BELLINGHAM – When Nooksack Valley defeated Life Christian Academy in week two, the Eagles had less players suited up than they had cheerleaders on the track.
They started out the season 0-3, and since numerous players have become eligible, they haven’t lost to a team in Washington State. That included a 35-7 win over the Pioneers at Civic Stadium on Saturday night.
Life Christian used almost all of the clock in the first quarter, but were turned away in the red zone, and when Nooksack Valley gained 53 yards on its first play from scrimmage on a quick pass from senior Evan Brown to senior Cole Coppinger, it looked like the Pioneers would be in complete control. It just didn’t happen that way.
Nooksack Valley turned the ball over twice in the red zone, and its already depleted secondary had to deal with the “All-State Caliber” arm talent of the Eagle quarterback who completed 34-of-42 passes for 504 yards and five touchdowns.
Life Christian scored three touchdowns in the second quarter, and led 21-0 at the half.
Ball control was also big for the Eagles, who ran almost twice as many plays as the Pioneers did.
Nooksack Valley scored its lone touchdown at the end of the third quarter when Brown rifled an 11-yard pass into the end zone to junior wide receiver Max Lautenbach. Brown finished with 180 yards on 14-of-22 passing.
Senior linebacker Caleb Visser led the defense with 10.5 tackles, and Coppinger added seven stops from his cornerback spot.
The Pioneers finished their season with a record of 6-5.
Life Christian Academy 35 Nooksack Valley 7 LCA 0 21 7 7 - 35 NV 0 0 0 7 - 7 LCA - 79 yard touchdown pass (kick blocked) LCA - 34 yard touchdown pass (2pt run good) LCA - 12 yard touchdown pass (kick good) LCA - 53 yard touchdown pass (kick good) NV - Lautenbach 11 pass from Brown (E. Leyerly kick) LCA - 7 yard touchdown pass (kick good)
LCA NV 31-171 Rush Att-Yards 18-57 34-42-0 Comp-Att-Int 15-26-1 504 Passing Yards 188 Individual Leaders RUSHING - LCA: N/A. NV: Heutink 7-53, Scheenstra 5-20, Brown 5-(-6), Berends 1-(-10). PASSING - LCA: N/A. NV: Brown 14-22-1-180, Berends 1-4-0-8. RECEIVING - LCA: N/A. NV: Ackerman 5-39, Hester 4-42, Coppinger 2-56, Lautenbach 2-29, Reimer 2-22.
