje and Parcher tossing in 15 points each and Kalanie Newcomb coming off the bench to hit four 3-pointers and finish with 14 points. Koetje also had 10 rebounds, and Parcher contributed 9 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals. On Friday, the Lions flexed their defensive muscles by shutting out Meridian in the first half and giving up only five field goals in the game. Ten different Lions scored with Mills tallying 20 points and a pair of 3-pointers, Parcher tossing in 15 points all in the first half, and Newcomb scoring 11 points with three 3s.
NOOKSACK VALLEY overpowered Oak Harbor on Wednesday, 76-23, and dominated Lakewood on Saturday, 74-16. On Wednesday, the Pioneers held the Wildcats to two field goals through the first three quarters in the easy win. Coppinger led the way with 22 points and a pair of 3s, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 4 steals; Kimball had 17 points and 6 rebounds; sophomore Payton Bartl had 10 points and 3 steals; and senior Tana Hoekema added 7 points and 10 rebounds. On Saturday, the Pioneers’ defense clamped down on the Cougars, only allowing seven points over the final three quarters. Coppinger had 28 points and 10 rebounds; Kimball had 12 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists; Bartl had 11 points; and Hoekema had 10 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocks.
LUMMI NATION notched two easy Northwest 1B League victories, beating Cedar Park Christian (Lynnwood) on Tuesday, 61-16, and Lopez Island on Thursday, 73-24. On Tuesday, the Lummi Nation defense only surrendered two points in each of the first two periods, and the Blackhawks led 57-8 after three quarters. Seven Blackhawks scored with James’s 24 points and three 3-pointers leading the way. Senior Zeta Landsem had 10 points, senior Keyonee Morris had 8, and junior Robyn Jones added 7. On Thursday, James had eight 3-pointers among her 40 points, Landsem had 14 points including 12 in the first half when the Blackhawks jumped out to a 39-15 lead, and Morris added 9 points.
FERNDALE beat Meridian on Monday, 44-32; lost to Lake Stevens on Tuesday, 77-42; and defeated Mount Baker on Saturday, 53-34. On Monday, the Golden Eagles were down one to start the fourth quarter but used a 16-0 run to pull away from the Trojans. Sophomore Kayla Washington had half her game-high 12 points in the fourth period, Fox added four of her 11 points in the fourth, and senior Maleah Singson had 9 points for Ferndale. On Tuesday, the visiting Vikings jumped out to a 19-3 lead and never let Ferndale back in the non-league contest. Fox had 25 points but no other Golden Eagle had more than five points. On Saturday, the Golden Eagles outscored Mount Baker, 17-3, in the second quarter to go up by 19 at the half and stay unbeaten in NWC play. Butenschoen had 11 of her team-high 19 in the second period, Fox finished with 9 points, and Washington and Singson added 7 points each. Check out the story on Monday’s game at Ferndale-Meridian girls.
LYNDEN CHRISTIAN mauled Mount Vernon on Monday, 53-26; bested Bellingham on Friday, 60-16; and lost to Tahoma on Saturday, 44-34. On Monday, the Lyncs only gave up 11 first-half points and allowed only two Bulldogs to score more than a bucket in the game. DeJong dominated inside with 17 points, sophomore Ella Fritts had 12 points, and sophomore Estela Hernandez hit three 3s for 9 points. On Friday, LC jumped to a 25-3 lead and with eight different Lyncs scoring secured the victory over the Bayhawks. Fritts led the balanced attack with 15 points, DeJong had 10 points, junior Allison Shumate had 8, and junior Makalie Tveter had 7. On Saturday, the Lyncs came out cold in the first quarter in the non-league battle with Tahoma and couldn’t make up any ground in losing to last year’s 4A state semifinalist. DeJong had 10 points and Shumate managed 6, but no other Lync had more than five points in the defensive struggle.
SEHOME beat Mount Baker on Tuesday, 62-24, but fell to Burlington-Edison on Thursday, 58-37. On Tuesday, the Sehome defense never let the Mounties score more than six points in a quarter. Brewer led the balanced Mariners attack with 17 points and 6 rebounds; senior Madi Cooper had 11 assists, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals; and seniors Emmy Hart and Kylie Watson added 9 points each with Hart nabbing 7 steals and Watson pulling down 10 rebounds. Senior Hazel Gaston also had 8 rebounds and 4 steals. On Thursday, the Mariners ran into a hot Burlington team and suffered their first loss of the season. Cooper did her best to keep Sehome in the game with 17 points, going 5 of 6 from the line, and collecting team-highs of 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 steals. Hart added 10 points with two 3-pointers and hit all four of her free throws, but no other Mariner managed more than three points.
BELLINGHAM lost to Sedro-Woolley on Monday, 51-32; beat Friday Harbor on Wednesday, 34-27; and lost to Lynden Christian on Friday, 60-16. On Monday, the Cubs’ 22-point second quarter was too much for the Bayhawks to overcome. Lockhart had 11 points and 9 rebounds, freshman Merritt Jensen added 9 points and 14 rebounds, and Hanks had 8 points, 6 steals, and 5 rebounds. On Wednesday in the non-league victory over the Wolverines, Lockhart led the way with 14 points and 7 rebounds; Hanks had 12 points on 5 of 10 shooting from the field, 6 steals, and 5 rebounds; and Jensen collected 6 rebounds. On Friday, the Bayhawks couldn’t get much going on offense against the Lyncs and tied a season-low in scoring. Lockhart had 10 points and sophomore Lily Jude had 5 points and a 3-pointer.
BLAINE lost to Lakewood on Wednesday, 45-28, in the Borderites’ lone game of the week. Blaine couldn’t get its offense going until the fourth quarter when they Borderites scored 15 points. Senior Jordyn Vezzetti had 10 of her 14 points in the final period, and freshman Teia Dube added 8 points.
SQUALICUM fell to Lynden on Tuesday, 65-38, in the Storm’s only game of the week. Squalicum struggled to keep up with the high-powered Lions but got 13 points and 5 rebounds from junior Loretta Murphy-Kangas, and 7 points each from senior Mari Binning and freshman Addison Kettman.
MERIDIAN lost to Ferndale on Monday, 44-32, and to Lynden on Friday, 77-13. On Monday, the Trojans held Ferndale in check and led through three quarters until a cold spell in the fourth period proved their downfall. Senior Allie Richter had three 3-pointers to lead Meridian with 9 points and sophomore Kinsley Neal added 7 points. On Friday, the Trojans couldn’t get anything going against the Lynden defense with only three players managing to score. Richter again led the team with 9 points as she hit three 3-pointers. Check out the story on Monday’s game at Ferndale-Meridian girls.
MOUNT BAKER lost to Sehome on Tuesday, 62-24, and to Ferndale on Saturday, 53-34. On Tuesday, the Mounties couldn’t score more than six points in a quarter against the Mariners. Senior Jenna Wineinger was the only Mountie in double figures with 13 points. On Saturday, the Mounties played the Golden Eagles even in the second half but a cold second quarter put Mount Baker in a 19-point hole it couldn’t climb out of. Van Liew had all three of Baker’s 3-pointers and 15 of her team-high 19 points in the second half, but no other Mountie managed more than five points.
NOTE: A big thank you to the coaches and Tyler Anderson of WhatcomPreps.com for providing statistics.
WEEK 4
TOP GAME
It’s hard to top the annual BellingHome doubleheader that has Bellingham at Sehome on Monday this year. But what could be the regular season’s most anticipated game will be on Tuesday, when undefeated Class 2A power Lynden is at Nooksack Valley, the undefeated Class 1A defending state champion, with the Northwest Conference lead on the line.
SCHEDULE
Monday, Dec. 18: Burlington-Edison at Squalicum, Bellingham at Sehome
Tuesday, Dec. 19: Ferndale at Sedro-Woolley, Lynden at Nooksack Valley, Lummi Nation at Shoreline Christian
Wednesday, Dec. 20: Lynden Christian at Blaine, Mount Baker at Granite Falls, Lake Stevens at Sehome
Thursday, Dec. 21: Stanwood at Ferndale, Grace Academy at Lummi Nation
Friday, Dec. 22: Bellingham at Ferndale, Blaine at Nooksack Valley, Sedro-Woolley at Lynden, Meridian at Mount Baker
NORTHWEST CONFERENCE
| League | Overall | |||
| W | L | W | L | |
| Burlington-Edison | 4 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Lynden | 4 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Nooksack Valley | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Ferndale | 3 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| Anacortes | 3 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
| Lynden Christian | 3 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Sehome | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| Oak Harbor | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Blaine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Lakewood | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Sedro-Woolley | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Mount Baker | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Mount Vernon | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Squalicum | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Bellingham | 0 | 4 | 2 | 5 |
| Meridian | 0 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
NORTHWEST 1B LEAGUE
| League | Overall | |||
| W | L | W | L | |
| Grace Academy | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Lummi Nation | 3 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Tulalip Heritage | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Lopez Island | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| Shoreline Christian | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Providence Classical Christian | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Cedar Park Christian (Lynnwood) | 0 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
