Tag Archives: 1996

Top 150 Teams

Top 150 #91 – 1996 Lynden Christian Lyncs

July 12, 2015 Tyler 6 Comments

RECORD: 10-2 – COACH: Dan Kaemingk

LEAGUE: 5-1 (2nd Place in the WCL)

CLASSIFICATION: A – PLAYOFFS: State Quarterfinalist

Scoring Stats “Per Game”

Points: 25.4 – Allowed: 12.0 – Differential: +13.4

GAME BY GAME:

Week 1: Lynden Christian 14, Sultan 7

Week 2: Lynden Christian 44, Granite Falls 0

Week 3: Lynden Christian 20, Mount Baker 7

Week 4: Lynden Christian 42, Friday Harbor 21

Week 5: Meridian 23, Lynden Christian 8

Week 6: Lynden Christian 22, King’s 21

Week 7: Lynden Christian 35, Nooksack Valley 3

Week 8: Lynden Christian 42, Blaine 28

Week 9: Lynden Christian 14, Concrete 6

State Play-in Game: Lynden Christian 21, Orting 0

State Playoffs: 1st Round: Lynden Christian 43, Forks 0

State Quarterfinals: Toledo 28, Lynden Christian 0

The 1996 Lyncs were back on track after missing the state playoffs the previous two seasons. It was traditional LC football, a big line, pound the ball, throw when needed and a swarming defense.

Junior Greg Dykstra took over at quarterback, after being the league’s leading receiver the year before. A true dual threat, he completed 71 passes for 1062 yards and 10 touchdowns, while rushing for 695 yards and eight touchdowns. He was also named All-League 2nd Team. Joining Dykstra in the backfield was one of the toughest running backs of the era. Senior Josh Elgersma ran for 873 yards (4.7 average) and 10 touchdowns, and caught 11 passes for 153 (13.9) and a score. He was also named All-League 2nd Team. Junior Joey Mellema added 474 yards on the ground (4.7) and six touchdowns, while senior Jason Engels rushed for 255 yards (5.7) and two TD’s.

Junior tight end Josh Parsons was on the receiving end of numerous Dykstra passes. He was the team’s leading receiver with 23 catches for 405 yards (17.6) and four touchdowns, and he was named All-League 2nd Team. Junior wide receiver Rob Dykstra had great hands, and size (6’4″ 195), and caught 19 passes for 293 yards (15.4) and three scores. Seniors Darin Postma and Dan Boon each caught a touchdown pass as well.

Like I stated earlier, the offensive line was big. Not only that, but they were very good! It started with 6-foot-1 250-pound senior, Dan Lenssen. He was a big, strong mauler that cleared many lanes for the backs, and was named All-League 1st Team. He was joined by super-sophomore, Nick Scholten. He had all the tools, size (6’5″ 300), agility, strength, and he purely dominated. He was also named All-League 1st Team. Senior Joel Hoksbergen was also a great lineman, and was named All-League 2nd Team. The Lyncs totaled 2400 yards on the ground and ran for 27 touchdowns.

The “Big-Three” that dominated on the offensive line were huge threat on the defensive line as well. Scholten was named All-League 1st Team, Hoksbergen was All-League 2nd Team and Lenssen was All-League Honorable Mention. Senior Ben Corning was also named All-League Honorable Mention. Parsons manned the middle, and was named All-League 2nd Team at linebacker. Senior Jake Nelson made great plays stuffing the run, as well as getting to the quarterback from his outside linebacker spot, and was named All-League 1st Team. Postma also had a knack for making big plays, and was an All-League Honorable Mention pick at linebacker. Greg Dykstra led the secondary, being named All-League 1st Team, with Elgersma and Mellema each an All-League Honorable Mention pick.

Elgersma handled the kicking, and nailed 22 extra points. Parsons used his line-drive punts towards the sidelines to his advantage, and was named All-League Honorable Mention. Mellema and Elgersma returned kickoffs, while Greg Dykstra handled the punt returns, bringing one back to the house against Forks in the playoffs.

Top 150 Teams

Top 150 #107 – 1996 Ferndale Golden Eagles

June 26, 2015 Tyler 4 Comments

RECORD: 7-2 – COACH: Vic Randall

LEAGUE: 3-2 (3rd Place in the NWL)

CLASSIFICATION: AA – PLAYOFFS: None

Scoring Stats “Per Game”

Points: 36.2 – Allowed: 14.3 – Differential: +21.9

GAME BY GAME:

Week 1: Ferndale 54, North Delta 15

Week 2: Ferndale 35, Seattle Prep 0

Week 3: Ferndale 61, Mark Morris 14

Week 4: Ferndale 7, Olympia 6

Week 5: Anacortes 32, Ferndale 12

Week 6: Ferndale 48, Sedro Woolley 18

Week 7: Ferndale 40, Burlington-Edison 0

Week 8: Lynden 31, Ferndale 15

Week 9: Ferndale 54, Bellingham 13

The 1996 Golden Eagles had an abundance of talent, most of these talented players were first year varsity starters. They probably didn’t achieve as much as they wanted to, but it was still a good year.

Passing the ball was not high on the Ferndale priority list, but big plays were made in the passing game. Senior Gary Little had a strong arm, and he completed 14 passes for 357 yards and five touchdowns, and he was named All-League Honorable Mention. Most of the time he handed the ball off to All-League 1st Team junior fullback, Matthias Wilson. Arguably the best pure running back in Whatcom County history, Wilson stepped into the starting role and showed everyone what he could do. He ran for 1546 yards (7.6 average) and 13 touchdowns. He was joined by junior Britton Hanson who ran for 871 yards (8.5) and 14 touchdowns, and he was named All-League 2nd Team. Sophomore Justin Iwasaki also had some big plays running the ball, totaling 522 yards (7.4) and eight touchdowns.

Junior tight end Tyler Ryan led the Golden Eagles with eight receptions for 182 yards (22.8) and three touchdowns, and he was an All-League Honorable Mention selection. Junior wide receiver Jacob Ferry and Hanson each caught a pair of passes.

The offensive line had great ability to go along with tremendous size. 6-foot-6 291-pound senior Max Seppi represented the size, and was named All-League 1st Team, as well as All-State 1st Team. Fellow senior Kyle Johnson wasn’t nearly as big, but was unbelievably valuable at guard in the Wing T offense, and he was also picked as an All-League 1st Teamer. Juniors Bob Carlstrom and Mike Tull also had great seasons up front, and they were each named All-League Honorable Mention. As a team, they averaged 7.3 yards per carry, and had 37 rushing touchdowns.

Seppi led the defensive push up front, and was named All-League 1st Team. He was joined by Carlstrom, who was an All-League 2nd Team pick. The defensive ends were a pair of sophomore studs that the NWL offenses had to gameplan around for the next two seasons. Addison Perrin and B.J. Hoelzle were each named All-League Honorable Mention. Johnson and Iwasaki were great tacklers in the middle of the field, and were each named All-League 1st Team at linebacker. Iwasaki also returned two interceptions for touchdowns. Ryan, at 6-foot-3 with great speed, led the secondary and was named All-League 2nd Team.

Junior Tyson Oreiro had a very strong leg, and he kicked 28 extra points.

Top 150 Teams

Top 150 #123 – 1996 Sehome Mariners

June 10, 2015 Tyler 4 Comments

RECORD: 5-4 – COACH: Birger Solberg

LEAGUE: 2-3 (4th Place in the Wesco)

CLASSIFICATION: AAA – PLAYOFFS: None

Scoring Stats “Per Game”

Points: 19.2 – Allowed: 12.0 – Differential: +7.2

GAME BY GAME:

Week 1: Shorewood 13, Sehome 9

Week 2: Sehome 28, Burlington-Edison 0

Week 3: Snohomish 20, Sehome 13

Week 4: Sehome 28, Bellingham 0

Week 5: Oak Harbor 24, Sehome 23

Week 6: Sehome 9, Marysville-Pilchuck 7

Week 7: Sehome 28, Mount Vernon 7

Week 8: Everett 16, Sehome 13

Week 9: Sehome 22, Shorecrest 21

The 1996 Mariners had an up and down season, but the talent was there. The four losses were by a combined 15 points, and they had two shutouts against long time rivals Burlington-Edison and Bellingham.

Senior quarterback Cam Harding completed 49 passes for 747 yards, five touchdowns and he also ran for three scores. Joining Harding in the backfield were seniors Ben DeMond, Cory Smith, Brendon Graves and junior C.J. Hayes. DeMond was the main ball carrier, gaining 738 yards (5.9 average) and six touchdowns. Smith ran for 272 yards (4.3) and four touchdowns while Graves rushed for 237 yards (5.5). Hayes ran for 384 (5.2) and four touchdowns.

Graves was the leading receiver for the Mariners, catching 12 passes for 205 yards (17.1) and two touchdowns. Junior wide receiver Trevor Walker and senior Heath Ovens each caught eight passes, while DeMond and fellow senior Devin Catrell each hauled in seven passes.

The offensive line had two major studs that cleared some major paths. Senior Lee Eckl was named All-League 1st Team, as was junior Ashley Vincent. Sehome averaged 4.4 yards per rush, and scored 18 touchdowns on the ground.

The defense threw a pair of shutouts, and it had three different seniors at each level that dominated. On the defensive line the 6-foot-2 234-pound senior Gabe Robinson was in the backfield on almost every play. Eckl was an extremely hard hitter, coming off of an All-State 2nd Team selection. The secondary was headed up by Graves. All three players were named All-League 1st Team. Robinson and Eckl were selected for the second year in a row.

Senior Sam Allard had a great year kicking, with 19 extra points and one field goal.

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