Predictions are hard to make in any season, but this season seems to be a little harder. Every team has talent, every team has size and every team is coached by it’s school’s all-time winningest coach. So, let’s break this down…
Vote here for which team you think will win the conference championship!
Lynden Christian: The Lyncs have one of the best pure teachers of the game in head coach Dan Kaemingk. He always puts his kids in the best situations to win, and his defensive schemes are highly regarded throughout the rest of the conference. Although LC is the only team in the league that doesn’t return its starting quarterback, Ty Van Dyken has gotten reps the past two years and should do just fine. They also return their leading rusher (Jordan Riddle), their top lineman (George DeJong) and two skill starters on both sides of the ball (Michael Lancaster and Kalai Jandoc).
Meridian: You just can’t count out a Bob Ames-coached team. The tradition is there, the mystique is there and the fu-manchu is there. The Trojans return several key players from last year’s squad that beat King’s and Cascade Christian in the post-season. Most of the talk is about quarterback “Slingin'” Simon Burkett, but Meridian also returns Manny Sabalza, Tony Schleimer and T.J. Dykstra. Like most 1A schools, there isn’t a ton of depth. So, if the front-line players can stay healthy, and if they have some pleasant surprises on the offensive line, you can looks for the “Trohahns” to be back in the state playoffs.
Mount Baker: The Mountaineers return Kaleb Bass at quarterback. They return Carson Engholm and his 1350 yards and 19 touchdowns at running back. They also return Thomas Barbo at wide receiver, who just happens to be the school’s all-time leading receiver. So, why are they being overlooked? They did lose some impressive guys from last season. But, you can’t count out a team that has won five straight conference championships. All of the linebackers return as well, and the offensive line might not be as big as it’s been in the past, but it will be extremely athletic.
Nooksack Valley: Everyone seems to be pointing to the Pioneers this season. Most of the seniors collectively took their lumps as sophomores, and they enjoyed some success last year. They are big and they are strong, but can they get over the hump? Casey Bauman gets a lot of pub, and rightly so, but Kyle Veldman is a straight up beast at middle linebacker, and is the most underrated wide receiver in the conference. Kirk Veldman and Luke Winter are each benching well over 300 pounds, and Tre Silva is one of the quickest players around.
ALL-TIME COACHING MATCHUPS:
Ames vs. Kaemingk : Ames 24, Kaemingk 10
Ames vs. Lepper: Ames 12, Lepper 10
Ames vs. Myhre: Ames 23, Myhre 8
Kaemingk vs. Lepper: Lepper 8, Kaemingk 6
Kaemingk vs. Myhre: Myhre 13, Kaemingk 8
Lepper vs. Myhre: Lepper 17, Myhre 3