1. Sehome will NOT go winless in 2017.     First year head coach Kevin Beason has this ship of Mariners steered in the right direction. Many talented players are back, and they will win at least three games.
2. Ethan Fields will score another defensive touchdown.     And when the Bellingham senior does, he will be become the first player in Whatcom County history to score four career defensive touchdowns.
3. Triston Smith will lead the entire county in rushing.     Squalicum could be involved in many more closer game this year, but they still win a bunch. Which would mean that the senior speedster will get carries at the end of games.
4. Cole Semu will total 2000 yards from scrimmage.     He’ll be a major weapon for the Ferndale offense. Both as a runner and a receiver.
5. Trey LaBounty will lead the county in quarterback sacks.     Great quickness and size will allow the Lynden senior to get after the QB. Send him, Coach Witman!
6. Chase Abshere will lead the county in receptions.     The Blaine junior will be the main target for Cam Ellis, and the Borderites are going to air it out.
7. Jordan Riddle will break the school record for rushing yards in a season.     The current school record is 1150 yards, by Bryan Beld in 2004. Riddle has the ability to surpass that, especially with the line he has.
8. Robb Myhre will become the first coach in Nooksack Valley history to surpass 100 wins.    He currently stands at 93 wins, and with the players he has this year, it should happen.
9. Simon Burkett will break his own Whatcom County record of 367 pass attempts in a season.     I see the Trojans airing it out this year, and why not with Burkett standing tall in the pocket?
10. Mount Baker will win the 1A Northwest Conference for the sixth consecutive year.     Until someone knocks them off, they are the favorite. No shot gun, no frills, they just line up and hit you. Football, baby.

Click on the team to read this year’s preview:

Bellingham Red Raiders – Blaine Borderites – Ferndale Golden Eagles – Lynden Lions – Lynden Christian Lyncs – Meridian Trojans – Mount Baker Mountaineers – Nooksack Valley Pioneers – Sehome Mariners – Squalicum Storm

I really thought that in my second year of doing this, that it would have become much easier. Ha! I was wrong… Although, it remains as fun as ever! The first Friday night of Whatcom County high school football is my Christmas. And these past few weeks of driving to each school, and interviewing each coach has been fantastic. I said it last year, and I’ll say it again… High school football is special, it’s unique. There’s nothing really quite like it. It’s the highest level of football that retains its organic surroundings. You get to compete for a league championship, or even a state championship, with kids that you went to Kindergarten with. It’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life, but also one of the most memorable. If it was easy, more kids would play. It takes a certain kind of discipline, and a coachable kid becomes an employable kid.

Thank you everyone for supporting me, maybe some day this will become my full time occupation? I’m optimistic about the growth of this page, and how it will be able to affect the rest of the county.

-Tyler Anderson