Tag Archives: Bellingham

Can the Red Raiders get past the Lions?

September 14, 2017 Tyler

Let me take you back a few decades… The year was 1993. It was an interesting season for Whatcom County high school football. Lynden Christian and Sehome had dominant teams that allowed them to each go undefeated in the regular season. Meridian and Ferndale combined for zero wins and 18 losses! Mount Baker was on it’s fifth head coach in five years, and Nooksack Valley’s T.J. Ackerman was so dominant that he was named the League’s Offensive Player of the Year as a right tackle! Also, the Lynden Lions were playing their first season with the “big boys” in the Northwest League, and something else happened that season that hasn’t happened ever since…. Bellingham beat Lynden.

I’m not saying that it’s going to happen this Friday night at Civic Field, but the Red Raiders have some explosive players, and you just never know what’s going to happen.

After a few rough seasons, the 1993 Red Raiders had a lot to prove.

“We had a great senior class,” former Bellingham running back/linebacker Travis Edwards remembered. “We just had a lot more confidence that year. It was a really good game against Lynden. I think most of my yards came in the second half, I know I did break one long one, and I got caught from behind.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdxhmLUMdRw

Edwards finished the game with 179 yards rushing and a touchdown, with fellow senior Dave Clark finishing with 70 yards on the ground and a touchdown.

“I remember thinking ‘this is the first year for these guys in the 2A’s, we’re gonna whoop ’em’!”, Clark said on a phone interview. “And then I remembered they had Ben Wall! He was in a lot better shape than us, I can tell you that!”

Clark’s touchdown in the third quarter ended up being the decisive score.

“I don’t remember scoring the touchdown,” said Clark. “I just remember being exhausted.”

Since then, the Lions have won 20 straight games over the Red Raiders.

YEAR	RESULT
1994	Lynden 23, Bellingham 21
1995	Lynden 48, Bellingham 21
1996	Lynden 41, Bellingham 3
1997	Lynden 28, Bellingham 7
2000	Lynden 55, Bellingham 0
2001	Lynden 39, Bellingham 0
2002	Lynden 43, Bellingham 3
2003	Lynden 28, Bellingham 7
2004	Lynden 35, Bellingham 3
2005	Lynden 21, Bellingham 7
2006	Lynden 38, Bellingham 0
2007	Lynden 7, Bellingham 0
2008	Lynden 35, Bellingham 14
2009	Lynden 41, Bellingham 6
2010	Lynden 41, Bellingham 13
2010 (2)	Lynden 48, Bellingham 0
2011	Lynden 45, Bellingham 7
2012	Lynden 43, Bellingham 13
2013	Lynden 48, Bellingham 6
2016	Lynden 34, Bellingham 14

Top 150 Teams

Top 150 #67 – 1977 Bellingham Red Raiders

July 13, 2017 Tyler

RECORD: 8-1 – COACH: Vel West

LEAGUE: 7-1 (2nd Place in the NWL)

CLASSIFICATION: “AA” – Playoffs: None

POINTS PER GAME: 22.1 – POINTS ALLOWED PER GAME: 9.8

POINT DIFFERENTIAL: +12.3

GAME BY GAME:

Week 1: Bellingham 25, Liberty (Issaquah) 7

Week 2: Bellingham 26, Mount Vernon 0

Week 3: Bellingham 28, Sehome 6

Week 4: Bellingham 23, Ferndale 15

Week 5: Bellingham 19, Lake Stevens 18

Week 6: Bellingham 19, Anacortes 12

Week 7: Burlington-Edison 27, Bellingham 8

Week 8: Bellingham 8, Monroe 7

Week 9: Bellingham 43, Stanwood 14

They had a bruising defense, they had a powerful run game and they had a tremendously strong offensive line. The one thing they didn’t have was a playoff appearance. In 1977 only one team from the Northwest League made the state playoffs, and that was the league champion, and eventual state champion, Burlington-Edison Tigers. Bellingham had just one loss, and it was against those Tigers.

Senior Craig Christie had the control of the offense, and he ran the ship well. This was before the “run and shoot” days of the Red Raiders, so they were mostly ground based. He completed 12 passes for 281 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 106 yards and two more scores.

They had a trio of senior running backs that were relied upon heavily. Dean Wickenburg led the team in rushing with 718 yards (5.8 average), and he scored four touchdowns. Todd Stephan was the big-play guy, rushing for 579 yards (7.0) and a team-high nine touchdowns. Ron Limbacher ran for 374 yards (4.9) and seven scores. Stephan was named All-League 2nd Team, and scored all 28 points in the crosstown rival game against Sehome (four touchdowns and two 2-point conversions). Junior John Herda contributed with 163 yards (4.1) and a touchdown.

Junior tight end Chris Bergner was the main target, catching 10 passes for 189 yards (18.9) and a touchdown. Senior Kevin Kurtz was the big play receiver. Even though he only caught four passes, he made them count, totaling 158 yards (39.5) and a pair of touchdowns.

The offensive line was loaded, and had a pair of seniors that were returning All-League 1st Team players. Senior Bob Csolti and Kevin Foster were each again named All-League 1st Team, and could be the best duo of offensive linemen that Whatcom County saw in the 1970’s. They were joined by senior Cary Gustafson, who was named All-League 2nd Team.

The defense was led by Csolti on the line, and he was named as the League’s Lineman of the Year, and he was chosen All-League 1st Team. He was joined up front by senior Scott Elsner, who was named All-League 2nd Team. Senior Bruce Ebergson returned an interception 51 yards for a touchdown in the first game of the season, and was named All-League 1st Team at linebacker. Junior Don Fenton kicked six extra points, and was named All-League 1st Team at punter. Senior Jeff Jenkins returned a punt 46 yards for a touchdown against Stanwood.

Top 150 Teams

Top 150 #69 – 1982 Bellingham Red Raiders

July 8, 2017 Tyler

RECORD: 8-3 – COACH: Vel West

LEAGUE: 6-2 (2nd Place in the NWL)

CLASSIFICATION: “AA” – Playoffs: State Quarterfinalist

POINTS PER GAME: 13.7 – POINTS ALLOWED PER GAME: 11.1

POINT DIFFERENTIAL: +2.6

GAME BY GAME:

Week 1: Anacortes 14, Bellingham 8

Week 2: Bellingham 7, Burlington-Edison 6

Week 3: Bellingham 28, Vancouver College (BC) 6

Week 4: Arlington 48, Bellingham 15

Week 5: Bellingham 10, Stanwood 7

Week 6: Bellingham 14, Sedro Woolley 6

Week 7: Bellingham 23, Mount Vernon 14

Week 8: Bellingham 20, Sehome 0

Week 9: Bellingham 7, Ferndale 3

State Playoffs: 1st Round: Bellingham 12, O’Dea 0

State Quarterfinals: Othello 18, Bellingham 7

The 1982 version of the Red Raiders made history as the first time the Bellingham football team reached the quarterfinals of the state tournament.

Senior Brian Dujmovich started the season at quarterback, but was replaced by sophomore Dean Fenton two games into the season. Fenton completed 88 passes for 952 yards and nine touchdowns. Before Dujmovich’s move to running back he completed 17 passes for 183 yards and a score. Fenton also ran for a pair of TD’s.

Dujmovich found his calling at running back, and used his speed and size (6-2 190) to rush for 512 yards (4.8 average) and three touchdowns, and he was named All-League 2nd Team. Junior All Hillaire contributed with 383 yards on the ground (4.0) and four touchdowns.

In the Red Raiders run and shoot offense of the early 80’s, passing was on display. Hauling in the majority of those passes was senior Mike Elsner. He was named All-League 1st Team for the second year in a row, catching 33 passes for 463 yards (14.0) and a team-high five touchdowns. Junior Tim Carlson hauled in 26 passes for 245 yards (9.4) and two scores. Dujmovich caught 19 passes out of the backfield for 168 yards (8.8), with Hillaire and senior Tom Erickson each catching seven passes.

The offensive line was stacked with seniors Steve Alvord and Todd Ramsay completely dominating their opponents. Both were named All-League 1st Team, and Alvord was voted as the Washington State Lineman of the Year.

Alvord was even more dominant on the defensive side of the ball with numerous tackles for loss, and even returning an interception 35 yards for a touchdown against Vancouver College. He was named All-League 1st Team, the Northwest League Defensive Player of the Year and All-State 1st Team, and his highly regarded as the best player in school history. Senior Barry Ebergson was also named All-League 1st Team at defensive end, with senior Steve Hempler being named All-League 2nd Team as the other defensive end. Senior Roger Jones was named All-League 2nd Team at linebacker, and Elsner led the secondary, being named All-League 1st Team for the second season in a row.

Senior Tony Frazier made big kicks, connecting on 14 extra points and two field goals. Dumjovich was named All-League 1st Team at punter.