This was something that I just HAD to research, after Ferndale beat Lynden 19-16 on Friday, without scoring a rushing touchdown. So, how long has it really been? The Golden Eagles beat Mount Vernon in 2007, 13-10… but, Casey Locker had a rushing touchdown. Drat! Ohhhh, what about that classic game against Lynden in 2001 when Ferndale won 7-0? Sophomore Riley Cornelsen ran in the lone TD in that game… What about that game in 1996 against Olympia when Max Seppi blocked the extra point, and the Golden Eagles won 7-6? Oh, snap, sophomore Justin Iwasaki ran that touchdown in. How long has it been?
It was on September 22, 1989. That was the last time Ferndale won a game without scoring a rushing touchdown. They beat Arlington 17-6, and quarterback Jason Muggy threw a pair of touchdown passes. One went to Andrew Thompson and the other was to Ron Miller. Tom Phillips added the extra points and the field goal, and there wasn’t a rushing touchdown during the victory. 28 years! That’s pretty impressive.
How do you top a 300-yard performance from opening night? How about a 445-yard outing on Friday! Squalicum senior Triston Smith is inking up the Whatcom County record book, and his 445 rushing yards against South Delta gave him the fourth highest rushing output in a game, in Whatcom County history.
Jed Schleimer, MB – 521 vs. Nooksack Valley – 2015
Mario Gobbato, Bla – 480 vs. Cedar Park Christian – 2012
Tanner Aliff, Bell – 449 vs. Charles Wright – 2014
Triston Smith, Squ – 445 vs. South Delta – 2017
Jacob Prince, MB – 422 vs. Granite Falls – 1997
Smith’s unbelievable game also shot him 25 spots up the Whatcom County Career Rushing List! He is now in 27th place, and will continue to climb that ladder.
Blaine senior quarterback Cam Ellis did everything he could last night, trying to top the Meridian Trojans. In fact, he did something that no other Borderite has ever done. His 387 passing yards broke the school record, which was previously held by Caleb Luehmann who threw for 352 yards against Nooksack Valley in 1996. Meridian ended up winning in overtime, 50-44.
When Blaine’s Mario Gobbato graduated he held so many Whatcom County records that I stumble across new ones from time to time. A few of his records would be career rushing yards (6118), season rushing yards (2821), career rushing attempts (790), season rushing attempts (339) and season rushing touchdowns (38). Last year his single-game rushing yardage record of 480 was broken by Mount Baker’s Jed Schleimer when he galloped for 521 against Nooksack Valley. Now Schleimer is closing in on another record of Gobbato’s. The career touchdown record. Gobbato finished with 78 total touchdowns in his career, and Schleimer currently sits at 74 (68 rushing and 6 receiving).
