LYNDEN HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS INFORMATION

 September 24th, 2009                                      Advisor: Mr. Blake Van Dalen

 Co-Editors: Ryan Seto and Lucas Jacob

 Time For a Change…

 The Lynden Lions (2-1) (2-0) take on the Ferndale Golden Eagles (2-1) (1-1) at home for another classic battle between the cross county rivals. The Lions are coming off two consecutive conference victories and a wave of momentum. The Eagles, on the other hand, are coming off their first Conference loss since 2004 and want prove they are still a top contender in the Northwest Conference. Ferndale’s game last week was a close 21-28 defeat against a very talented Blaine squad, but besides this loss Ferndale has routed all other teams they have played. Ferndale has a 4-year winning streak on the Lions and will likely pull out all the stops to keep this streak going. Lynden, however, considers it is time for a change.

 Game Capsule:   The match-up tonight will display two teams who run completely different styles of offense. Lynden will look to fling around the pigskin in their spread offensive attack, while Ferndale will look to pound the Lion defense in their Winged-T offense. Both teams run these offenses exceptionally well and the game will likely come down to who can break out big plays. Ferndale graduated a lot of good athletes last year and has had to replace many spots on the field. Lynden will use their experience as an advantage against the young Ferndale squad. However, what Ferndale lacks in experience they will likely make up for in athletes.

 What’s At Stake: Whenever a rivalry is at hand, pride is always on the line, but there is much more at stake for both of these talented teams. The Golden Eagles are coming off a very disappointing loss and still want to show they have what it takes to be a high-quality opponent in the Northwest conference. Beating the defending state champs would give them the respect they are yearning for. Lynden still has a lot to prove in the state and a win against one of the top 3A programs would establish them as a top contender. The Lions will also gain a lot of momentum if they take down a team they haven’t beaten since 2004. This surge of momentum will likely help them a week later against a very tough Blaine squad.

 What to expect: Tonight’s contest is expected to be a very hard fought battle as the Lions will try avoid losing to Ferndale for a fifth consecutive year. This rivalry, which Bellingham Herald has featured as the game of the week, should present some very good match-ups between some of the best athletes in the Conference. Ferndale has some good backs that will run as hard as any the Lions have come across. The Lions, in contrast, features one of the best receiving cores in the Northwest Conference. There shouldn’t be any lack of entertainment in this classic bout. And whichever team is able to pull away with tonight’s victory will come away with bragging rights for the rest of the year and a lot of confidence for the rest of the season.