Tag Archives: 1976

Top 150 #116 – 1976 Meridian Trojans

RECORD: 7-3  –  COACH: Bob Ames

 LEAGUE: 7-3 (2nd Place in the WCL)

 CLASSIFICATION: A – PLAYOFFS: None

Scoring Stats “Per Game”
Points: 19.8 – Allowed: 6.9 – Differential: +12.9

GAME BY GAME:

Week 1: Meridian 20, Blaine 0

Week 2: Mount Baker 10, Meridian 8

Week 3: Meridian 21, Lynden Christian 0

Week 4: Meridian 33, Nooksack Valley 0

Week 5: Meridian 16, Lynden 7

Week 6: Meridian 35, Blaine 0

Week 7: Meridian 31, Mount Baker 18

Week 8: Meridian 27, Lynden Christian 0

Week 9: Nooksack Valley 12, Meridian 7

Week 10: Lynden 22, Meridian 0


In one of the biggest turnarounds in Whatcom County history, the 1976 Trojans were a year removed from an 0-10 season, to the brink of their first league title.

Kenny Shockey
Kenny Shockey

Junior quarterback Kenny Shockey ran the veer like nobody else. He was named All-League 1st Team, completed 38 passes for 898 yards, 10 touchdowns, and he ran for 271 yards and four scores. The distribution in the backfield was pretty even, when they weren’t handing off to super sophomore, Dudley Nightingale. He finished with 471 yards (5.4 average), four touchdowns and an All-League 1st team selection. Senior Mike Kingma also had a good year on the ground. The former LC quarterback ran for 213 yards and two scores. Senior Jeff Rohwer ran for 206 yards and two touchdowns, while junior Jeff Gorsenger led the team with five rushing touchdowns.

Dudley Nightingale
Dudley Nightingale

The major strength of the team was its offensive line. Senior tight ends Dale Wasel and Jim Unruh were great blockers, and they made amazing plays down the field. Wasel was named All-League 1st Team, catching 13 passes for 316 yards (24.3) and three touchdowns. Unruh hauled in nine passes for 162 yards (18.0) and two scores. The offensive linemen featured seniors Jeff Hemnes and Lyle Jones, each were named on the All-League 1st Team. They were joined by seniors Roe Castaneda and Kris Mackey, and sophomore Kelly Welch.

Roe Castaneda
Roe Castaneda

Defensively, Castaneda was the rock in the middle of the field. The hard hitting, 5-foot-9 210-pound middle linebacker was an All-League 1st Team selection, and he was a “Bob Ames-type” of player. Shockey led the team with five interceptions, while Wasel picked off four passes, returning one for a touchdown.

 

 

Top 150 #129 – 1976 Lynden Lions

RECORD: 7-3  –  COACH: Rollie DeKoster

 LEAGUE: 7-3 (2nd Place in the WCL)

 CLASSIFICATION: A – PLAYOFFS: None

Scoring Stats “Per Game”
Points: 17.5 – Allowed: 6.3 – Differential: +11.2

GAME BY GAME:

Week 1: Lynden Christian 8, Lynden 0

Week 2: Lynden 29, Blaine 0

Week 3: Lynden 12, Nooksack Valley 0

Week 4: Lynden 24, Mount Baker 0

Week 5: Meridian 16, Lynden 7

Week 6: Lynden 28, Lynden Christian 0

Week 7: Lynden 17, Blaine 7

Week 8: Nooksack Valley 18, Lynden 6

Week 9: Lynden 30, Mount Baker 14

Week 10: Lynden 22, Meridian 0


The 1976 Lions had an interesting year, all three losses were to teams that they beat in their other meeting against them, and they just missed the playoffs.

Brent Rutgers
Brent Rutgers

Lynden had a pair of juniors that split time at quarterback, Brent Rutgers and Rick DeGraaff. Rutgers completed 23 passes for 370 yards and two touchdowns, and DeGraaff completed 15 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown. Each QB also ran for a score. Senior running back Rick Honcoop ran for 194 yards and two scores. Senior John Felix ran for 153 yards and two touchdowns, and sophomore Mike Hill added 122 yards and two scores.

Rick DeGraaff
Rick DeGraaff

Senior receiver Steve Groen led the team in receiving with nine catches for 146 yards (16.2 average) and one touchdown, and was named All-League 1st Team. Senior Dave Kleindel caught five passes for 124 yards (24.8) and senior Lewis Seutz caught four passes for 96 yards (24.0) and a touchdown.

Rick Honcoop
Rick Honcoop

Senior Wade Bailey, although only 5-foot-11 and 165 pounds, proved to be the best of the offensive lineman, and was named All-League 1st Team. The offense was very even, rushing for 697 yards and passing for 559 yards, and it scored 13 touchdowns.

John Van Ieperen
John Van Ieperen

Defensively, the Lions were amazing. They shout out each of the other five Whatcom County League schools during the season! Senior Randy Kraght (6-2 195) and junior John Van Ieperen (5-11 185) terrorized the line of scrimmage, and were each named All-League 1st Team. Honcoop was an All-League 1st Team selection at linebacker, as was Rutgers at defensive back. Bailey and Rutgers each intercepted a pass for a touchdown.

Junior Tom Lange was the league’s leading kicker with 12 extra points and four field goals, and he was named All-League 1st Team. Rutgers returned a kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown against Meridian in the final game of the season.

Top 150 #147 – 1976 Nooksack Valley Pioneers

RECORD: 8-3  –  COACH: Hal Haddock

 LEAGUE: 8-2 (1st in the WCL)

 CLASSIFICATION: A – PLAYOFFS: Quarterfinalist

Scoring Stats “Per Game”
Points: 12.6 – Allowed: 8.1 – Differential: +4.5

GAME BY GAME:

Week 1: Nooksack Valley 14, Mount Baker 6

Week 2: Nooksack Valley 33, Lynden Christian 6 

Week 3: Lynden 12, Nooksack Valley 0

Week 4: Meridian 33, Nooksack Valley 0

Week 5: Nooksack Valley 6, Blaine 0

Week 6: Nooksack Valley 12, Mount Baker 6

Week 7: Nooksack Valley 7, Lynden Christian 0

Week 8: Nooksack Valley 18, Lynden 6

Week 9: Nooksack Valley 12, Meridian 7

Week 10: Nooksack Valley 30, Blaine 0

State Quarterfinals: Castle Rock 13, Nooksack Valley 7  


The 1976 Pioneers returned some key members from last season’s state semi-finalist team. As most teams did back then, they were a run first, power kind of team.

Doug Groves
Doug Groves

Junior quarterback Dan Groves wasn’t asked to throw very much, and he completed 14-of-56 passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 27 yards and a score. The backfield was loaded with 185-pound senior Phil Assink leading the way. He carried the ball 121 times for 619 yards (5.1 average) and four touchdowns. He was also the only senior to be named All-League 1st Team at running back. He was joined by senior Doug Groves who had 93 attempts for 383 yards (4.1) and two touchdowns, sophomore Bill Van Diest who rushed for 183 yards on 40 carries (4.6) and three touchdowns and junior Pat Sturgeon who added 155 yards on 37 carries (4.1) and two scores.

Lance Massey
Lance Massey

Senior Scott Waddell led the team in receiving with four catches for 74 yards. Sturgeon and fellow junior Glenn Williams each had three catches, while Assink and Doug Groves each hauled in a pair of passes.

Rich Stacey
Rich Stacey

The line was incredible for Nooksack Valley. Senior Lance Massey (6’3″ 227) was a man among boys, and fellow seniors Marty Binchus (6’1″ 180) and Rich Stacey (5’9″ 197) were all named All-League 1st Team. Defensively, the Pioneers were led by Massey. His dominant play on the defensive line not only garnered and All-League 1st Team selection, but he was also named as the Whatcom County League’s Most Valuable Player as well as being named All-State 1st Team for the second year in a row. Doug Groves was named All-League 1st Team at linebacker, while senior Lyle Martin was named All-League 1st Team as a defensive back.