RECORD: 9-2 – COACH: Stu Gorski
LEAGUE: 8-1 (1st Place in the WCL)
CLASSIFICATION: “A” – Playoffs: State Quarterfinalist
POINTS PER GAME: 17.7 – POINTS ALLOWED PER GAME: 6.5
POINT DIFFERENTIAL: +11.2
GAME BY GAME:
Week 1: Mount Baker 6, Blaine 0
Week 2: Mount Baker 20, Lynden Christian 0
Week 3: Mount Baker 13, Meridian 6
Week 4: Mount Baker 19, Lynden 13
Week 5: Mount Baker 21, Nooksack Valley 0
Week 6: Mount Baker 14, Blaine 0
Week 7: Mount Baker 20, Lynden Christian 6
Week 8: Meridian 17, Mount Baker 7
Week 9: Mount Baker 32, Lynden 8
State Playoffs: 1st Round: Mount Baker 23, North Mason 0
State Quarterfinals: Lynden Christian 21, Mount Baker 20
After multiple second-place finishes in the 1980’s, it all came together for the Mountaineers in 1986. After beating Lynden Christian twice in the regular season they met again in the quarterfinals of the state tournament, and they lost an overtime thriller to the eventual state runner up.
Baker was led by one of the greatest overall athletes in school history, Jeff Curtis. The 6-foot-1 170-pound senior was named the league’s Offensive Player of the Year, completing 86 passes for 1417 yards and 14 touchdowns while rushing for 143 yards and five touchdowns.
Senior running back Tim Jacoby transferred from Ferndale and led the Mountie rushing attack. He ran for 596 yards (3.8 average), seven touchdowns and he was named All-League 1st Team. Junior Nathan Hull added 207 yards on the ground (3.6). He also caught seven passes for 47 yards (6.7).
Seniors Roger Van Weerdhuizen and Jeff Gorski each spent time at tight end, as well as being split out wide, and were a great receiving combo for Curtis. Van Weerdhuizen used his height (6’4″) and his leaping ability (6’9″ high jumper) to create big plays down field. His 45 catches for 910 yards (20.2) and 13 touchdowns made up for the most prolific receiving season that Whatcom County saw in the decade of the 1980’s, and he was named All-League 1st Team. Gorski caught 26 passes for 287 yards (11.0), and he was named All-League 2nd Team.
The offensive line was led by three All-League 1st Team selections; seniors Bob Carbee and Doug Chadwick, along with junior John Raper. Seniors Warner Webb and Willie Pitts were named All-League 2nd Team to round out one of the best overall offensive lines in school history.
Raper also stood out on the defensive line, being named both All-League 1st Team and All-State 1st Team. He was joined up front by Pitts and Webb, who were each named All-League 2nd Team. Junior Jeff Sande was all over the field from his linebacker position and was named All-League 1st Team. Curtis and Van Weerdhuizen used their supreme athleticism to dominate in the secondary. Curtis was named both All-League 1st Team and All-State 1st Team, and Van Weerdhuizen nabbed All-League 2nd Team honors.
Curtis handled the kicking duties, hitting on 12 extra points and a field goal, and he was also named All-League 1st Team at punter for the second season in a row.