BY MAKAYLA SPARKS – For Whatcom Preps
LYNDEN – With less than twenty seconds to go, the Lynden Lions were on the verge of a game-tying field goal attempt, thanks to their strong-legged kicker, Malachi Koenen. However, a missed fourth-down conversion would be what determined the game, as the Lions took the loss against the defending 2A state champion Anacortes Seahawks, 26-23 on Friday night at Rollie DeKoster Field.
Things started fast with the Seahawks working their way to the endzone just three minutes into the game.
Lynden responded quickly when senior running back Max Assink found a hole in the defense and raced 61 yards towards the east goal line to set himself up for a Lion touchdown. He powered two yards into the endzone, and the score became 7-6 in favor of the Lions.
Two minutes later, Anacortes found the endzone again from a yard out, bringing the score to 14-7, and it felt like the game was brewing up to be a shootout with three touchdowns already scored just seven minutes into the ball game. However, Lynden turned to their run game to start their next possession, effectively slowing down the pace of play.
Midway through the second quarter Koenen stepped in front of a Seahawks pass and intercepted it. With just over twenty seconds left in the quarter, he would do it again, grabbing the Anacortes pass attempt and racing 29 yards in the opposite direction.
Lions junior quarterback Lukas Lalji connected with Assink through the air for 33 yards, which put Lynden in field goal territory just before halftime. Koenen split the uprights from 29 yards away, making it a 14-10 ball game at half. It was Koenen’s 11th career field goal.
Point after tries had been challenging both teams all night, with the teams combining to score on only three of seven point-after attempts.
Lynden junior defensive back Sam Arango was the culprit of Anacortes’ failed extra point kick in the third quarter. After the Seahawks ran the ball into the endzone four and a half minutes into the quarter, Arrango got his hands in front of the extra point kick, keeping the ball away from the uprights.
The Seahawks scored again before the end of the third quarter, making the score 26-10 heading into the final quarter.
The Lions, having lost Assink to injury at the half (who had 103 yards from scrimmage to that point), turned to their passing game and started to make things work as Lalji found senior wide receiver Brody Price on a six-yard touchdown pass and pulled to within two scores.
With less than three minutes to go, Lalji threw the ball up for Arango, who raced fifty-two yards to the house to make it a three-point game. Arango went over 1,000 career receiving yards earlier in the contest.
Suddenly, with less than thirty seconds on the game clock, the Lions had the ball and were making steady progress down the field. Koenen was on the sideline preparing for what would’ve been the game-tying field goal, while his teammates were staring at the biggest fourth-down conversation of the game.
The Seahawks knew what was at stake, too, and their defense turned the Lions away. The Anacortes offense took a knee and watched the last fifteen seconds of the game run out as the Lions took the 26-23 loss.
Lynden was led defensively by Price who had a team-high eight tackles and a pass broken up. Senior safety Lofa Tigilau had 7.5 stops and Koenen added six tackles to go along with his two interceptions.
The Lions (3-1) will be on the road on Thursday when they take on Sehome (3-1) at Civic Stadium at 7:00.
Anacortes 26 Lynden 23 ANA 14 0 12 0 - 26 LYN 7 3 0 13 - 23 ANA - 22 yard touchdown run (pass failed) LYN - Assink 2 run (Mal. Koenen kick) ANA - 1 yard touchdown run (2pt pass good) LYN - Mal. Koenen 29 FG ANA - 1 yard touchdown run (kick blocked) ANA - 1 yard touchdown run (pass failed) LYN - Price 6 pass from Lalji (run failed) LYN - Arango 52 pass from Lalji (Mal. Koenen kick) ANA LYN 41-254 Rush Att-Yards 24-112 14-27-2 Comp-Att-Int 17-34-0 230 Passing Yards 209 Individual Leaders RUSHING - ANA: N/A. LYN: Assink 5-70, D. VanDalen 4-22, Mal. Koenen 1-10, Lalji 9-8, Bedlington 5-2. PASSING - ANA: N/A. LYN: Lalji 16-32-0-205, Bedlington 1-2-0-4. RECEIVING - ANA: N/A. LYN: Arango 7-74, Bedlington 3-58, Tigilau 3-23, Price 2-14, Assink 1-33, D. VanDalen 1-7.
