With two weeks left in the regular season, most of the Whatcom County girls basketball teams were just trying to catch up after all the weather-related postponements.
While there were several games that affected the standings, the big showdowns for first place between highly ranked teams are still to come.
GAME OF THE WEEK: Nooksack Valley bounced back from a loss the day before that ended the Pioneers’ eight-game winning streak by starting a new winning streak with a 56-48 victory over Sehome on Saturday afternoon. But it wasn’t easy as the Mariners’ rallied in the second half to make it close.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Jenny Compton had 24 points, including going 7-for-9 from the free throw line, in Nooksack Valley’s big win over Sehome. … Keylie Hershey had 22 points, including four 3-pointers, in Lynden’s victory over Nooksack Valley, and teammate Ruby VanderHaak tossed in 18 points, including four more 3-pointers, in the Lions’ win over Squalicum. … Jamie Johnson collected 15 points as Ferndale defeated Mount Baker.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: Ferndale had a big week, beating Mount Baker on Monday, 74-31, as Kaelee Bungard tossed in 11 points; topping Meridian on Thursday, 45-31; and overcoming Anacortes on Saturday, 64-55.
Lynden Christian won all three of its games, knocking off Sehome on Tuesday, 66-32; Anacortes on Thursday, 56-24; and Bellingham on Saturday, 69-24.
Lynden beat Squalicum, 61-23, on Tuesday, as Hershey scored 12 points and Liv Tjoelker added 10. The Lions then jumped to a 30-point first-quarter lead in overpowering Nooksack Valley on Friday, 73-30, with Tjoelker tossing in 13 points and VanderHaak adding 11 with another three 3-pointers.
Nooksack Valley beat Meridian on Tuesday, 54-32, behind 14 points from Compton and 11 from Kora Larsen; lost to Lynden on Friday, 73-30, despite Compton’s 12 points; and then beat Sehome on Saturday, 56-48, as Maya Galley and Hallie Kamphouse collected 8 points each.
Mount Baker lost to Ferndale on Monday, 74-31, despite Abby Yost’s 9 points, and fell to Burlington-Edison on Wednesday, 71-41. But the Mounties came back to beat Blaine on Friday, 52-20.
Sehome fell to Lynden Christian on Tuesday, 66-32; defeated city rival Squalicum on Friday, 42-37; and then lost to Nooksack Valley on Saturday, 56-48. Against the Pioneers, Aspen Garrison and Ava Lunny had 12 points each, and Kaylee Wilson tossed in 11, including three 3-pointers.
Bellingham lost to Burlington-Edison on Monday, 73-43; clobbered Lakewood on Friday, 59-23; and fell to Lynden Christian on Saturday, 69-24.
Blaine defeated Sedro-Woolley on Monday, 47-38, and lost to Mount Baker on Friday, 52-20.
Squalicum lost to Lynden on Tuesday, 61-23, despite Leah Austin’s 9 points, and then lost to city rival Sehome on Friday, 42-37.
Meridian had a difficult week, losing to Nooksack Valley on Tuesday, 54-32, despite Skyleigh James’s 8 points; falling to Ferndale on Thursday, 45-31; and dropping a non-league contest against La Conner on Saturday, 55-48.
Lummi Nation earned an easy 1-0 victory when Orcas Christian forfeited their game on Wednesday, and the Lady Blackhawks took on their alumni on Saturday.
Week 8 Standings
NORTHWEST CONFERENCE
| League | Overall | |||
| W | L | W | L | |
| Lynden Christian | 8 | 0 | 14 | 1 |
| Lynden | 7 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Burlington-Edison | 7 | 1 | 13 | 2 |
| Ferndale | 7 | 2 | 12 | 4 |
| Nooksack Valley | 6 | 2 | 12 | 3 |
| Sehome | 5 | 3 | 10 | 5 |
| Meridian | 3 | 4 | 6 | 8 |
| Mount Baker | 3 | 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Anacortes | 3 | 6 | 5 | 11 |
| Bellingham | 2 | 6 | 8 | 7 |
| Blaine | 2 | 6 | 5 | 10 |
| Squalicum | 2 | 6 | 3 | 10 |
| Sedro-Woolley | 1 | 7 | 5 | 10 |
| Lakewood | 0 | 8 | 2 | 13 |
NORTHWEST 1B CONFERENCE
| League | Overall | |||
| W | L | W | L | |
| Lummi Nation | 7 | 1 | 8 | 5 |
| Grace Academy | 7 | 2 | 12 | 3 |
| Tulalip Heritage | 6 | 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Lopez | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Cedar Park Christian (MLT) | 3 | 6 | 4 | 9 |
| Shoreline Christian | 1 | 8 | 4 | 8 |
| Orcas Christian | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
WEEK 9
TOP GAMES: The Lynden Lions, the top-ranked 2A team in the state, will host crosstown rival Lynden Christian, the No.2-ranked 1A team in the state, in the Coaches vs. Cancer game on Thursday at 7:15 p.m. The Lions will then host Burlington-Edison, the No.8-ranked 2A team, on Saturday at 5:40 p.m.
SCHEDULE
Monday, Jan. 27: Mount Baker at Sedro-Woolley, Lynden at Lakewood, Lynden Christian at Nooksack Valley
Tuesday, Jan. 28: Blaine at Anacortes, Ferndale at Bellingham, Burlington-Edison at Sehome, Squalicum at Meridian, Shoreline Christian at Lummi Nation
Wednesday, Jan. 29: Meridian at Sedro-Woolley, Squalicum at Lummi Nation
Thursday, Jan. 30: Lynden Christian at Lynden, Bellingham at Blaine, Nooksack Valley at Squalicum, Lopez at Lummi Nation, Sehome at Lakewood
Friday, Jan. 31: Meridian at Mount Baker, Sedro-Woolley at Ferndale
Saturday, Feb. 1: Lynden Christian at Squalicum, Mount Baker at Bellingham, Lakewood at Nooksack Valley, Blaine at Sehome, Burlington-Edison at Lynden
