Coach: Blake VanDalen, 1st season with Lynden (0-0)
Home Field: Rollie DeKoster Field at Lynden High School
Last Season: 11-2 (7-0 NWC)
Key Losses: QB/KR Jacob Hommes; OL/DL Tanner Steele; WR/DB Rylan Severson; WR/DB Landon DeBruin; WR/DB Connor Shine; RB/LB Brody Weinheimer; OL/DL Ed Andrews; TE/DE Davis Bode.
Top Returnees: LB Gage Bates; OL/DE Jacob Kettels; OL/DE Trey LaBounty; WR/S Aaron Weidenaar; DL Jordan Brockmeyer; RB Eric Martin-Mann.
- Gage Bates – Linebacker
The “tackling machine” is back for more action in 2017. Can be break his own school record of 114 solo tackles?
2. Jacob Kettels – Tackle/Defensive End
Only a junior, Kettels’ size and athleticism make him a rare breed underneath the Friday night lights. Big enough to play on the line, talented enough to catch passes as a tight end.
3. Trey LaBounty – Guard/Defensive End
If I was an opposing quarterback, I’m not sure which I would prefer. Either the 230-pound speed rush around the line, or the near seven-foot wing span dropping back into pass coverage. I’m thinking I’ll just hand off.
4. Aaron Weidenaar – Wide Receiver/Safety
Throw the ball up, and let him go and get it. Unfortunately, if the other teams throws it up, he has the ability to do the same on defense.
Fastest Players: Eric Martin-Mann, Trevin Melendez and Anthony Baird.
Strongest Players: Kevin Antonio, Cooper Brown, Jacob Kettels, Steven DiLorenzo and Kaden Mayberry.
Smartest Players: Trey LaBounty, Brock Heppner and Kobe Elsner.
Who will be Lynden’s breakout player?
Eric Martin-Mann – Running Back/Cornerback
He only ran for 36 yards last season, but I have a hunch he will have a huge season in 2017. He’s fast, he’s strong and he’s quick. He’s also extremely coachable, and I’m looking forward to Lawrence Honcoop announcing his name on several occasions.
2016 RESULTS
Lynden 42, Terry Fox, BC 21
Ferndale 27, Lynden 20
Lynden 34, Bellingham 14
Lynden 35, Sedro Woolley 14
Lynden 54, Lakewood 26
Lynden 31, Blaine 23
Lynden 35, Anacortes 7
Lynden 31, Burlington-Edison 17
Lynden 54, Sehome 0
Lynden 40, Granite Falls 7
Lynden 31, Black Hills 21
Lynden 34, West Valley (Spokane) 21
Archbishop Murphy 52, Lynden 14
2017 SCHEDULE
09/01 – Terry Fox Secondary (BC) – 7 PM
09/08 – at Ferndale – 7 PM
09/15 – at Bellingham – 7 PM
09/22 – Sedro Woolley – 7 PM
09/29 – Lakewood – 7 PM
10/06 – at Blaine – 7 PM
10/13 – Anacortes – 7 PM
10/20 – at Burlington-Edison – 7 PM
10/27 – at Eastlake – 7 PM
When Hall of Famer Curt Kramme lost his battle with cancer in April a transition period started in Lynden. The 26-year head coach of the Lions was a staple in Whatcom County high school football and he will be be deeply missed by everyone that knew him. However, football is ready to be played and Blake VanDalen (who assisted Kramme for the past 20 years) has taken over the helm, and his passion for Lynden football will be evident on the field with his players in 2017.
A torn labrum has sidelined junior James Marsh for the season, which means sophomore Brock Heppner will step in as the starting quarterback. Coach VanDalen is confident in Brock’s ability. “Brock is a smart kid,” he said. “He’s picking up the offense quickly. He’s really smart… more of a game manager. You don’t want to put too much on a sophomore quarterback.”
Lynden relied heavily on Jacob Hommes and Brody Weinheimer last season in the run game. Collectively, they ran for 2427 yards, which accounted for 89% of the team’s rushing yards. The Lions will look to a pair of speedy juniors, Eric Martin-Mann and Trevin Melendez, to get the bulk of the carries during the 2017 season. “They are both really quiet,” said VanDalen. “They also both squat over 300 pounds. It will be exciting to what they can do with the ball this season.”
Speaking of exciting, the Lynden Lions consistently turn out exemplary wide receivers and this year should be no exception! Last season, Rylan Severson emerged, catching 59 passes to lead Whatcom County in receptions. Expect the same this season from senior wide receiver, Aaron Weidenaar. Weidenaar was a big-play threat last year, catching 22 passes and averaging 19.1 yards per catch. He will be joined by juniors Blake Silves, Kobe Elsner, Carson Bode, Dakota Baar and senior Cory Warner. Warner will also serve as the backup quarterback to Heppner.
The Lions offensive line has some major size, starting with junior left tackle, Jacob Kettels. At 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, Kettels looks the part as he protects the passer’s blind side. Trey LaBounty also provides great size and strength at left guard. The 6-foot-8 230-pound senior will team up with Kettels to provide one of the best left sides of an offensive line in the state. Sophomore Marty Karb and junior Kaden Mayberry are battling it out for the center position, while junior Cooper Brown (6-1 220) and senior Cole Crass (6-3 230) fill out the rest of the line at right guard and right tackle, respectively.
Brown will line up as nose guard for the Lions, and he will be flanked on the defensive line by a pair of extremely quick defensive tackles, senior Jordan Brockmeyer and junior Payton Scott. LaBounty and Kettels both return to create massive bookends along the defensive line as stand-up edge players. Bode and Krass will also see time at defensive end.
In last season’s preview I called Gage Bates a “tackling machine”, and he did everything last season to prove me right, finishing the season with a team-record 114 solo tackles. He’ll be back in the middle of the field this season, this time teaming up with Melendez. Sophomore Bodie Human is also impressing coaches and could see significant time at linebacker.
Warner and Elsner will start at cornerback, with a slew of players that could fit into the mix. They include seniors Bo Bovenkamp, and juniors Grant Vander Yacht, Brendan Kleindel and Martin-Mann. Weidenaar will start at safety, and he will be joined by Silves who was a cornerback last season.
Senior kicker Isaiah Baseden (18 extra points and one field goal in 2016) is getting pushed hard by sophomore Marko Samoukovic. The punting duties could go to either Warner or Melendez.
Lynden football won’t be the same with Coach Kramme, but the team has become unbelievably close. I know that I’m a stat-nerd, but the unity that has been built by the players and coaches can’t be measured.
2017 Roster
| NUMBER | FIRST NAME | LAST NAME | CLASS | HEIGHT | WEIGHT | POSITIONS |
| 1 | AARON | WEIDENAAR | SR | 6’3 | 200 | WR-DB |
| 2 | KOBE | ELSNER | JR | 6’1 | 165 | WR-DB |
| 3 | BLAKE | SILVES | JR | 6’0 | 185 | WR-DB |
| 4 | ELIJAH | VANDER HAAK | JR | 5’10 | 170 | WR-DB |
| 5 | BO | BOVENKAMP | SR | 6’1 | 180 | WR-DB |
| 6 | PRESTON | KING | JR | 6’0 | 170 | WR-LB |
| 7 | TREVOR | ABITIA | SR | 5’9 | 150 | WR-DB |
| 8 | ERIC | BODE | SOPH | 5’7 | 140 | WR-DB |
| 9 | CARSON | BODE | JR | 6’3 | 175 | WR-DE |
| 12 | OWEN | BODE | JR | 5’10 | 150 | WR-DB |
| 13 | BROCK | HEPPNER | SOPH | 6’1 | 180 | QB-DB |
| 14 | CORY | WARNER | SR | 5’10 | 165 | WR-DB |
| 15 | PABLO | MARTINEZ | JR | 5’5 | 150 | WR-DB |
| 17 | ERIC | MARTIN-MANN | JR | 5’7 | 160 | RB-DB |
| 18 | ISAIAH | BASEDEN | SR | 6’0 | 165 | K |
| 20 | STEVEN | DILORENZO | SOPH | 5’7 | 165 | RB-DB |
| 21 | JORDAN | ELSNER | SOPH | 6’1 | 160 | WR-LB |
| 22 | GAGE | BATES | SR | 5’9 | 165 | RB-LB |
| 23 | AUSTIN | ANDERSON | SOPH | 5’9 | 155 | QB-DB |
| 24 | MARKO | SAMOUKOVIC | SOPH | 6’0 | 160 | K/WR |
| 27 | GRANT | VANDER YACHT | JR | 5’9 | 160 | WR-DB |
| 29 | TREVIN | MELENDEZ | JR | 6’0 | 185 | RB-LB |
| 30 | ELIJAH | DIACOGIANNIS | SOPH | 5’11 | 145 | WR-DB |
| 33 | MAX | GALLEGOS | SR | 5’11 | 185 | WR-DB |
| 34 | BRENDAN | KLEINDEL | JR | 5’10 | 150 | WR-DB |
| 37 | JORDAN | BROCKMEYER | SR | 5’8 | 170 | RB-DL |
| 38 | PAYTON | SCOTT | JR | 5’9 | 180 | RB-LB |
| 39 | JOHNATHAN | GLATTFELDER | SOPH | 5’6 | 135 | WR-DB |
| 44 | ADRIAN | VELASQUEZ | JR | 5’7 | 155 | RB-LB |
| 45 | ETHAN | PETERSON-SCOTTER | SOPH | 5’6 | 135 | WR-DB |
| 46 | GURPREET | BRAR | SOPH | 5’9 | 152 | RB-LB |
| 47 | TERREL | PEAVY | JR | 5’7 | 150 | WR-DB |
| 50 | KEVIN | ANTONIO | JR | 5’8 | 220 | OL-DL |
| 52 | TJ | MAEURER | SOPH | 5’10 | 175 | OL-LB |
| 53 | JACK | BERRY | SOPH | 5’11 | 150 | RB-LB |
| 54 | BODIE | HUMAN | SOPH | 5’6 | 145 | RB-LB |
| 56 | KADEN | MAYBERRY | JR | 6’0 | 220 | OL-LB |
| 58 | DASHAWN | ELKE | SOPH | 6’1 | 165 | OL-DL |
| 59 | CAUY | SHAGREN | SR | 6’0 | 200 | OL-DL |
| 60 | SHANE | SCHNASE | SR | 6’0 | 180 | OL-DL |
| 61 | JARREN | JACKSON | JR | 5’7 | 200 | OL-DL |
| 65 | LANE | SMITH | JR | 5’10 | 150 | OL-DL |
| 68 | MARTY | KARB | SOPH | 6’0 | 195 | OL-DL |
| 71 | COLE | CRASS | SR | 6’3 | 230 | OL-DE |
| 72 | COOPER | BROWN | JR | 6’1 | 220 | OL-DL |
| 73 | JACOB | KETTELS | JR | 6’5 | 260 | OL-DE |
| 75 | HOUSTON | DEJONG | JR | 6’2 | 250 | OL-DL |
| 76 | TREY | LaBounty | SR | 6’8 | 230 | OL-DE |
| 79 | HARRISON | BERNARD | SOPH | 6′ | 165 | RB-DB |
| 80 | ELIJAH | LYONS | SOPH | 6’1 | 155 | WR-DB |
| 82 | DAKOTA | BAAR | JR | 6’4 | 160 | WR-DE |
| 85 | DERRIC | LLOYD | SR | 6’0 | 190 | WR-LB |
| 86 | NATHAN | DOERING | JR | 6’0 | 170 | WR-DB |
| 88 | LUKAS | LOHRER | SOPH | 6’0 | 185 | WR-DB |
| 89 | NATHAN | PEAVY | SOPH | 5’10 | 165 | WR-DB |
| 94 | BEILNER | ISAAC | SOPH | 5’10 | 165 | OL-DL |
| 96 | HARLEY | VANDENBERG | SOPH | 6’4 | 180 | OL-DL |
| 99 | ANTHONY | BAIRD | JR | 5’11 | 140 | WR-DB |