Blake VanDalen named new Lynden head coach

After the tragic loss of Coach Curt Kramme, the Lynden football program has decided to stay within the program. After serving the past 20 seasons as an assistant under Kramme, including the last eight as the defensive coordinator, Blake VanDalen has been chosen as the new head coach of the Lions.

“The last 20 years has been an amazing gift,” VanDalen said during a phone interview. “Bittersweet would be the only way to describe how I’m feeling. I just want to represent all that Coach Kramme has done in the last 26 years.”

VanDalen is currently teaching physical education and weight training at Lynden High School.

“I was fortunate enough to be there when we went up to to 3A, and then back down to 2A,” he said. “I was there when we went down to Texas to learn the spread offense, and when we won six state championships in eight years. I learned from the best”

As a 1990 graduate of Lynden, VanDalen played for both Rollie DeKoster and Ross Boice. As a senior he was named All-League 2nd Team at defensive back.

Burkett and Bauman could reach statistical milestones

Simon Burkett
Casey Bauman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meridian quarterback Simon Burkett attempted 367 passes last season. That’s more than any other quarterback in Whatcom County history. Nooksack Valley quarterback Casey Bauman became the first player in school history to complete 200 passes in a season. Both are heading into their senior season this fall hoping to guide their respective teams to a league championship, and they could be reaching some lofty career numbers when it’s all over. Because both players are also know to do damage running the football, as well as passing, I decided to look up the Whatcom County career leaders in combined touchdowns, using touchdown passes and touchdown runs. It appears that both players will climb up this list of superstars!

Player School Total P-TD R-TD
Josh Kraght Lynden 122 76 46
Zachary Slesk Meridian 100 79 21
Jordan Slesk Meridian 98 84 14
Tanner Myhre Nooksack Valley 95 64 31
Sterling Somers Lynden 94 72 22
Jake Locker Ferndale 89 50 39
Casey Locker Ferndale 84 35 49
Tyler Slesk Meridian 83 71 12
Jeff Bennum Meridian 80 62 18
Jed Schleimer Mount Baker 80 1 79
Mario Gobbato Blaine 78 0 78
Jordan Hastings Lynden 75 49 26
Trevon Myhre Nooksack Valley 60 32 28
Greg Dykstra Lynden Christian 59 28 31
Lucas Roecisoender Lynden Christian 58 51 7
Jesse Alderson Meridian 56 0 56
Mark Holleman Lynden Christian 55 41 14
Tyler Perry Nooksack Valley 54 22 32
Jim Schleimer Mount Baker 53 0 53
Jeb Kratzig Meridian 51 36 15
Garrett Sorenson Squalicum 51 39 12
Simon Burkett Meridian 51 34 17
Eli Slesk Meridian 50 36 14
Sean Linville Bellingham 49 33 16
Casey Bauman Nooksack Valley 49 38 11
Riley Fritsch Blaine 48 0 48
Levi Wigg Mount Baker 47 0 47
Clark Hazlett Squalicum/Lynden 47 35 12
Brent Cowden Mount Baker 46 36 10
Jacob Hommes Lynden 46 24 22
Robert Davis Ferndale 45 0 45
T.J. Busch Lynden 45 0 45
Bob Bennum Meridian 44 31 13
Ty Willemsen Nooksack Valley 44 1 43
Adam Wilgus Ferndale 44 1 43
Chris Bolt Lynden 44 34 10
Max McGuinn Meridian 44 31 13
David Cowan Lynden Christian 43 23 20
Alex Conley Ferndale 43 0 43
Andrew Zender Mount Baker 43 31 12
Dave Longoria Nooksack Valley 42 0 42
Britt Lentz Nooksack Valley 42 0 42
Nathan Kramme Blaine 42 37 5
Jon Raney Mount Baker 41 38 3
Joe Schleimer Mount Baker 40 1 39
Justin Iwasaki Ferndale 40 0 40
Kyler Randall Ferndale 40 19 21
Mikel Rathjen Mount Baker 40 0 40
Tate Dallas Lynden 40 31 9